Military History of St Samuel in World War II
St Samuel entered the Second World War after Prime Minister Benedicto Zarkozy declared war on Nazi Germany on the 3rd of September 1939. Politically, St Samuel had been a vocal opponent of European fascism and also the appeasement of those dictatorships, and national sentiment for a strong show of force was generally supported. Economic and defensive considerations also motivated the St Samuel involvement - reliance on Britain meant that if she were threatened, St Samuel would be too in terms of economic and defensive ties. There was also a strong sentimental link between the former British colony and the United Kingdom.
St Samuel provided personnel for service in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, the St Samuel Division of the Royal Navy was placed at the Admiralty's disposal and new medium bombers waiting in the United Kingdom to be shipped to St Samuel were made available to the RAF. The St Samuel Army contributed in total, around 740,000 troops, who served overseas for the Allied war effort, and an additional 300,000 men were armed for Home Guard duty. At its peak in July 1942, St Samuel had 1,454,549 men and women under arms (excluding the Home Guard) and by the war's end a total of 2,794,000 men and 10,000 women had served in the armed forces at home and overseas. The costs for the country were high - 411,625 killed.
Contents
1939 Timeline
St Samuel enters the war
On 3 September 1939, the King's cabinet produced a declaration of war, subsequently approved by King Claudius, and it was Prime Minister Benedicto Zarkozy who announced to the nation that St Samuel was at war. Three Divisions were instantly mobilized and the Government began a large military expansion and transferred St Samuel warships and SSRAF aircrew and units to British control. On 8 October 1939, Zarkozy announced the reintroduction of conscription for home defence service effective from 1 December 1939. Unmarried men turning 21 in the year ending 30 June 1940 would be drafted into the Militia. By October 1939 the 2nd, 4th and 5th Royal St Samuel Infantry Division's and the 9th Royal St Samuel Armoured Division were dispatched to England, totalling some 70,000 troops.
Military Campaigns in 1939
During the first years of World War II St Samuel's military strategy was closely aligned with that of the United Kingdom. In line with this, St Samuel's war effort was concentrated in the Middle East and Mediterranean Sea.
By mid-October the 4th Royal St Samuel Division under Major-General Valentino Amorzia, had been dispatched to France and the 20,000 Samuelonian troops linked up with the 158,000 British troops in France. The 2nd RSS Infantry Division were joined the 4th Division in December.
1940 Timeline
On the 22nd of January, British, St Samuel and Australian forces take Tobruk, Libya, from Italian defenders.
May 25: The Allied forces, British, St Samuel and French alike, retreat to Dunkirk. Hitler mysteriously orders a halt to the advance of Germans toward the Allied beachhead and Operation Dynamo, the Allied evacuation of 340,000 troops from Dunkirk, begins. The move lasts until June 3. 39,874 Samuelonian troops evacuated back to England.
July - October, The Royal St Samuel Airforce take part in the Battle of Britain. The total loss of St Samuel aircraft at the end of the battle is numbered at some 427, with 360 air crew dead.
August 15: Southern Holdinia aligns itself with the Axis and declares war on The Union of Central Holdinian States. The Central Holdinia Campaign begins.
September 4 - 15: St Samuel forces launch Operation Izika in the Stevens Bay Province and by the 15th of September the Operation is deemed a failiure and the troops evacuated.
September 25: Prime Minister Zarkozy extends conscription age so that all 18 to 38 year olds are called up for service.
September 28: President Jans Bilkermann, of the Union of Central Holdinian States surrenders to Southern Holdinia.
December 9: Operation Compass: The 7th Royal St Samuel Queens Division under the British Western Desert Force begins offensive against Italian forces in North Africa. Initial attacks launched against the five Italian camps near Sidi Barrani. Italian forces are driven back to Bardia, on the Libya/Egypt border. Over 39,000 Italians are captured.
1941 Timeline
January 4: Operation Compass: Samuelonian and Australian troops of the Western Desert Force capture Italian-held Bardia, just across the Egyptian border. The Allies take 45,000 Italian prisoners.
January 7: Allied offensive nears Tobruk; the airport is taken.
January 12: Operation Compass: British, Australian, Samuelonian and New Zealand troops of the Western Desert Force launch assault on Italian-held Tobruk.
January 12: Operation Compass: British, Australian, Samuelonian and New Zealand troops of the Western Desert Force complete capture of Italian-held Tobruk.
February 3: Operation Compass: The Western Desert Force captured Italian-held Derna.
February 7: Operation Compass: After several days of desperate fighting, the Western Desert Force cut off and destroyed the retreating Italian 10th Army during the Battle of Beda Fomm. The British captured roughly 130,000 Italians. The official surrender follows, and Benghazi falls into Allied hands.
February 9: British and St Samuel forces reach El Agheila, Libya, halfway to Tripoli.
February 14: German forces begin to land in North Africa and move eastward toward advanced positions.
February 20: German and Samuelonian troops confront each other for the first time -- at El Agheila in western Libya.
March 31: The Afrika Korps continues the German offensive in North Africa; Mersa Brega, north of El Agheila, is taken.
April 1: British and St Samuel forces continue the retreat into Libya after the losses at El Agheila. 16th Royal St Samuel Foreign Legion arrive in Egypt.
April 2: After taking Agedabia, Rommel decides to take all of Libya and moves his troops toward Benghazi.
April 3: Rommel takes Benghazi, Libya; Tobruk will remain a threat for the next seven months.
April 4: Rommel is now about 200 miles east of El Agheila, heading for Tobruk and Egypt.
April 10: Germans begin the first siege of the port of Tobruk, Libya.
April 14: Rommel attacks Tobruk, but is again forced to turn back. Other attacks, also failures, occur on the 16th and 30th.
April 15: British destroyers intercept an Afrika Korps convoy and sink all five transports and the three covering Italian destroyers.
April 25: Rommel wins an important victory at Halfaya Pass, close to the Egyptian border.
April 26: Rommel attacks the Gazala defense line and crosses into Egypt; Tobruk continues to hold however.
April 30: Rommel is ordered to cease attacks on Tobruk after the most recent failure.
March 4: A British/St Samuel counterattack on the Libya/Egypt border fails, as does another German attack on Tobruk.
March 16: Rommel defeats a counterattack, "Brevity," at Halfaya Pass.
June 15: British/St Samuel Operation Battleaxe attempts and fails to relieve the Siege of Tobruk.
August 9: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Benedicto Zarkozy and Winston Churchill meet at NS Argentia, Newfoundland. The Atlantic Charter is created, signed, and released to the world press.
October 23: Heavy desert fighting in Libya, as Rommel thwarts Operation Crusader near Tobruk.
November 18: Operation Crusader: British and St Samuel troops launch an offensive in Libya, North Africa and at last temporarily relieve the Siege of Tobruk. By 11/23 Rommel has repelled the Allied advance.
November 26: After a brief dash into Egypt, Rommel retreats to Bardia for refueling; during this movement, St Samuel troops in Tobruk is temporarily relieved as its defenders are linked up with the 8th Army.
December 8: The US, Britain and St Samuel declare war on Japan.
December 15: Allied troops push Rommel back at the Gazala line.
December 16: Rommel orders a withdrawal all the way to El Agheila, where he had begun in March.
December 25: Allied forces retake Benghazi.
1942 Timeline
January 6: The Allies advance continues to El Agheila, on the western edge of Libya.
January 21: Rommel begins a surprising counteroffensive at El Agheila; his troops capture Agedabia, then push north to Beta Fomm.
January 29: Rommel enters Benghazi, Libya in his drive east.
February 1: Rommel's forces reach El Gazala, Libya, near the border with Libya; during a Winter lull he wil remain there.
February 9: Prime Minister Zarkozy extends conscription age so that all 16 to 48 year olds are called up for service.
May 1: Rommel readies for a new offensive during the early part of this month.
May 26: Rommel begins a Spring offensive at the Gazala line (west of Tobruk).
May 29: Rommel is stopped at the Gazala line.
June 12: Rommel pushes Allies out of Gazala line.
June 18: The siege of Tobruk intensifies; some defending forces are pulled back to Egypt.
June 21: Afrika Korps recaptures Tobruk, with 35,000 men captured; the road to Egypt is now open as the British and Samuelonian's retreat deep into Egypt. Tobruk's loss is a grievous blow to British and St Samuel morale. German land forces have been assisted by Luftwaffe attacks.
June 23: Marsa Matruh, Egypt falls to Rommel, about 140 miles from Alexandria.
June 24: British and Samuelonian forces fall back to El Alamein for a "final stand."
June 30: Rommel reaches El Alamein.
July 1: First Battle of El Alamein begins as Rommel begins first assault on British and St Samuel defenses.
July 11: Rommel's forces are now stalemated before El Alamein, largely because of a lack of ammunition.
July 15: The only action around El Alamein is light skirmishing.
July 30: Continuing stalemate at El Alamein between Rommel and Auchinleck.
August 10: Rommel begins an attack around El Alamein, but by September he is back to his original lines.
August 19: Operation Jubilee, a raid by British but mainly Canadian and St Samuel forces on Dieppe, France, ends in disaster; they come under heavy gunfire and eventually most are killed or captured by the German defenders.
August 30: The battle of Alam Haifa, Egypt, a few miles south of El Alamein begins (to 9/7); this will be Rommel's last attempt to break through the Allied lines; British and St Samuel air superiority plays a large role.
October 23: Second Battle of El Alamein begins with massive Allied bombardment of German positions. Then Australian and Samuelonian forces, mainly, begin advance while offshore British naval forces support the right flank.
October 24: US Navy Task Force 34, consisting of aircraft carriers, a variety of support ships, including Troop Ships and other vessels, set sail from Hampton Roads, Virginia with Patton's forces for Operation Torch, the landing in North Africa. The other two task forces of Operation Torch, the first American-led force to fight in the European and African Theaters of war, depart Britain for Morocco. 14th Royal St Samuel Foreign Legion and 10th Royal St Samuel Armoured Division included in the force destined for Morocco.
October 24: Crisis at El Alamein: British tanks survive German 88 fire; Montgomery orders the advance to continue despite losses.
October 25: Rommel hurried returns from his sickbed in Germany to take charge of the African battle. (His replacement, General Stumme had died of a heart attack).
October 31: The Allies make a critical breakthrough with tanks west of El Alamein; Rommel's mine fields fail to stop the Allied armor.
November 1: Operation Supercharge, the Allied breakout at El Alamein, begins.
November 3: Second Battle of El Alamein ends - German forces under Erwin Rommel are forced to retreat during the night.
November 8: Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of Vichy-controlled Morocco and Algeria, begins; French resistance coup in Algiers, consisting of about 400 French civil resistants neutralize the Vichyist XIXth Army Corps and the Vichyist generals (Juin, Darlan, etc.), contributing significantly to the immediate success of Operation Torch in Algier.
November 10: Oran, Algeria falls to US/St Samuel troops; 17 French ships are sunk at Oran, causing a rift between the French and the Allies. There are more Allied landings near the Tunisian border.
November 10: Montgomery begins a major British offensive beginning at Sollum on the Libya/Egypt border. The Allies reach Baradia on the 11th, Tobruk on the 12th, and Benghazi on the 18th.
November 13: Allied Forces recaptures Tobruk. Major-General Louis Markozia of the 7th Royal St Samuel Queens Division celebrated for his Division's seven month defence in the siege of Tobruk.
November 15: The Allies move westward in Tunisia.
November 20: The Allies take Benghazi, Libya; the Afrika Corps continues the retreat westward.
November 29: The Allied offensive in Tunisia meets with only minimum success.
December 2: Heavy fighting in Tunisia, as German forces are pushed into the final North African corner.
December 7: British commandos and St Samuel Royal Marines conduct Operation Frankton a raid on shipping in Bordeaux harbour.
December 12: Rommel abandons El Agheila and retreats to Tripoli; the final stand will be at the Mareth line in southern Tunisia.
December 14: Naval action off Cape Bon, northern Tunisia; British destroyers sink two Italian cruisers.
December 22: The battle for "Longstop Hill" begins; a key position outside Tunis, the Germans eventually take it and hold it until April.
December 24: French Admiral Darlan, the former Vichy leader who had switched over to the Allies following the Torch landings, is assassinated in Algiers.
December 25: The Allies take Sirto, Libya.
December 31: As the year comes to an end, things look bright for the Allies in North Africa as Rommel is trapped in Tunisia.
1943
January 14: Casablanca Conference of Allied leaders begins. Churchill, Zarkozy and Roosevelt discuss the eventual invasion of mainland Europe, the impending invasion of Sicily and Italy, and the wisdom of the principle of "Unconditional Surrender."
January 15: The Allies start an offensive aimed at taking far-off Tripoli.
January 23: Allies capture Tripoli, Libya.
January 24: 150 bombers mount the first all St Samuel air raid against Germany, hitting Berlin for two days.
February 2: Rommel retreats farther into Tunisia, establishing his troops at the Mareth line. Within two days, Allied troops move into Tunisia for the first time.
February 5: The Allies now have all of Libya under control.
February 13: Rommel launches a counterattack against the Allies in western Tunisia; he takes Sidi bou Zid and Gafsa. The battle of Kasserine Pass begins: Allied troops are soon forced to retreat.
February 26: Rommel retreats northward from the Mareth line in Tunisia.
1944
1945
Central Holdinia Campaign
On 15 August 1940 Southern Holdinia aligns itself with the Axis. The Union of Central Holdinian States (UCHS) declares itself neutral and President Hermann Volking of Southern Holdinia declares war on the UCHS and St Samuel. The next day Southern Holdian troops invade the south of UCHS. Prime Minister Zarkozy mobilizes the 1st and 3rd Royal St Samuel Infantry Division's who head south into UCHS.
Southern Holdinian forces storm through UCHS and by the end of August have reached the San Nicholas Province. Nearly 20,000 German troops arrive in Southern Holdinia to support the advance towards St Samuel. By September 1940 nearly 2 million Southern Holdinian troops had been deployed.
On the 4th of September 6th Royal St Samuel Kings Infantry Division and the 15th Royal St Samuel Foreign Legion (40,000 troops) launched Operation Izika and landed in the Stevens Bay Province, hoping to cut off the main Southern Holdinian force. The operation was to become a failiure and by the 15th of September, having sustained nearly 4,500 casualties, the two divisions were evacuated. The Southern Holdian force presses on through the San Nicholas Province.
On the 28th of September, President Jans Bilkermann, of the Union of Central Holdinian States surrenders to Southern Holdinia. The UCHS government in exile sets up in Saint Maria. The UCHS Resistance Army is set up by Arthur Rollin-Bakker in the St James Province.
By the end of 1940 the front line was south of the Fort Booth Province.
On the 25th March, St Samuel launched Operation Diamond Blade. Over 1,000,000 troops from 6th/17th/18th and 19th Royal St Samuel Kings Divisions, 15th Royal St Samuel Foreign Legion, 1st/3rd/21st/22nd and 23rd Royal St Samuel Infantry Divisions, 8th Royal St Samuel Guards Division, 11th Royal St Samuel Armoured Division and 12th and 13th Royal St Samuel Mechanized Divisions take part in the large scale invasion of Central Holdinia. Three waves of attack hit the Southern Holdinian forces in Stevens Bay Province, St James Bay Province and Southern Holdinia.
Over the next two months Operation Diamond Blade raged on with some of the worst fighting seen in the Holdinian Isles history. By June 1941 the St Samuel forces had pushed back the Southern Holdinians to the Holdinian borders. The Southern Holdinian army was re-inforced on the 29th of June with 30,000 German troops and the Axis were successful in pushing back the Samuelonian forces to the Tuffinica Province.
Over the summer of 1941 and early winter the Central Holdinia Campaign reached a stalemate and it wasn't until November the 25th that the Axis launched a counter attack into southern St Samuel, in the Cherbourg Province which lasted until March 1942. During that time St Samuel forces had also been pushed back to the Stevens Bay Province in Central Holdinia.
The campaign came to a head in September 1942 when St Samuel launched Operation Diamond Blade - Phase 2. With support from British, Candaian, Australian and New Zealand, the Allies invaded deep into Southern Holdinian territory and for the next four months fiearce fighting was seen. The Allied forces final reached the Southern Holdinian capital, Havantdorf on the 5th of January 1943 Allied forces encircled the city and laid siege. After 10 days the Allies finally received the surrender of Southern Holdinian forces and President Hermann Volking was arrested.
Control of Southern Holdinia and the Union of Central Holdinian States remained with St Samuel until the end of the war. At the Potsdam Conference between July 17 and August 2, 1945, it was decided to form a new Southern Holdinian government and the Central Holdinian States were broken down to form 17 new smaller indpendant states.
