Chapter 370: The Star Company

Sometimes, being invincible is not necessarily a good thing. At least for Rein and his crew, this was not necessarily a good thing. They had

Sometimes, being invincible is not necessarily a good thing. At least for Rein and his crew, this was not necessarily a good thing. They had fought all the way from Poix to Beauvais, and then from Beauvais to Creil, and were now less than 50 kilometers from Paris.

What had stopped their advance was not the less-than-a-hundred dilapidated tanks under de Gaulle’s command, nor was it the stubborn resistance of the French infantry, but a strange order to halt their advance issued by their corps commander, Guderian, which the 3rd SS Panzer Division had received inexplicably.

Even the division commander, Faehlich, was a little confused by this order. But then they were ordered to hand over their positions to the neighboring 1st Panzer Division and to withdraw collectively to Amiens to rest and reorganize. At that point, everyone knew that it was impossible for them to compete for the honor of being the first German unit to enter Paris.

A feeling of dejection immediately spread, making everyone very unhappy. The Germans seemed to have an almost obsessive desire to conquer the French capital of Paris. To be the first German unit to ride into Paris with drawn swords—this honor was a great temptation for every German soldier.

It was said that France was desperately sending requests to Berlin through Switzerland, hoping to open consultations on the war between the two countries and to reach a new peace agreement as soon as possible. And it was said that the French government had already declared Paris an open city, and the entire French government had begun to hurriedly relocate to Lyon.

Of course, it seemed that there was an unspoken agreement within the entire Reich’s armored forces, which was that the credit for annihilating the Anglo-French coalition forces at Dunkirk would be taken by the 7th Panzer Corps commanded by Rommel, while the honor of attacking Paris and taking France would be given to the 1st Panzer Corps under the command of Guderian.

So even if the 3rd SS Panzer Division was not able to continue south from Creil, it seemed that the unit that would enter France would also be the 1st Panzer Corps.

“Rein! Why do you think we were just replaced in such a muddle-headed way? Which of the tough battles along the way wasn’t fought by us? In the end, they just told us to get lost like this?” Marcus asked, wiping his nose with his finger and complaining loudly into the intercom from his seat on the tank’s turret.

“This is an arrangement from the corps headquarters. When the regimental commander came this morning, why didn’t you jump up and curse at him?” Rein replied with a yawn, leaning against the commander’s hatch of the Tiger tank’s turret.

Yesterday, they had returned to Poix. There, they had eaten a hot meal, had even opened some canned food, and had found some fresh vegetables and a few sausages. Using a civilian house, Alice had also taken a hot bath. Her hair, which had been stuck together from not having been washed for many days, had now also become more charming and soft.

She was sitting on the radio operator’s hatch, humming a song softly, her head shaking, looking to be in a very good mood. If you were to stare at her back now, you would never have guessed that this seemingly carefree young girl had personally shot and killed four French infantrymen on the outskirts of Creil yesterday.

Rein also could not have imagined that in yesterday’s battle, the barrel of this Tiger tank of his had once again added a new combat record. This majestic Tiger had actually already expanded its combat record in France to a full 60 vehicles. This number was about a quarter of the total number of tanks owned by the main opponent of the 3rd SS Panzer Division, de Gaulle’s French 10th Armoured Corps.

Of course, a dozen or so of the kills here had come from Poland, and some from the French 9th Army, which also proved that Rein’s 3rd SS Panzer Division, as an elite of the German armored forces, had participated in almost all of the major battles that had broken out.

“Does the regimental commander mean to break up our 3rd SS Panzer Division?” Andre asked with a frown, having participated in the meeting that morning.

“The Führer has issued an order for each unit to select a portion of their frontline officers with rich combat experience to return to the Reich to form training units, which will be specially responsible for training the newly formed units and for improving their combat effectiveness,” Rein replied as he swayed with the vehicle.

This was Akado’s new measure. He did not want the powerful elite units of Germany to be consumed bit by bit on the increasingly brutal battlefield. He hoped that these seasoned and experienced soldiers would pass on their combat skills and killing techniques to more soldiers, so that these soldiers could fight more efficiently.

“Do we have to go to Berlin? To teach a bunch of newbie eggs?” Andre asked with a helpless sigh.

“I hear that we don’t have to go back for the time being, just to rest and reorganize on the spot in Amiens,” Rein continued. “Tanks 114 and 115 are both being transferred. We will be supplemented with other new recruits. We will be teaching these new recruits how to drive tanks in the Amiens camp.”

“My God, breaking us up so piecemeal? Are they organizing a new panzer division?” Andre asked with a frown. “Taking away half our men at once? Are you kidding?”

“Originally, that kid Marcus was supposed to go. He could have at least gotten a company commander’s job over there. As a result, this fool ran to the battalion headquarters and made a big fuss, insisting on being my subordinate. What a pain,” Rein said with a chuckle.

“A pain? Are you kidding me, Captain Rein?” Marcus’s voice came through the headset. “I gave up being a company commander and am staying here with you as a little platoon leader, and you still think I’m a pain?”

“You shut up! If it weren’t for you bastard messing things up, it would have been my tank 114 that was left! How could you not know how happy it is to be with Captain Rein?” Before Rein could speak, the commander of tank 114 had already started cursing. “As a result, we now have to go over there and die with a bunch of newbie eggs. That’s what I call really a pain!”

“Hahahaha,” the commander of tank 115 did not speak but just kept laughing. His luck was not bad. To go to the training regiment over there to be a platoon leader was a promotion, and there was nothing to complain about. It was just that his laughter had a hint of sadness from parting, and everyone knew why without having to say it.

“Do a good job over there. It would be best if in the future, all of Germany’s tank aces come from our 1st Company. That would be something to be proud of,” Marcus, having gotten the better deal, would of course be gracious, and he said loudly.

“Alright!” The two replies sounded full of heroic spirit.

The tanks, accompanied by the grenadiers who were retreating to rest and reorganize, came to a fork in the road. In an open space on the side were parked the old Panther tanks, as well as some young tankers who were exclaiming and laughing loudly.

Below the road sign at the fork in the road were the division’s staff officer, another officer, and the deputy commander of the 1st Regiment. Beside them was parked an off-road vehicle, and on the hood of the car were spread many documents.

“Tank 114, tank 115, drive to the left to that square over there and stop. Await further instructions. You will be under my command from now on. I will convey the detailed orders in a meeting two hours later,” the deputy regimental commander commanded loudly.

“Tank 112, commander Marcus, you will lead your men and leave your tank. Proceed on foot with tank 113. You are to be re-equipped with new equipment,” the staff officer said, pointing to the front. “After that, you will have a period of rest and reorganization. You will have hot food every day, be able to take a bath, and have about a three-day vacation.”

“At your service, Lieutenant Rein. Or rather, the new Captain Rein, company commander,” the unknown officer said with a nod and a smile. “I hope you will like the name of your new unit.”

“New unit? What new unit?” Rein asked with a frown, not yet knowing his own arrangements.

“The name is a bit long. It sounds quite intimidating,” the officer said, looking at Rein with a smile. “1st Company, Training Company, 501st Independent Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion, attached to the 3rd SS Panzer Division.”

“1st Company, Training Company?” Rein asked again with a frown.

“That is to say, the elite of the elite unit responsible for training,” the officer continued with a smile. “Go ahead. There are people waiting for you there. You’ll know when you get there.”

“Baumann, drive,” Rein said with a nod, pressing his throat intercom and commanding. “Let’s go and see what kind of characters are in the new tank company.”

“In short, you will be satisfied,” the officer said with a hearty laugh.

Rein’s tank continued to drive forward, and he saw his new unit. Even he couldn’t help but be taken aback for a moment. In another open space, parked were full of the same new tanks that he was driving—Tiger tanks.

As if waiting for him, an officer walked to the side of Rein’s tank and, keeping pace with the slowly advancing tank, said loudly as he walked, “Captain Rein, you are in charge of commanding the 10 Tiger tanks of the 1st Company. You are concurrently the 1st platoon leader. The 2nd platoon leader is Lieutenant Marcus… There will be a meeting in the battalion in a little while. Assemble in about 15 minutes. Don’t miss it.”

“I know. Let’s go and see our new comrades,” Rein said, waving to the officer to indicate that he had heard. He then stopped in front of his tank’s designated spot.

Opposite him were nine brand-new Tiger tanks. A lieutenant with an Iron Cross looked very amiable and easy to get along with. He walked over very casually and greeted him. “Yo, Company Commander! Good afternoon.”

“Hello, Lieutenant,” Rein returned the salute. “I am the commander of the 1st Company, Rein, Rein Hardt. Is this the 1st Company?”

“Of course. This is the ‘Star Company’ of the 501st Independent Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion. Welcome, sir,” the lieutenant said with a kind and friendly smile. “I am the man who is second on the tank killer list, right after you. Lieutenant Michael, Michael Wittmann.”

He pointed to a young boy not far away, who looked to be not much older than Rein, and introduced him. “That’s the little guy who’s in third place. He’s only 16 this year, the youngest tank commander in the entire SS. He’s always considered you his idol. His name… name… what was it again?”

“Otto!” the boy with the officer’s cap on crookedly said, looking up. He revealed a small face that was even thinner than Rein’s, his lips pursed, his face still full of youthful innocence as he introduced himself. “Otto Carius is me!”

Marcus, who had been following behind Rein’s tank, felt his legs go weak after hearing these two names and stumbled. My God… this really is the Star Company.

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