KG GRIFFON War Diary-15 May 1945
I must say I loathe assaults on fixed lines or fortified positions, they seem such a waste of good soldiers and resources. Never the less, they are a fact of the military condition.
Our attack, was stalled due to the Americans crafty placement of their mines, they “booby trapped” the roads on my axis of advance, and as found out too late and left the fields around them open. This allowed Divisional Recce to slip through and my attached Pioneers to get bogged down clearing routes not necessary. Div Recce took a bloody pounding as they hit the enemy’s screen (It appears I didn’t use enough artillery preps or as prisoners indicated we were dealing with a new breed of US soldier, maybe a little of both.)
Two engagements stood out, first was between one three man Recce MC and a dug in platoon of infantry. Running into them in the smoke and confusion, they took down one section at a time, causing the last to retreat as the last SS Mann went down MG42 blazing. The second was a valiant run by a 234/1 down the main axis of advance, exposing multiple enemy positions allowing my 3rd Kp PzGrens to take them out. The two survivors have been awarded Iron Crosses.
My HUBZ had taken heavy fire as well during a Recce In Force Mission, but they inflicted several Tank kills and several AT Guns plus assorted damage on egressing the area. I’ve sent a request that my HUBZ crews be awarded Panzer Combat Badges, a first I believe for Flyers.
I’ve ordered all arty missions to shift to the areas my force was to hit on its pivot north.
Also of note, JABO’s attacked both mine clearance zones, even though heavily smoked in, however, damage was minimal.
TBC
[img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Lightning.gif[/img] [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Lightning.gif[/img]Obersturmbannführer PanzerBob
