"Rumble!"
The roar of over four hundred tank engines converged into a thunderous cacophony. Countless British soldiers gazed in terror as the ominous black tanks surged towards them. Some, paralyzed by fear, soiled themselves.
"My God! How can the Germans have so many tanks? How can we possibly withstand their assault?" a British soldier shouted in panic, wishing he could flee if not for the officer looming behind him. Though it might seem cowardly, preserving one's life was paramount in such dire circumstances.
"Anti-tank guns! Set them up quickly!" an officer bellowed.
The British forces, having been poised to launch their own attack, were unprepared to establish defensive positions, let alone deploy anti-tank weaponry. Now, faced with the German onslaught, they were thrown into disarray.
While some soldiers hurried to relocate the anti-tank guns, many others retreated in fear.
Clearly, setting up defenses at this point was futile. With such a vast array of German tanks, how many anti-tank guns would be needed to counter them? It was likely that the few they managed to deploy would be overwhelmed before they could even fire a shot. This battle was unwinnable.
"Boom!"
An anti-tank gun fired from the British position, but in their panic, the shot missed its target.
"Quick, reload the shell!"
"Boom!" A German tank fired, its shell exploding beside the anti-tank gun. Though the weapon remained intact, the crew operating it was annihilated.
The horrific sight of their fallen comrades sent chills through the remaining British soldiers. They abandoned any thought of retaliation and fled in panic.
The 22nd, 23rd, and 24th Infantry Divisions of the British Army crumbled under the pressure. What was once a determined offensive turned into a chaotic rout in the face of the German armored advance.
Disorganized remnants of soldiers fled towards the rear, while the German armored units advanced eastward, bolstered by the support of infantry.
"General, the German tanks are overwhelming. We cannot withstand this assault! We must retreat immediately!" a brigadier general urged General Benson.
"Fool! Retreat? How can we retreat? We came to reinforce General Haig! If we withdraw, what will happen to him? The 1st Army will be consumed by the Germans!" General Benson roared in fury.
"Sir, we cannot afford to be noble right now! If we don't act, we too will fall to the Germans. How can we hope to rescue General Haig then?" the brigadier general implored.
General Benson paused, realizing the truth in his words. If they were annihilated, General Haig's 1st Army would surely meet the same fate.
"Order the following troops to prepare to repel the German advance. Set up all available anti-tank guns and destroy the enemy's tanks!" Benson commanded.
"Additionally, instruct the French infantry divisions to reinforce us immediately. We cannot delay! If we are overwhelmed, they will share our fate!" Benson added, his teeth clenched.
"Understood, sir."
As Benson's orders were dispatched, the Allied forces endeavored to establish a defensive line against the German onslaught. They gathered as many anti-tank guns as possible.
Regrettably, before their hastily constructed defenses could withstand the German armored assault, they were targeted by the Luftwaffe. Hundreds of fighter planes accompanied bombers in a relentless barrage against the Allied position. Many anti-tank guns were destroyed, along with numerous crews.
As the German air assault ceased, the armored divisions advanced. Although the battered anti-tank units managed to destroy a few German tanks, it was a meager accomplishment, failing to halt the German advance.
The line was swiftly breached, shattering the fighting spirit of the Allied troops.
Scores of soldiers fled in disarray.
Seeing the dire situation, General Benson ordered a retreat in hopes of regrouping and rearming before launching a counterattack.
However, the retreating forces soon delivered a grim report.
"Sir, we are encircled by the Germans! Their forces are closing in from the east and north. We cannot escape!" a commander reported.
"What? How can there be so many Germans? Isn't their main force attacking Rouen? How did they end up here?" General Benson's expression darkened.
It became clear to him that this was a trap set by the Germans. Their assault on Rouen was a ploy to draw the Allies in. Now, they had indeed fallen into the enemy's snare, facing inevitable encirclement.
"Immediately organize the troops for a breakout! If we wish to survive, we must escape! Otherwise, as the Germans close in, we will all perish!" Benson ordered.
Unfortunately, it was too late for such commands. To eradicate them, the Germans had deployed twenty infantry divisions and two armored divisions, backed by substantial air support. Under these circumstances, allowing the Allies to escape would be a disgrace to both General Kluck and General Ludendorff.
As the Germans continued their methodical advance, each Allied attempt to break free ended in failure.
Amid this chaos, the Allies discovered an unguarded route to the south.
Consequently, numerous soldiers attempted to flee southward, seeking to cross the Seine River. However, the bridges had long since been destroyed by the Luftwaffe, and many boats along the riverbank had also been wrecked. The only way for the Allies to escape the encirclement was to swim across the Seine.
Countless soldiers plunged into the river, but except for a few skilled swimmers, the majority drowned.