"Rat-a-tat-tat! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The general-purpose and light machine guns, mortars, and grenade launchers on the German Navy's Marine Corps positions erupted in a furious barrage. The dense hail of bullets swept toward the advancing Spanish forces like a violent storm.
The attacking Spanish troops, cramped into a narrow assault front, became nothing more than live targets for the intense firepower of the German Marine Corps.
Although both the German Army and Marine Corps possessed the same firepower—41 light machine guns and 15 general-purpose machine guns per battalion—the total of 55 machine guns deployed across a front barely a kilometer long meant that there was a machine gun every twenty meters or so. Such a staggering density of firepower was, without a doubt, overwhelming.
Moreover, the units on the first line of defense received additional fire support from mortars and grenade launchers positioned further back. The terrain of Gibraltar, being narrow, meant that even a single regiment of the German forces had to be spread across several lines of defense, with intervals of only about 100 meters. This proximity allowed mortars and grenade launchers to effectively support the front lines, and with minimal risk of hitting their comrades, even machine gun fire could be concentrated as reinforcement.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Mortar shells and grenade launcher rounds fell into the ranks of the Spanish forces, creating a storm of blood and carnage. Shrapnel flew, effortlessly claiming countless lives, resulting in tremendous losses for the advancing Spanish army.
"My God! How can the Germans' firepower be so powerful? How do their forces have so many machine guns and light artillery?" The Spanish commander overseeing the attack was stunned, seemingly unable to believe what he was witnessing.
"General, the German fire is too strong! We can't hold against it! Our casualties are too high—half of our regiment has fallen in less than ten minutes. If this continues, our forces will soon collapse!"
"Damn it! The general has given the order to keep attacking. No retreat without orders!"
On the artillery positions of the German Navy's 2nd Marine Division, the cannons raised their barrels. Based on the data relayed from the front-line observers, the gunners were making adjustments.
Once the artillerymen finished their preparations, the commander issued the order to fire!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Eighteen 150mm heavy howitzers, thirty-six 105mm light howitzers, and fifty-four 75mm field guns unleashed a relentless barrage. The dense rain of shells rained down upon the attacking Spanish forces.
The relentless pounding of artillery shells within the ranks of the Spanish troops only served to heighten their already staggering casualties.
"My God! The Germans' artillery is so powerful—how could we ever break through their defenses?"
"Unless God intervenes, our soldiers stand no chance against such concentrated fire. This isn't a battle—it's a slaughter! The Germans are mercilessly exterminating our troops with their superior firepower. We can no longer continue the attack. If we do, our entire army will be wiped out! We cannot allow our soldiers to die in vain!"
The Spanish generals, witnessing the carnage from the safety of the rear, were horrified. Though they were far removed from the front, they could easily imagine the desperation felt by their men as they fought forward.
"Boom! Boom!"
A thunderous explosion erupted, shaking the earth itself, as massive fireballs erupted from within the Spanish ranks.
"Naval guns! They're firing the battleship's main guns at us!"
"This is unfair! The Germans are using the battleship's main guns—this is outrageous!"
To the Spaniards, it felt as if the Germans were using overwhelming force to crush them. They had no means of defending themselves.
The immense power of the battleship's main guns, armed with high-explosive shells designed to strike soft ground targets, wreaked havoc. The shells landed accurately within the ranks of the Spanish forces, creating scenes of hellish devastation. Each explosion left a gaping void in the Spanish lines, reducing everything in its blast radius to nothing.
"My God! Run! We can't defeat the Germans. Charging into this kind of concentrated fire is as good as suicide!"
"I won't fight anymore—I want to go home!"
Under the unrelenting onslaught, the Spanish attacking forces suffered devastating losses, causing their morale to plummet. Seeing their comrades reduced to nothing more than debris left even the bravest soldiers filled with terror.
The Spanish forces, broken by the staggering casualties, collapsed entirely. Panicked soldiers fled in all directions, ignoring the commands of their officers. In fact, many of those officers—who should have been rallying the troops—joined in the retreat.
After all, even the officers were human and susceptible to fear. Faced with the overwhelming firepower of the Germans, they lacked the courage to continue the fight.
The Spanish assault collapsed in less than half an hour, leaving a field littered with the dead. The number of bodies was staggering, though the exact count was unknown.
Not only were the Spaniards terrified, but the German Marines, too, were shaken by the sight. The explosions of the large-caliber naval guns, just two or three hundred meters away, were a chilling spectacle. Witnessing enemy soldiers torn apart by these shells was an experience that left the German troops breathless with shock.
"My God! I hope the navy aims well—if those shells land on us, we're finished."
"This battle is almost too easy! The Navy's bombardment is enough to take care of the Spaniards. There's nothing for us to do!"
"If every battle were like this, it would be perfect—our losses would be minimal."
In the end, the Spanish attack crumbled under the overwhelming firepower of the Germans. Of the more than 20,000 who had charged into the fray, fewer than half made it back. The rest were paralyzed with fear, too terrified to continue fighting.