El Alamein — December 20, 1941
From the hatch of his Panzer IV, Falk studied the horizon as if measuring it with his eyes. Desert haze rose over scattered ruins, scorched shrubs, and torn wire. Beyond, to the east, lay the city of El Alamein: low, gray, dusty—but decisive.
"If we take this... Egypt opens.And if Egypt falls, the British Empire starts bleeding from the inside."
He thought of the Nile, Alexandria, the Suez Canal. And for a moment, it felt as if the entire war had narrowed to that forgotten patch of land between sea and sand.
**
The tanks of the Leibstandarte advanced like disciplined beasts, forming a pincer with Italian units. Falk was on the far left flank. Spanish infantry moved between walls and alleys, shielded by smoke and shrapnel.
—British positions across the avenue —Helmut reported through the radio—. Troops and vehicles pulling back. But they're not retreating—they're regrouping.
—They're preparing a counterattack —Falk said without hesitation.
**
The first explosion came without warning. A Panzer III to their right went up in flames from a direct hit. Then another. A British Matilda had emerged from the ruins. And it wasn't alone.
—Contact with enemy armor! Multiple targets!
A column of British tanks burst through from the north flank. The Germans, caught off guard, tried to reposition, but another shell tore through a second Panzer's hull.
—We're surrounded! They've caught us between blocks! —a voice shouted over the radio before cutting off.
**
Falk didn't flinch.
—Konrad, target the second tank in the column. Not the lead.Ernst, prep for a cold reload.
The first shot struck the second British tank's turret. The blast blocked the ones behind it. Dust blinded them. Smoke forced them to scatter.
One of the remaining German tanks tried to fall back—and was hit.In minutes, Falk was alone in that improvised block of war.
**
—Lukas, pivot 30 degrees. Use the wall's shadow. I want the gun aligned with that intersection.
—Copy.
From that angle, Falk became a living ambush. He let the next British tank creep forward into view... and fired without hesitation. Direct hit. Fire. Confusion.
The next tank hesitated—and that was its mistake. Falk destroyed it with surgical precision. One by one, he brought them down, using angles, rubble, and the enemy's own urgency.
**
By the time the radio fell silent and the sun climbed higher, no British tanks remained standing in that sector.
Falk took a deep breath.
The Panzer smoked from within.Its tracks were filthy and scarred.But it stood. And with it, the front line.
**
Hours later, an officer from the Afrika Korps approached the vehicle.
—Falk Ritter?
—Yes.
—You're summoned to headquarters. Rommel wants to know how you stopped a British armored counterattack... alone.
Falk didn't reply. He climbed down from the Panzer, covered in dust and sweat.
—I wasn't alone —he said, looking at his crew.
—Today, it looked like it —the officer replied.
**
In the ruins of El Alamein, between fire and silence, an ace was born.One who didn't seek glory—but who had already become legend.