War Diary, Continued Battle of El Arish
Despite my belief that the Force we were about to stop was nothing more than a recce in force, early in the afternoon the initial contact proved this wrong. Shortly after 1300hrs a Panther in Casino Kp on the high ground in out left flank reported firing on a truck with a boat and taking it out at several kms out. This certainly confirmed what our Arab friend reported and for the moment had us perplexed. Soon several more what turned out to be barge carriers were laid to waste plus some scout vehicles on the Coastal Hwy. This coincided with a sparse barrage of no effect.
I ordered the two Hubz Gps out to see just what was coming against us. My Gp went up the coastline and the “guests” went up over my left flank. They began reporting in that a force of some size was heading towards El Arish and they had barges!! The enemy put in a smoke screen and more ineffective HE. Our boys in Casino Kp were still knocking out barges. The Hubz moved slowly to take positions flanking the enemy behind the smoke screen, they now reported that the main body was moving along the HWY and a smaller force of mostly infantry coming up the hill, Most of the enemy’s panzers were with the main Hwy force, and appeared to be largely TD’s. My read on this attack now was they didn’t expect us here in El Arish. Later POW’s bore this thought out. This was a Canadian plan to launch an attack from the sea further north basing from El Arish. Also to the surprise of entire Mid-Eastern German Forces and Panzer Army Templar, the Italian and Aussie Forces had been relieved by Canadian and US Forces, the British remained.
Both Hubz Gps asked for permission to engage the enemy and I gave orders to fire at will with self-preservation job one. They rose to engagement altitude let loose hitting mostly infantry concentrations the start with. My hill posn saw an infantry assault (unsupported by panzers) stagger under the weight of fire from the air and from the Pz Gren from Boxer Kp and the Panther’s of Casino Kp. This soon joined by Arty fires. The Jaguar’s of Deckrude Kp started engaging targets as they rose out of smoke; Adler Kp was last to join the fray. Some of my intermittent mine fields also were bearing fruit as well.
We were hit with an airstrike as well; but it was largely again ineffective. However, for the first time I know of several fighters attempted to engage my Hubz over the water.
Initial contact with the enemy seemed to have crippled their plan, but they seem bent on probing forward with infantry. Boxer Kp opted to move their Rommel’s up to add to the HE storm on the hillside.
Obersturmbannführer PanzerBob [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Lightning.gif[/img] [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Lightning.gif[/img]
Attached are some screen shots of the map I created of El Arish. Of Note- having the Med on the North 1/5 of the Map caused the Canuks to deploy barrages.
KG Griffin the Alt History Campaign Continues
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