Matthew took out the joystick to start the tractor and got into the tank, ready for combat amidst the "rumbling" of the engine.
The first-generation tank was quite awkward; the machine gunner was positioned almost at the same level as the driver in front of the tank. The driver could only observe the front through a palm-sized observation hole on his head, which was why someone previously drove the tank into a trench and got stuck.
"Boom boom!" The sound of artillery was the first to erupt.
This time, it wasn’t just the 6th Army’s cannons firing; the 5th Army’s artillery also bombarded the Germans’ direction fiercely.
Outside were the constant sounds of artillery, inside, the "rumbling" of the engine. Coupled with the thick steel plates, Matthew couldn’t hear any other sounds.
After a few minutes, Matthew saw a signal flag waving from the observation hole in front... It was a signal from the infantry to him. They tied the signal flag to a bent long pole so that they could stand on the side to command the tank to stop or advance.
Matthew stepped on the gas and pulled the joystick, and the tank dashed forward along the slope with a "rumble".
Once out of the shelter, Matthew was startled by the scene in front of him. The area ahead was enveloped in a white fog, with the Marne Bridge completely wrapped and only faintly visible.
Is this Shire’s plan?
Matthew cursed inwardly. Did this guy not consider the driver’s visibility in his plan?
If it weren’t for his familiarity with the terrain here, it would have been impossible to drive the tank onto the bridge!
But Shire was correct about one thing: The tank was quite safe amidst the sound of artillery. Shells exploded right in front of Matthew, then gradually extended forward. Matthew carefully controlled the speed, following the shells, and could even hear the sound of gravel hitting the steel plate with "ding ding dong dong".
Then, he was shocked to see a tank beside him turned into a fireball by artillery fire, and it was still slowly advancing.
Matthew suddenly realized that it wasn’t just tanks; many infantry might have been killed by the artillery fire—French artillery fire!
Matthew’s mind was in a mess, his breathing becoming rapid. He felt like he was sleepwalking on the edge of a cliff, only to wake up and realize how dangerous it was.
The signal flag indicated the tank to stop and advance alternately, sometimes smoothly, sometimes bumpily.
Yves, crouched in front, fired his machine gun. The air inside the tank cabin, already murky, was filled with smoke and a choking gunpowder smell, making it even harder for Matthew to breathe and further blurring his vision.
Vaguely, Matthew saw a crooked Maxim machine gun on the trench and several German corpses, realizing that the tank had crossed the Germans’ trench and even their trenches.
Matthew felt relieved; this meant there were no obstacles ahead that could "trap" the tank.
Matthew was familiar with every inch of the land here. He knew where the roads were, where the hard ground was, where the mud pits that could trap the tank were, and could even roughly guess where the enemy command post was.
He felt like a fish escaping into the sea, gaining freedom!
To verify his idea, Matthew stepped on the gas and accelerated, then turned the steering wheel sharply, making the tank change direction with a loud "rumble".
Yves the machine gunner turned to look at Matthew, his eyes filled with confusion. He shouted with all his might amidst the noise and artillery fire, "Are you going the wrong way, Matthew?"
"Trust me!" Matthew responded loudly, his voice filled with confidence, "Now we’re on the right path!"
Kluck had set up his command post between two hills on the north shore, with five M96 model 77MM field guns following him.
The reason for setting up the command post and artillery here was due to consideration of the French Army’s advantage in artillery.
The French’s other weapons might not be good, but their 75MM field gun performed exceptionally well... It had a hydraulic recoil mechanism, with a firing rate that could reach an astonishing 30 rounds per minute.
Ironically, this mechanism was invented by the Germans, but at the time, Krupp Company dismissed it and refused to use it, leaving the inventor with no choice but to sell the patent to France.
With a disadvantage in both quantity and firing rate of artillery, Kluck could only place his command post and artillery in a dead angle of the enemy’s artillery fire.
Another benefit of doing this was that the artillery could block the bridgehead, preventing the enemy’s "iron monsters" and infantry from crossing the Marne Bridge.
"Artillery ready!" Kluck ordered, and the well-trained artillerymen immediately loaded the cannons, ready to fire.
French artillery was bombing the bridgehead. Kluck believed that the "iron monsters" that had defeated the first regiment would soon appear at the bridgehead and then blow them to pieces.
Suddenly, Kluck vaguely saw a black shadow through the binoculars.
The shadow was not clear, only flashing by in the dust when the flames from the artillery struck were about to disappear.
Kluck was startled; he recognized it as France’s "iron monster." They were not about to cross the bridge; they had already crossed it under the cover of artillery smoke!
"These bastards!" Kluck turned and ordered the artillery, "Fire, fire immediately!"
"Boom boom!" The artillery fired shells one after another, followed by another batch.
Kluck raised his binoculars towards the bridgehead, realizing in horror that it was too late. The "iron monsters" had already leaped beyond the artillery’s range, and the shells were landing behind them.
"How did they cross the trenches and ditches?" Kluck couldn’t understand. In the last battle, these machines couldn’t cross the trenches, but now they moved smoothly as if they were on flat ground.
No one answered him because no one knew the answer.
German soldiers at the front were once again scared away by the "iron monsters," while the French Army, led by the "monsters," pierced into the German Army’s flank like a sharp knife.
"Target those machines!" Kluck anxiously ordered the artillery.
However, it was not easy for field guns to target moving objects. They relied more on the quantity of shells to cover an area.
After crossing the bridgehead, the enemy’s "iron monsters" dispersed, making the limited five cannons at a loss about where to aim.
Experienced Kluck remained calm in the crisis. After thinking for a while, he issued two commands:
"Guard Battalion, organize defenses at the valley mouth!"
"Artillery, focus on the area 200 meters ahead of the valley mouth!"
The valley mouth was between the two hills, with the narrowest part being only about thirty feet wide. Once the "iron monsters" broke in, they couldn’t avoid being covered by artillery fire.
Yet, when the Guard Battalion and artillery were ready, a sudden "clatter-clatter" noise came from the small path on the ridge behind them, then an "iron monster" appeared behind their defensive line. It paused for a moment amid their astonished stares, then quickly descended the slope of the ridge, accompanied by a faint cheer "Yo-ho".
The tank charged while frantically spewing fire, hitting over a dozen artillerymen on the spot.
Other artillerymen ran for their lives, unwilling to stay and die. How could human flesh possibly fight against the "iron monsters"?
The Guard Battalion, terrified by the sudden change, hastily withdrew from the front line to protect Kluck...
"General!" The Guard Battalion commander suggested, "Retreat, we can’t hold this place anymore!"
His real meaning was: If we don’t leave, you’ll become the highest-ranking captive or dead officer in our army!