The order was relayed layer by layer, and the artillery of Wavre Fortress thundered instantly.
Wavre Fortress, a pentagonal stronghold, had 2 150mm cannons, 4 120mm cannons, 2 200mm mortars, and 4 77mm Krupp rapid-firing guns.
These guns were designed to provide long, medium, and short-range firepower, covering the entire approach to the fortress. However, they ultimately failed to fulfill their intended purpose.
At this moment, the 150mm and 120mm cannons were in action, divided into two groups targeting two positions.
The first shots missed, with a few scattered shells landing too short or too far.
However, the explosions near the German Army instilled significant panic among them, proving that they had indeed been fooled. They had foolishly dragged the "Big Bertha" heavy artillery into the enemy’s firing range, falling into the trap.
The horses, frightened by the artillery noise, reared up and whinnied loudly. The handlers quickly tried to calm them down and regain control.
Nevertheless, everyone understood that this situation couldn’t last.
The packhorses, unlike warhorses, were not trained for combat and were easily startled. While they could be controlled now, that might not be the case next time.
Moreover, the combination of horse teams and heavy artillery was an enormous target, making it nearly impossible for them to escape the enemy’s shelling.
All eyes turned to General Bessler.
The right choice would be to cut the tow ropes, abandon the "Big Bertha," and flee, thereby saving hundreds of packhorses.
But General Bessler was unwilling to accept this. He loudly ordered:
"Turn around, maintain formation!"
"Bring up the 3rd Artillery Regiment to suppress enemy fire!"
General Bessler hoped to use the 3rd Artillery Regiment to draw the fire away from Wavre Fortress and protect the "Big Bertha."
However, he seemed to forget that Wavre Fortress was a stronghold designed to withstand direct hits from 150mm howitzers. It had been reinforced twice since and was almost impervious to any artillery except the "Big Bertha."
Therefore, Wavre Fortress could ignore the so-called "3rd Artillery Regiment’s fire suppression" and focus on the "Big Bertha."
The second batch of shells landed closer, but still missed their mark.
From his observation post in the balloon, Albert I, watching through binoculars, complained slightly, "Damn, they can’t even hit the bait given to them!"
"Don’t worry, Your Majesty!" Shire responded calmly. "They’re within two kilometers of our range. At their speed, it will take them at least half an hour to escape. We can take our time."
Albert I acknowledged with a nod. He knew the "Big Bertha" was doomed, but he was still eager to witness it being destroyed.
Finally, a shell from the third batch exploded amidst the dense horse herd, blasting a dozen horses into a bloody mess. Many more horses, injured either by shrapnel or the shockwave, lay on the ground in agony.
More seriously, the remaining horses, out of control, whinnied and struggled violently. Despite the handlers’ efforts, the ropes soon veered off their original direction.
"Big Bertha," swaying with the horse herd, eventually lost its balance and toppled over with a heavy thud, creating a deep pit in the muddy ground due to its weight.
Albert I excitedly waved his flag and shouted, "We’ve destroyed one cannon!"
The crowd erupted in cheers.
With one down, Wavre Fortress could focus its six remaining cannons on the surviving "Big Bertha."
Only then did General Bessler realize the inevitable loss and shouted, "Cut the ropes, retreat!"
But it was already too late. Shell after shell rained down, their accuracy improving with the observer’s guidance. Soon, a shell directly hit the "Big Bertha." After the smoke cleared, the cannon’s body remarkably remained intact, its barrel unbent, but its lower components were blown to pieces and scattered.
Albert I shouted once more, "Victory! We’ve taken out two!"
The people below cheered and celebrated, many tossing their hats into the air.
For them, it meant not just victory, but survival. The common folk’s desires were simple; they just wanted to live a normal life.
The shelling continued, each round whistling by, killing German artillerymen and horses, leading to the complete collapse of the German Army. They abandoned the remnants of the cannons and the horse carcasses, fleeing in panic.
Albert lost interest in watching and desired to share the joy of victory with his people.
The balloon descended slowly, and even before it landed, the crowd was cheering and rushing forward.
As Shire stepped out of the basket, he found himself surrounded by the crowd, faced with joyous and admiring expressions, and eyes filled with gratitude. People were jostling just to say thanks or shake Shire’s hand:
"You’re our hero, Shire!"
"You’ve defeated the Germans again!"
"You saved us, thank you!"
Albert I seemed prepared for this. He pulled out a small box containing a medal and announced to the crowd, "I proclaim that in recognition of Lieutenant’s outstanding performance in the Defense of Antwerp, I, Albert I, King of Belgium, award him the Kingdom Crown Medal!"
Note: The Kingdom Crown Medal is one of Belgium’s three major national knightly honors and one of the highest honors stipulated by the Belgian Constitution, awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the country and society. It was established in 1897.
The crowd cheered once more, with many congratulating Shire.
Albert I personally took the medal and carefully pinned it to Shire’s chest, shaking his hand excitedly, "You will always be our friend, Lieutenant. We will never forget all you’ve done for Belgium!"
"Thank you!" Shire replied.
In hindsight, he seemed to have only said a few words and made a few suggestions.
Suddenly, a distant boom was heard, causing the crowd to exclaim and fall silent, all looking instinctively in the direction of the sound.
They unmistakably recognized the sound of the "Big Bertha" cannon.
Albert I looked puzzled, "That’s impossible; we’ve destroyed the ’Big Bertha,’ all of them!"
At this moment, a guard rushed over, saluted Albert I, and reported anxiously, "Your Majesty, a third ’Big Bertha’ has appeared. It is bombarding Wavre Fortress from beyond the fortress’s range!"
Everyone was stunned.
A third "Big Bertha" meant that victory had not arrived. Instead, it had turned into immediate defeat!
Because the ruse set up by Shire couldn’t be duplicated, and the Germans would not fall for it a second time!