Major Garibaldi's battle report

Major Andrea "Andy" Garibaldi writes:

I had stationed my small elite force of Italians at El Minchinhampton, just south of Cheltenham, it’s a very cold morning but already the sun is very bright with a light breeze coming from the south west. My forces are a little light on the ground with:

Italian Forces

· 4 infantry regiments. all conscripts

· 3 Medium Machine guns.

· 1 Mortar.

· 2 ATG 47mm

· 4 Lorries

· 1 Semovente 47/32

· 2 Semovente 75/18

· 2 M11/39 Medium Tanks

Attached 1 x 88mm Flak. This has been only added as we were commanded by our beloved allies to train this battery as they have only just arrived from Holland, they are very raw.

Anyway already we can see the glint of those silly English trundling towards my brave boys, I can hear their noisy Morris engines rattling along, I have already realized that most of my command staff are now away on a 12 day furlong, I don’t need them, I will handle this myself.

On the right. The English have already moved with in 1000meters of my position, I have already asked Oberleutnant Fritz Frankfurter to open fire and he has refused twice as he wasn’t quite ready yet, he promises that he will fire when I really need him. Now the English are 800 metres away and eventually the 88 opens up on the lead Tank, this just slows the Tank a little but still keeps coming. To my left I can make out some infantry but they just seem to be on a picnic.

Now on my right the English are at about 600 meters away so I open up with my medium tanks, I have just 3 the English will be no match for these. The lead tank again slows as the shells start to rain down on the English, it’s a fantastico sight, with a little help from my German cousins with the 88, the lead English tank is bludgeoned into retreating, they are no match for me.

The foolish English are not daunted by this, they are crazy fools. Again they push on and now apart from the tank that had been pushed back there are 3 English tanks starting to fire on my poor light tank, Corporal Vitorial he is amazing this little tank has already been hit twice by these English but we decide to just use the 88 as they need the practice, again they hit the 2^nd tank as the English lead tank has just caught up with the others. The English have by now destroyed Corporal Vitorial's Tank and they have started to open up on my next tank, with this I have all my forces open up. These English are no match for my boys and soon there are only 2 English tanks still operational. I only have 2 operational tanks left on my left as I have one tank knocked out and one being repaired, they are still holding of the puny English. The English are now attacking my left with mortar fire, some of my troops have taken casualties so I have sent 2 tanks to my left to Recce and possibly engage these forces.

Now these foolish English have stood in front of my position to trade fire and again they have opened up with their last 2 tanks, they are useless. We return fire and finally destroy the English, these English are no match for my brave boys, this war will not last long. I look forward to smashing the puny English.