"Boom! Boom! Boom!" In the Strait of Dover, five German "Bavaria-class" battleships, five "King-class" battleships, five "Deutschland-class" battleships, and five "Brunswick-class" battleships unleashed their fury upon Canterbury, bombarding the city with their 380mm and 280mm main guns.
Although the 280mm guns of the "Deutschland-class" and "Brunswick-class" battleships lacked the immense power of the larger guns, striking Canterbury from ten kilometers away was no great challenge. The bombardment still inflicted significant casualties upon the defending British forces. As for the 380mm guns of the "Bavaria-class" and "King-class," their reach extended far beyond, with a maximum range exceeding twenty kilometers, enough to envelop the entire area of Canterbury and its surroundings. The power of the 380mm shells was devastating.
Additionally, five "Vichersbach-class" battleships, five "Kaiser Frederick III-class" battleships, and four "Brandenburg-class" battleships—originally tasked with supporting the 3rd Corps and the 3rd Marine Division—joined the assault. After the British forces retreated to Maidstone, they were beyond the effective range of these battleships' main guns. As a result, the fleet redirected its fire to Canterbury, where the bulk of the British forces in the southeastern sector were concentrated, thus maximizing the impact of their bombardment.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The relentless explosions echoed through Canterbury, as the German Navy's warships fired high-explosive shells. Each round left a gaping crater in the earth, obliterating buildings and slaughtering anything within the blast radius.
"Boom!" A 380mm shell struck a British gun emplacement, pulverizing it and entombing over a hundred soldiers beneath the debris. The surviving British soldiers, without sufficient mechanical aid, struggled to dig out their comrades, but when they finally reached the buried men, there was little hope—they were already dead.
"Boom!" Another 280mm shell hit a five-story building in the heart of Canterbury. The building collapsed instantly, crushing a squad of British soldiers passing by below.
The continuous bombardment from the German Navy exacted a heavy toll on the British defenders, further eroding their morale. Many British soldiers, terrified by the relentless shelling, dared not leave their bunkers and sought refuge in hastily dug gun emplacements. Though these were pitifully inadequate against the German battleships' massive guns, offering little more than psychological comfort, they provided some sense of safety—at least for the moment.
"Whirr! Whirr! Whirr!" The German Army Air Force returned to the skies above Canterbury. Over two hundred bombers, escorted by a hundred or so fighter planes, commenced their aerial assault on the city.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!" Bombs rained down upon Canterbury like a hailstorm, exploding with thunderous force.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The concentrated blasts reduced entire city blocks to rubble. British military camps, defensive positions, and infrastructure were all obliterated in the carnage.
"Rat-a-tat-tat!" After the bombers had completed their mission, the fighter planes began their own slaughter. These aircraft scoured the streets for survivors, strafing any British soldiers they encountered with machine-gun fire. This brutal game of death had become the favorite pastime of the German Army Air Force pilots.
Every mission by the Luftwaffe inflicted severe damage on the British forces.
"Damn it! How is this possible?" Admiral Hamilton could hardly contain his fury as he read the casualty reports, which had escalated to unbearable levels.
On the 28th, the Germans began their slow advance toward Canterbury. Their progress was measured, seemingly adopting a strategy of steady, methodical assault. But the intensity of the naval bombardment and aerial bombing was relentless. On that day alone, over twenty thousand British soldiers fell to German shells and bombs.
By the 29th, the toll had risen to thirty thousand. In just two days, the British had lost nearly an entire division. Such a staggering loss was inconceivable to the British command.
"Sir, after two days, the Germans have only advanced three kilometers. They seem intent on using their naval and air power to wear us down," General Haig observed grimly. The battle was unfolding in a way they had not anticipated, and the commanders could not hide their discomfort.
"Shall we take the initiative and launch an attack?" General Benson suggested.
"No, if we initiate an attack, we will be subjected to the full brunt of German firepower. Furthermore, it would only result in greater losses," General Haig shook his head firmly.
"Then what should we do? Should we just sit and wait?" Admiral Hamilton's face contorted with fury, his anger threatening to explode.
"Sir, we have no other option but to wait. Even if the Germans advance slowly, they will inevitably press on toward Canterbury. The longer we delay, the more disadvantageous it will become for them. The end of August is fast approaching, and in three months, winter will arrive. At that point, the Germans will struggle with their supply lines," General Haig explained.
Admiral Hamilton paused, then reluctantly nodded. "Very well. Order our forces to maintain their positions and minimize losses as much as possible. Let's see how long the Germans can keep this up."
"Understood, Sir," General Haig replied.
"Sir, if possible, I recommend that the Air Force contest control of the skies with the Germans. The damage inflicted by their air raids has been even more devastating than their naval bombardment. If we can neutralize their air superiority, we can significantly reduce our losses," General Haig suggested.
"I'll contact the Air Force immediately," Hamilton replied, though his tone betrayed his uncertainty. It seemed their efforts to secure air superiority had not been successful thus far.