Medal of Honor: Mishap in the Mediterranean

Chapter 1: The Book

Italian Colony of Libya, 1942
81 Miles from Tobruk
Feldwebel Erich 'Der Hauptmann' Oster
14th Panzer Division

German soldiers attached to the Afrika Korps under Panzergeneral Rommel; along with Vichy French and Italian colonial troops have successfully pushed British forces out of the territory gained in the initial success of Operation Compass. As of now, a column of Panzer tanka and trucks were making their way down a dirt road towards the formidable fortress of Tobruk. In temporary command of the armoured group was Feldwebel Erich Oster; known to his subordinate troops as 'Der Hauptmann'.

Removing his goggles, exposing his eyes to the arid dust of the North African desert. Erich Oster surveyed the empty landscape of Libya, miles of rock and sand in all directions. Oster envied the troops still in the European mainland, especially those in his home city of Königsberg. Meanwhile, fighter planes from Luftwaffe battle groups zipped overhead to pursue, survey and harass the retreating allied troops. The appearance of German planes gave the troops riding on the sides of his Panzer III a boost of morale, cheering as the BF 109s disappeared into the horizon ahead.

German Soldier: "Gib der Britischen Hölle!" (Give the British hell!)

One shouted, raising his fist in the air. Followed by cheering from his fellow soldiers.

Erich Oster on the other hand stayed silent, the might of the Deutsches Luftwaffe was surely a sight to behold. However it wasn't enough to provide some escapism of their current situation. Mussolini's fronts in North and East Africa respectively have served as an inconvenience which Axis manpower had to be diverted to. Some of Germany's best troops and armoured formations were currently in Africa while they were needed elsewhere, especially against the Bolsheviks in the East. What use was Libya to Germany!/ interests anyways? A couple acres of sand? A stepping stone for the 'great' Il Duce to call himself a mighty conqueror?

There was no other way of interpreting it, North and East Africa was a waste of time, materials and valuable German men. A situation brought on by a man who stands atop countries like Albania, Ethiopia, not to mention Greece; and calls himself the modern Julius Caesar.

Oster: "Äthiopien, Libyen, hmpf... Verdammt wüsten." (Ethiopia, Libya, hmpf... Damned deserts.)

Oster's column came to a stop when he sighted a few figures crowding around a wrecked vehicle. One of notably British origin.

Oster: "Alle panzeren halt!"

He called into his headset, the tank column then ceases it's movement. The trucks following behind did not have a headset and almost collided with the last tank, luckily they were able to brake in time. Oster then immediately climbed and hopped out of the hatch, his boots making contact with the dry, gravelly land. He approached the two figures who both saluted him. An Italian and a Vichy French soldier.

Vichy Soldier: "Bonjour et Heil Herr Kommandant. Ich sehe... dieses Auto. Et... uh."

The French soldier struggled to communicate in German. Fortunately Der Hauptmann could speak Italian, so he just eased the quite nervous Vichy soldier and turned his attention to his partner in arms.

Italian Soldier: "Abbiamo visto questo relitto durante il nostro viaggio verso Tobruk. Potrebbe esserci intelligenza."
(We saw this wreck on our way to Tobruk. There may be intelligence.)

Erich nodded, ordering some of the German soldiers riding on his tank to dismount and search the wreck. Some kept an eye out for British raids. For a couple of minutes, they searched through the rubble. Turning over mangled pieces of metal and rubber.

German Soldier: "Hauptmann, ich sehe etwas."
(Hauptmann, I see something.)

One of his soldiers informed, Erich headed over to him. He was crouching and pointing under a heavy looking panel of metal. The officer; alongside the Italian and Vichy soldiers helped him lift the plating up, which allowed Erich to reach under the panel and grab the item of interest.