Post by Diarist on Oct 18, 2016 11:26:42 GMT 1
We've left Prague with the feeling that another nail has been hammered in Hitler's coffin. I had a long conversation with Foreign Minister Beneš and Defence Minister Machnik and naturally the Locarno-Sudetenland idea was the main topic. It was a very promising conversation but do I even mention it back in London? If the information were leaked it would be disastrous for all of us. There will be no written report.
Our next stop is Warsaw and we were met by BG Stachiewicz, the Chief of the General Staff, as well as a familiar face. COL Stanislaw Maczek the head of the Polish delegation to TRADOC is also here to sell our armoured division concept. I'm not quite sure where we are but it's a government guest house for foreign visitors. After lunch we were driven to the Ministry of Defence where we met Minister Kasprzycki and more senior officers.
COL Maczek gave a 30 minute presentation then I was asked to answer questions and I had already anticipated the first question.
"Let me guess your first question, please. Why is it an armoured brigade when there are three battalions of infantry and only one armoured battalion?"
"Correct. I see an infantry brigade with armoured support."
"First there are three armoured battalions not one." I stood up and walked to the board where COL Maczek had given his presentation. "Here is a company of Infantry Support Vehicles, armour. Here is a tank-hunter company, armour and here is a self-propelled anti-aircraft company, armour. Second there is a battalion of self-propelled artillery, armour. Finally there are not three infantry battalions but at least three motorized infantry battalions or maybe three mechanized (armoured) infantry battalions. This heavy brigade has ten times the firepower and five times the mobility of an ordinary infantry brigade. It's the combination of this firepower and mobility that makes it such a potent force. Furthermore it is a very flexible unit. The brigade HQ is only for administrative purposes. There are six battalion HQ's which can form six battalion-sized battlegroups each one more powerful than an infantry brigade. I would even go so far as to say that if the Soviets were to attack with six rifle divisions this one brigade, well supplied and taking advantage of its mobility and firepower, could easily defeat that force." I asked COL Maczek to tell them about the recent FTX.
"They surrendered after only five and a half hours?"
"Yes, General and we don't yet have the ideal equipment. Most of it is still on the drawing board. The bad news is that the Germans have similar ideas and very capable officers."
"Any good news?"
"Yes. Poland has three capable officers at TRADOC and are learning the trade. You have the core of your own armour force. So what tricks do you have up your sleeve?"
After a moment. "What can you tell us about Bletchley Park?" The CGS asked.
"It's top secret and I'm surprised you know about it."
"Does Enigma mean anything to you?"
"I presume you mean the German cipher machine. Why are you asking, General?"
"Have you cracked the code yet?"
"Not that I know of because we are still getting organized. The German Navy has started using it too."
"We cracked it three years ago."
"That is impressive! I've been told that if it is used correctly it's virtually unbreakable so that means the Germans are being careless."
"So I have been told. We'll talk later. I've noticed that you have only four tanks to a platoon instead of the usual five. Is there a reason for that?"
"We believe that the number of tanks in brigade (or battalion) is the not the most important factor. More important is the number of maneuver units. For example, five company-sized infantry BG's each with 4 tanks is better than four BG's with 5 tanks each."
"I see. That make sense. We have dinner with President Moscicki this evening. We can talk there. Is there anything you need?"
"I hope to fly to Berlin tomorrow. I would like a weather forecast and if it's good flying weather I need to telephone somebody in Berlin."
"I'll see that you receive the information."
"I appreciate that, General."
Ten minutes later I had the information then I called the telephone number Wilhelm Canaris had given me last month.
"Admiral Canaris, bitte."
"Am Apparat."
"Bob Carter, ich bin in Warschau."
"Hallo, when will you be here?"
"Tomorrow, Templehof at 10 o'clock. Is that convenient?"
"Of course. I'll be there myself."
"My aircraft, it's an RAF transport aircraft, needs to be refuelled so that it can fly further without me. Can you arrange that?"
"No problem. Until tomorrow morning."
So tomorrow we'll be in Berlin and I have absolutely no plan. I haven't even mentioned the Rhineland here yet. The Enigma revelation surprised me.
Our next stop is Warsaw and we were met by BG Stachiewicz, the Chief of the General Staff, as well as a familiar face. COL Stanislaw Maczek the head of the Polish delegation to TRADOC is also here to sell our armoured division concept. I'm not quite sure where we are but it's a government guest house for foreign visitors. After lunch we were driven to the Ministry of Defence where we met Minister Kasprzycki and more senior officers.
COL Maczek gave a 30 minute presentation then I was asked to answer questions and I had already anticipated the first question.
"Let me guess your first question, please. Why is it an armoured brigade when there are three battalions of infantry and only one armoured battalion?"
"Correct. I see an infantry brigade with armoured support."
"First there are three armoured battalions not one." I stood up and walked to the board where COL Maczek had given his presentation. "Here is a company of Infantry Support Vehicles, armour. Here is a tank-hunter company, armour and here is a self-propelled anti-aircraft company, armour. Second there is a battalion of self-propelled artillery, armour. Finally there are not three infantry battalions but at least three motorized infantry battalions or maybe three mechanized (armoured) infantry battalions. This heavy brigade has ten times the firepower and five times the mobility of an ordinary infantry brigade. It's the combination of this firepower and mobility that makes it such a potent force. Furthermore it is a very flexible unit. The brigade HQ is only for administrative purposes. There are six battalion HQ's which can form six battalion-sized battlegroups each one more powerful than an infantry brigade. I would even go so far as to say that if the Soviets were to attack with six rifle divisions this one brigade, well supplied and taking advantage of its mobility and firepower, could easily defeat that force." I asked COL Maczek to tell them about the recent FTX.
"They surrendered after only five and a half hours?"
"Yes, General and we don't yet have the ideal equipment. Most of it is still on the drawing board. The bad news is that the Germans have similar ideas and very capable officers."
"Any good news?"
"Yes. Poland has three capable officers at TRADOC and are learning the trade. You have the core of your own armour force. So what tricks do you have up your sleeve?"
After a moment. "What can you tell us about Bletchley Park?" The CGS asked.
"It's top secret and I'm surprised you know about it."
"Does Enigma mean anything to you?"
"I presume you mean the German cipher machine. Why are you asking, General?"
"Have you cracked the code yet?"
"Not that I know of because we are still getting organized. The German Navy has started using it too."
"We cracked it three years ago."
"That is impressive! I've been told that if it is used correctly it's virtually unbreakable so that means the Germans are being careless."
"So I have been told. We'll talk later. I've noticed that you have only four tanks to a platoon instead of the usual five. Is there a reason for that?"
"We believe that the number of tanks in brigade (or battalion) is the not the most important factor. More important is the number of maneuver units. For example, five company-sized infantry BG's each with 4 tanks is better than four BG's with 5 tanks each."
"I see. That make sense. We have dinner with President Moscicki this evening. We can talk there. Is there anything you need?"
"I hope to fly to Berlin tomorrow. I would like a weather forecast and if it's good flying weather I need to telephone somebody in Berlin."
"I'll see that you receive the information."
"I appreciate that, General."
Ten minutes later I had the information then I called the telephone number Wilhelm Canaris had given me last month.
"Admiral Canaris, bitte."
"Am Apparat."
"Bob Carter, ich bin in Warschau."
"Hallo, when will you be here?"
"Tomorrow, Templehof at 10 o'clock. Is that convenient?"
"Of course. I'll be there myself."
"My aircraft, it's an RAF transport aircraft, needs to be refuelled so that it can fly further without me. Can you arrange that?"
"No problem. Until tomorrow morning."
So tomorrow we'll be in Berlin and I have absolutely no plan. I haven't even mentioned the Rhineland here yet. The Enigma revelation surprised me.