| Operation Boadicea | |||||||||||||
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| Date | May 17th, 1948 - 1949 | ||||||||||||
| Location | England | ||||||||||||
| Result | Partial Allied Victory | ||||||||||||
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This was the first stage of Operation European Freedom.
Background
The USA had managed to push Germany out of its mainland, and were preparing to take the fight to the enemy. The first phase involved capturing Ireland, since it would provide a vital forward base into England, and Europe, and supply lines would be less stretched than going across Iceland, but the U-Boats were still a menace to the supply lines.
Opposing sides
United States/IRA/Partisans The USA is now taking things to the offensive, and were ready for the task. The new F-104 Starfighter had entered service, alongside better battleships and some moderate range ballistic missiles (reverse engineered from the V4 missiles hitting America). The new Patton series of tanks, with their powerful 90mm guns were capable of rivaling even the king tiger, but could only take on a "Maus" on a ratio of five to one.
The IRA have had a resurgence in numbers ever since the Third Reich occupied the Republic of Ireland.
Greater German Reich
with their armies bloodied and beaten, the Greater German Reich was no longer the conquering leviathan it once had been. However, it was far from finished. The Führer's Vaunted Atlantic wall was far from complete, but it was a formidable obstacle. The Irish Nazi's would also provide aid, given their position in the Nazi racial pyramid. The new Panzer IX Jaguar, with its gyro-stabilized 105mm gun had only just entered service.
Recruitment flag for the Britisches Freikorps
The 11th SS Panzer Britisches Freikorps, a unit made up of British and Irish volunteers, was ready to defend England. It had an outstanding service record during the fighting in Yugoslavia and the desert, and was well equipped.
Opening Moves
The CIA fed the Nazis false information about an attack on Scotland, so many of the U-Boats were deployed there. But there was still a significant Kriegsmarine presence along Ireland (still seen as a gateway to Europe)
Galway landings
300,000 US soldiers landed on the Galway beaches. They were met with heavy Nazi resistance, but they slowly crawl to the mainland, with heavy losses (1 in 20). Eventually, they reached Galway proper and set up forward bases for reinforcements.
Liberation of Portstewart
Operation Dagda, named after the Celtic god, involved Amphibious landings on the Strand Beach (like Overlord OTL). This attack was meant to stretch the German forces to their limits as well as bet a better beachhead for the US supplies. When the 30th US Marines division disembarked on the Strand, the IRA began inciting riots to further compound the Waffen SS's problems. When Generals Patton and Eisenhower disembarked, they discussed a 2-pronged attack on Belfast. They were greeted by IRA leader Charlie Kerins who said "our cousins from across the ocean are here to liberate us!".
The fight for Portstewart itself, even with the help of Sabre fighter jets and Patton Tanks was quite bloody. But the battle ended with Portstewart being liberated by the allies, and alongside Portrush, would be a major forward base for the assault on Belfast. Unfortunately, several historic places were irreparably damaged by the fighting, such as the Giant's causeway and Mussenden Temple.
Dublin
Operation Lugh was the long awaited liberation of Dublin. The US 3rd Army under Patton's direct command launched a blitzkrieg on the entire city, with modified chickasaw helicopters providing close air support to infantry. Eventually, George Patton reached the Oireachtas building in Phoenix Park, proclaiming the second Irish Republic (De Valera was executed by the SS in 1941 in case he led a resistance). The USA also recognised that Northern Ireland was part of Eire, which drew the ire of the loyalists, but finally gave the Irish patriots something both they and their historical counterparts had been praying for all their lives; an independent, united Ireland.
Belfast
Northern Ireland had been badly treated by the Irish Nazi's, who had persecuted its Protestant majority. This had led to a terrorist war between them. One prize the American's received was the Battle Cruiser Admiral Hipper, which was undergoing repairs in Belfast following the disaster in America/ When the Northern Irish found out they were to be returned to EIRE, the terrorist attacks grew more common and more headed, as the Northern Irish saw themselves trading one occupier for another. Many who would have happily joined the Americans now gave the Nazi's their full support. This led to a much bloodier battle for Belfast, with three factions arising in street-to-street fighting. But the Americans and the Protestants reached the agreement that there would be a Plebiscite within five years of Germany's defeat for Northern Ireland. The battle ended with American/IRA/UVF forces storming parliament buildings in Stormont.
After Belfast fell, Eire announced they were joining the Allied side in this war.
Main Objective: England
With Ireland secured, England was the next step on the road to liberation.
Landings in Wales
Advance into England
The Battle of Elstree
The 11th SS was now in position and ready to strike the exposed flank of Patton's army. Supported by the teenage killers of the 12th SS 'Hitlerjugend' Division, the plan was to rip open the exposed flank.
They met at Elstree in a massive had on battle. The Germans held the day, smashing the 4th and 6th Armoured divisions, but they two were badly damaged.
Victory in London
German Forces Pulled out of London and retreated to the channel ports for evacuation. London was liberated on the 3rd of September 1949, and a very young Queen Elizabeth II took the throne (the king was killed in the fighting.
Senlac hill
General Douglas MacArthur sent 30000 US Army soldiers to Senlac hill. They were met by 40,000 retreating Wehrmacht forces who got stranded en rout to Dover. But they would go down fighting in a very bloody battle.
Aftermath
With England liberated, the next step was France. But France would be a tough nut to crack, as the Atlantic wall there was much stronger and many troops had now been sent from the desert and Poland to garrison the Atlantic wall. England meanwhile was to be an armed camp. England had to accept the fact that it was the junior member in the alliance, and that America was the main power, not England.
But France would soon become a bloodbath, and the USA would find a way to break the deadlock