Taking the High Road to Berlin with the Glendarrochs part 3

Operation Martlet scenario 2; Pushing On

This is the second mission in the Operation Martlet Pint Sized campaign. The British have reached the edge of the town of Fontenoy and must clear it of any pockets of resistance. As they are opposed by the 12SS Hitler Youth this will prove easier to say than do. 

The British have 16 points of support for this mission whilst the Germans, defending, have only 7 points.. Being Germans though, they have lots of MG42s.

For their support, the British have chosen an extra infantry section (Cpl Jack Daniels section) an extra 2" mortar, a Sherman tank and a forward observer with a mortar battery on call.

At the beginning, we rolled for the British platoons free patrol phase moves and I rolled a 6 so the British managed to get at least one deployment points far forward.

Would that help them in their mission?.......

Operation Martlet scenario 2; Pushing On

Bloody Hard Work

Sgt Amos Grouse, 3 platoon's sergeant, over saw the redistribution of ammunition in the lee of a burnt out Panzer. Overhead the reassuring sound off shells on their way to the Germans up ahead reminded him that his platoon still had work to do. Behind him he could hear the revving engines of the Bren Carriers ferrying the wounded back to the Regimental Aid Post. The burial details would come later but for the moment the focus was on getting the wounded back for treatment.

 Leastwise, that was the focus of the Medical Officer and medics; He and 2Lt Regal had to focus on reorganising the lads and moving on to the next objective. "What do you think sergeant" said 2Lt Regal "We bring Corporals More and Horse's sections up to strength and and put the remainder of 1 section under Corporal Froik to act as a reserve....a spare Bren team if you like?" 

Grouse pondered for a moment. Better to let Cpl Lars Froik get to know the lads before putting them into action together. Mind you, it'd only be half the section but beggars couldn't be choosers, they needed section commanders the lads knew. "Sounds fine, sir, let's us do that" He replied "And Cpl Daniels and his section from 9 platoon can slot in nicely and bring us up to strength" Lt Regal frowned "How did you know about Cpl Daniels from 9 platoon joining us, sergeant?"  "Because I is a sergeant, sir, I knows everything, in a manner of speaking, sir" Grouse replied, grinning and winking at the young officer. Regal smiled "I'm sure you do, sergeant" he said to the older man "but we best get going. I can see Corporal Daniels coming; I'll just put him in the picture then we will need to get moving; the battle isn't going to win itself is it" So saying, Regal stood up and called over the section commander who came over at a trot, crouching as he did so; swathed in ammunition bandoliers and carrying a sandbag full of grenades. "Present from the CQMS, sir, 20 grenades; anti-personnel; Jerry-for the killing of, sir!" said Cpl Jack Daniels. "Jolly good, Cpl Daniels; once the other section commanders arrive I'll put you all in the picture..." 

2Lt puts Cpl Jack Daniels' section right i the picture; front and centre of the attack!!!

The other sections deploy in the lee of the buildings on the outskirts of Fontenoy 

Freshly dugs graves mark the advance of the Allies. By th junction, L/Cpl Blackie Jack waits with his 2' mortar

Cpl Daniels section begin an exchange of fire with the Germans in the building. 

The Germans holed up in the first floor and attic proved a major stumbling block to the advance of the Glen Darrochs.

Crouching behind the hedge,,, Cpl Daniels steeled himself to attempt to cross it in the teeth of the German fire. The hedge and fruit trees blocked the British and German troops sight of one another but the German MG fire was still deadly enough. "Right, Bren Team, listen in!" he shouted, hoping to be heard above the noise of the firing. "on my command, you will give covering fire at the upper windows of the house; Rifle Team, we are going to cross this hedge and make a dash for the high wall to the left of the building; got that? Shouted and none too enthusiastic responses came back to him above the crack thump of the firing overhead. Gripping his Sten gun Daniels turned to the Bren Team "Bren Team fire!!" As the Bren began its reply to the German MG fire, the riflemen struggled and scrambled over and through the hedge onto the ground on the other side. immediately they did so they began to take fire from the building.......

The German fire was wildly inaccurate and, half crouching, the rifle team made for the wall beside the house. Crouching beside it, Daniels gasped "Okay lads, so far so good. Next stop Berlin!! First though, we go over the wall and outflank the beggars in the house!" Don't let them think about it, Jacko, he thought to himself, momentum, that's what we need now "Okay, lets go!" and the riflemen, acting on instinct, started scrambling over the wall...

2lt Regal with 2 and 3 Section reach the hedge to give support 

and begin to take fire from the Germans in the other orchard

A Sherman from the Isle Of Sheppey Border Mounted Horse arrives in support

"Forward left, Geordie, over by the building...that's it; halt" said Cpl McCorkingdale, commanding the Sherman of 2 Troop of C Squadron. Seeing the infantrymen crossing the hedge and the flashes of gunfire from the upper floor he spoke into the intercom "Gunner; target. small window, top floor of house directly in front. HE! Fire!!" The high explosive shell slammed into the wall of the building to the left of the window. "You dozy git, Nichols, that wasn't the window; try again" Once more the tank's gun roared and this time the shell went through the window, blowing in the frame. the curtains billowed out in a cloud of dust and the machine gun stopped firing. McCorkingdale called for the gun to cease firing then started scanning the terrain in front, just as an armour piercing shell screamed down the road and scraped a gouge along the side of the tank.. "Bloody hell; driver advance; gunner, target forward right; panzer by the big tree; fire!!" ....

The orchard is targeted unsuccessfully by  2" and 3" mortars

In the orchard, Oberschharfuhrer Grubber quickly ordered Sturmfuhrer Blok to fire on the British. Those blockheads were banging their heads against probably the only formidable strong point on this end of Fontenoy,, he thought. Well, that was fine, it made his job the all the easier. As 1st Squad was firing at the British, two mortar rounds landed just past their position. Smoke began to billow out but the rounds had landed too far from the German position to be of any use to the British. They'll get the range soon enough, thought Grubber. Just then a larger, more lethal mortar round landed behind them; a spotting round! "Incoming barrage; move! Move! Move! The panzer grenadiiers ceased firing, grabbed their weapons and started to withdraw hastily....

2Lt  Regal leads 3 section forward

2Lt Regal wiped the sweat from his brow . Peering through the hedge he could just make out Cpl Daniels section disappearing over the wall. He looked to his left at the 2" mortar team there; what was the mortar mans name again? He couldn't remember; buggertion!!."You there, mortar team, switch targets. See if you can get a smoke round in front of the barn behind the wall". "Righto, sir!" replied the mortar man and started the necessary realignment onto his new target. Next he shouted to Cpl Wyat Horse and 3 section. "Cpl Horse, I want your Bren gun team to cover us; you, me and your rifle team are going to clear out that building!" Oh bloody hell, thought Horse to himself; just my bleeding luck.. "Right you are, sir" he replied and organised the Bren team. behind them lay Cpl Daniels Bren team,cut down by a burst from the Spandau on the upper floor just before the Sherman hit it. Now the Spandau was firing again, though less effectively, he thought..and hoped...and prayed.

"Let's go, 3 Section!" shouted 2Lt Regal as he threw himself over the hedge, pistol in hand. 3 Section did likewise. They cleared the hedge and started to scramble forward when Cpl Horse and two others fell, hit by a burst of MG fire "Leave him" shouted Regal as he sprinted forward. With Cpl Daniels section hitting the building from the flank they should be able to clear it swiftly and efficiently enough. His plan of attack should work fine, they just had to reach the building as Cpl Daniels pressed home his attack. His pace slackened as he saw Cpl Daniels section reappear over the wall, dragging the now wounded NCO with them. "What the..." he started. "Jerries in the barn, sir. Had us cornered" said one of the riflemen as the others started patching up Cpl Daniels wound. "lucky to get out alive, we was" He turned to the riflemen from 3 section. "Right chaps, lets get those Boche bastards!!" One of the riflemen threw a grenade into the ground floor of the building, Immediately after it went off they dashed into the house. As they did so, two stick grenades sailed down the stairs into their path. Regal, just entering the house behind the riflemen was tumbled back by the explosion. He lay stunned for several seconds; from the house came the sounds of automatic weapons and gutteral shouts in German. He felt a hand grab his webbing; looking up he saw Cpl Horse. "Alright sir?" Regal nodded. "Fall back, lads!" shouted Horse, firing a quick burst at the house with his Sten the pushing the still dazed leutenant towards the hedge... 

 

Postscript

Well that was much harder than it could've been. John's Germans had an incredible (and very enviable) run of good fortune with double sixes followed by treble six which put paid to my mortar barrage before it had even begun. Prior to that streak of luck he had also played a CoC dice, ending the turn and the British artillery barrage thereby being able to bring on his platoon unhindered.

My tank was lucky, being struck twice by shots from a dug in Panzer IV but only suffered minor damage and was forced to pull back 6 inches. However, my platoon were less lucky, taking something like 13 casualties. Only 4 of them were from the supporting section of Cpl Daniels so 13 platoon are going to feel the bite when they next attempt to take Fontenoy.
Their morale is none to great and their faith in 2Lt Regal is waivering. Still, they have no choice but to push on.

Thanks as ever to John for being such a good (though cursedly lucky) opponent. Looking forward to the next attempt this coming Monday....

PPS. Note to self, get more photos off the Germans doing their thing next time