Re: Interactive History: Arnhem, September 1944
The fighting is getting more intense by the minute. You’ve send one of your staff officers into Arnhem in the hope he will bring good information on the situation there. What’s more important is that he needs to find Lathbury, most likely the brigadier is with either the 1st or the 2nd Battalion, but you haven’t heard from him yet.
The 3rd Battalion is moving all over the place, originally headed for Den Brink they are now at the complete opposite of Arnhem helping the KOSB taking the landing zone for the 4th Brigade, which should come in sight any minute now. It’s 15:43 and the drop is scheduled for 16:02.
More importantly the LZ ‘S’ is still in your hands. The Border Regiment managed to fight of a second wave of German troops and has formed a strong defensive line on the north end of the landing zones. With the South Staffordshire’s arriving this afternoon too, you should be able to close of Arnhem from the Germans.
You’re waiting impatiently on your staff officer to return. He left 2 hours ago, which means he could be back any minute. The bridge might be 20 minutes away, 30 max, if you need to take a detour. In those 2 hours little has happened.
Most likely DZ ‘Y’ is in British hands now, but little is known from that area. Only the information a messenger from the KOSB told you, that there was heavy fighting, but that the Germans, after losing their tanks retreated.
The second wave coming down the Apeldoorn road managed to break through the left flank of the defensive line the Border Regiment formed, but thanks to precision fire by the howitzers of the Airborne Artillery Regiment they were fought back. In the heavy fighting however, two 17-ponders and one 6-ponder were destroyed, but using gammon bombs and piats the Borders were able to destroy most of the tanks. The Germans now have started attacking your defensive positions with mortar attacks, and snipers have taken up positions in the trees. Though doing little damage, they make sure that it’s almost impossible to move in that area.
In the far distance you can here the first planes coming. In no more then 2 minutes they come insight. Fighters first, but after a couple of minutes the first gliders are coming in for the landing of additional supplies on LZ ‘Z’, to the east the 4th Brigade is beginning to jump over DZ ‘Y’ and the South Staffordshire’s should arrive any minute now. It looks like the Germans expected this second drop and far more planes are getting shot down then in the first drop. Mainly the supply planes for LZ ‘Z’ are taking heavy damage, but for now it’s hard to tell what’s getting damaged, even though their aircrafts are on fire pilots want to do everything to deliver their cargo.
“Sir, sir!”
“Yes, what is it Harold?”
“Captain Winterbourne returned from Arnhem, he’s already started making a map in the barnhouse.”
“Thank you Harold, ask Brigadier Hicks and Colonel Mackenzie to join us.”
What Captain Winterbourne has to tell you isn’t all good news. The 2nd Battalion doesn’t have the entire bridge. They managed to reach the south end, but were driven off it minutes later, when the Germans counterattacked.
What’s more important however is that the 1st Battalion has lost many men trying to break through to the railway bridge. Armoured cars, nebelwerfer and mortars caused loads of casualties and Dobie therefore decided to retreat into Arnhem and they are now defending a couple of buildings at the east of the St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. Since they now have been reinforced by the 1st Company of Glider Pilots Dobie is planning a new attempt to breakthrough.
What’s worse however is that Brigadier Lathbury has been wounded during battle and in hospital. Since the brigade has no-one in command now, it is even harder to coordinate it’s movement. It’s completely scattered all over the place, and it might be good to reunite it as soon as possible.
Good news however is that the road to the bridge is still open, atleast when Winterbourne used it. The Recce Squad and the 2nd Company of Glider Pilots were in heavy fighting with what looked like a company of Panzergrenadiers. Most likely they won, as on the way back the road was still open, and there was no fighting to be seen or heard.
Even more distressing news came from LZ ‘S’. The South Staffordshire’s didn’t arrive. Most likely the lack of undamaged aircraft was beginning too pay. The more American divisions in the south are more important in the beginning of battle, so when any aircraft for them would be damaged, that would mean less aircraft for Arnhem. This causes a big problem. The South Staffordshire’s would have been send to take the Supply Drop zone, but since they have not arrived they cannot be send in that area. This means another unit has to be taken from it’s own destination and be redirected to the Supply Zone.
So:
1. 1st Para Brigade, who will take command
A. Lt. Colonel Dobie, commander of the 1st Battalion and most senior commander in the Brigade
B. Lt. Colonel Frost, commander of the 2nd Battalion, and seen as the best commander in the entire division
C. Lt. Colonel Fitch, commander of the 3rd Battalion, though in age the oldest of the Brigade’s colonels, he has only been battalion commander for 4 months. He however is one of most initiative commanders.
2. LZ ‘S’
A. Send in the 3rd Battalion anyway, even though already tired down you need to take it. Plus when it will get there it will be able to link up with the 1st Battalion.
B. Send in the KOSB, it’s less tired down through fighting and it gives it a change to swap the objectives for the second day with the South Staffordshires.
C. Send in the 11th Battalion of the 4th Brigade, they are still fresh. The KOSB will then come under the command of 4th Brigade and the 11th Battalion will take it’s place in the 1st Airlanding Brigade.
D. Send in the 2nd Company of Glider Pilots, they are worse fighters, but they only need to defend that zone until the South Staffordshire’s come tomorrow afternoon.
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Originally Posted by Sooh
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