Battle of Dema
Battle of Dema | |||||||
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Part of the Middle East Campaign of the Second Europan War | |||||||
Estharian troops firing on Quenminese troops | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Strength | |||||||
11,500 | 15,000 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
1,975 | 2,997 |
The Battle of Dema was a 15-day battle that took place at the small fishing village of Dema, 5kms away from Tobruq. Generalissimo A.C.G. Lindholm was requested to send reinforcements in the form of the Estharian Africannan Army. Lindholm, experienced in desert warfare from his early days in the 1920 War of the Rifs accepted the task of relieving the ZANAC garrison at Tobruq.
Lindholm was also most eager to send help as a way of reparations for the support that the Lucis Commonwealth had sent in during the Estharian Civil War. On 15 August, Estharian troops landed at Dema unopposed. The following day, the Estharians engaged Quenminese forces on the road to Tobruq. Marshal Chiến was determined to defeat the Estharians where they landed. However, the Galbadian Air Force provided Franco's forces with air support. Using East Europan technology, the GAF managed to overpower the Imperial Quenminese Air Force, prompting the Estharians to advance further.
By 25 August, the Quenminese launched a counter-offensive against the Estharians. Lindholm sent Ramon Rivera's 1st Estharian Armoured Division consisting of Galbadian Panzer IV tanks and their version of the new Panzer V Panther, the Quenminese were forced to call off their attempt, which therefore enabled the Estharians to reach the ZANAC garrison by the end of the month.
The battle marked the first time that the Estharians had defeated the Quenminese after 2 years of continuous losses.