Mumbai, Headquarters of the British Indian Army's 2nd Corps.
General Howard, his brow furrowed, had just received the report of the German landing at Alibag. However, he had not yet devised a strategy to address the situation.
As one of the most elite of the three corps of the British Indian Army, the 2nd Corps was immensely powerful. Besides the British forces stationed in India, it was the strongest. This was precisely why Lord William Nicholson had decided to deploy the 2nd Corps to Mumbai.
Upon their arrival in Mumbai, General Howard and his corps immediately began preparing for battle. With the city's vast population, evacuation was impossible. General Howard cared little for the fate of the native Indians; instead, he focused on fortifying the city, preparing to withstand the German assault within its walls. Civilian casualties, should they occur, were beyond his concern.
At Mumbai's port, he had placed a considerable amount of explosives, intending to detonate them when the German forces landed. This tactic would not only deny the Germans the use of Mumbai's port but also cause significant casualties, making it a twofold advantage.
As for holding Mumbai itself, General Howard had not entertained such thoughts. He understood the limitations of his own command. Even if his entire force were made up of British soldiers, he would lack confidence in their ability to hold the city. This was especially true given that most of the troops under his command were Indian natives.
"General, a telegram from Lord Nicholson!" reported an officer.
Upon reading the telegram, a faint smile appeared on General Howard's face.
Lord Nicholson had given orders for several army corps along India's western coastline to be temporarily placed under his command. This meant that, in name, General Howard now had the authority to deploy and command all the British Indian forces stationed along the western coast. In addition to the 2nd Corps, there were seven other British Indian Army corps stationed there.
"Order the 2nd Corps to mobilize the 11th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th Infantry Divisions to launch an offensive against Alibag. The 11th Corps will advance from the south. The 12th Corps is to head towards Mumbai and join the battle. This time, we will drive the Germans into the sea before they can establish a foothold!" General Howard commanded.
"Yes, General!" the officer promptly responded, departing to issue the orders.
"This time, we will deploy six main infantry divisions and two additional corps, totaling over 500,000 men! That should be sufficient to repel the German attack, I hope?" General Howard muttered to himself.
As the British Indian forces began their movements, the German Marine Corps had already secured Alibag. The 3rd Marine Division and the main forces of the 8th Army Corps were rapidly disembarking using the port of Alibag.
General Ludendorff knew that time was now of the essence. It was imperative to get as many reinforcements ashore before the British could mount their counteroffensive. Only by doing so would he have a chance of resisting the British assault.
"General, the Navy's seaplane reconnaissance reports that large numbers of British Indian forces are approaching Alibag! There are British Indian troops both to the north and south. They are expected to launch their attack within three hours," reported one of Ludendorff's officers.
"How many of our troops will be ashore before the British launch their counterattack?" Ludendorff asked, his brow furrowed.
"General, Alibag's port is too small. At this rate, aside from the 3rd Marine Division, only the 1st Infantry Division will be able to land. Additionally, the 2nd Infantry Division might be able to land a single regiment," the officer replied.
"That's insufficient. We are facing a force of several hundred thousand British Indian troops. We must deploy the landing craft of the Marine Corps to assist with troop transports. Even if we cannot land heavy weapons, we must ensure that infantry and light arms make it ashore. For fire support, we can rely on the Indian Ocean Fleet," General Ludendorff ordered.
"Yes, General," the officer quickly replied.
The Marine Corps landing craft could deliver troops directly to the beach. While they could not assist with the heavy weaponry, they could at least ensure the infantry was delivered. This would allow more troops to land before the British Indian forces could strike, thereby helping to delay the British counterattack.
Before the main forces had landed, the German position was precarious. A single misstep could result in defeat or even being driven back into the sea. Such a failure would not only be a blow to Germany's ambitions in India, but it would also tarnish their global reputation.
"Contact the Indian Ocean Fleet, we need more support!" General Ludendorff ordered.
With heavy weapons unable to reach the shore, the fire support of the Navy's warships was essential. Fortunately, the Indian Ocean Fleet had already gathered its main forces to ensure the success of the 8th Army Corps' landing.
"Yes, General."
Shortly thereafter, the fleet's commander, Rear Admiral Ingold, assured General Ludendorff that the Indian Ocean Fleet would provide full fire support for the 8th Army Corps. When the fleet previously shelled Alibag, only two major warships had been involved. The remaining five had been on standby, but now Rear Admiral Ingold had dispatched the other five warships to the battle zone.
Time passed swiftly. The British Indian forces were hastening toward Alibag, determined to strike before the Germans could secure their position.
Meanwhile, the Germans were pushing to land as many troops as possible, hoping to get enough reinforcements ashore to withstand the British counterattack, which would allow their main forces to land. Once the German main forces were ashore, their battle-hardened strength would make it feasible to sweep across India.
"How long before the 4th Corps arrives?" General Ludendorff inquired.
The previous commander of the 4th Corps, Duke of Württemberg, had been eliminated. After the war, QinTian had purged the 4th Corps, removing officers associated with the Duke, and had bolstered the ranks with units from other regions to ensure greater control. As a result, despite the extensive restructuring, the fighting capability of the 4th Corps had actually increased.
"General, the 4th Corps will require approximately three more days to reach the battlefield," the officer reported.