April 4th, 1945*
Near Waltrop, north-east of Dortmund*
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After a month of guarding 9th Army headquarters and doing training excercises, we are moved back to the front. While we were in reserve, things had moved quickly: The Rhine had been crossed at several points and those German forces who could not retreat in time were trapped in a big pocket in the Ruhr Area. 116th Regiment has been detached from its parent unit and assigned to 75th Infantry Division.
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We are tasked with helping to mop up the German units trapped in the Ruhr Pocket. To achieve this, we have to stage a crossing of the Dortmund-Ems Kanal in an early morning assault. According to the engineers, the concrete banks of this man-made water obstacle are too hard to destroy or quickly bridge, however, the water can be waded through by infantry. Because of that, we will have no tank support. Instead the engineers will try to ford the canal further north, where the banks are more easy to work with. That means that tanks and trucks will join us later from the north.
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Once we are across, our task is to occupy the nearby town of Waltrop and clear the road to the Dortmund superhighway. Escaped slave laborers have informed us of German flak positions and the location of a concentration camp for female laborers. The reports about outrages committed there have incensed our troops and while the camp is outside our objective zone, it would be good for morale to seize it with a mobile task force in order to allow humanitarian aid and catch the SS guards before they can escape.
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Objectives: *
Deploy your force in the indicated area.*
Cross the canal and secure the crossing site.*
Seize Waltrop and the road to the Autobahn.*
Kill the concentration camp guards for additional points.*
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Enemy: The sector is held by the 190th Infanterie-Division. The amount of attempted and succesful desertions recently indicates that their morale is quite low. Many of the deserters seem to be under the impression, that we will soon fight together against the Russians. Waltrop itself is protected by flak batteries and homeguard units of little value. 
However, there have been ambushes by fanatical Hitlerjugend soldiers on our columns, often mere children.*
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Your force is supported by divisional artillery and a company of engineers. Tanks and trucks will appear in the north once they found a suitable crossing site, however, they will have to cross the Lippe canal before being able to join your force!
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You are on the home stretch and there will be no further rest and refit before the end of the war.






