Re: Alt History Campaign, 44-46 (sw) SS KG Griffo
SSKG Griffon War Dairy - 14 April 1945
Tornadoes and Bridges, Certainly, one of oddest engagement I've been involved in. An almost bloodless victory, (well for our side) and one I'm not willing to take total credit for, Herr Patton, blew this one with the help of his troops.
With our positions adopted, we braced for what the day may bring. With no evidence of the enemy, I sent forth my Tornadoes, approx. 1km ahead of my line of defence. Visibility was fair for this time of year. My Tornado crews soon spotted the elusive enemy, Yanks as predicted.
The Tornadoes requested permission to fire on the enemy, mostly Recce elements crossing the two wooden bridges over a stream running behind the large wooded area blocking our view from our posns, request was denied, and I reiterated my original order to spot only. I quick check of my arty plot confirmed as per KG SOP two of my preplotted fire missions were for interdiction and were squarely on the bridges. I ordered all my arty to be split between the two bridges.
What happened next was the textbook reason not to bunch up your forces on the battlefield. Within 3 minutes, my fire missions were on the way, through the smoke and fire, my Tornadoes reported within the first 6 minutes both bridges had collapsed, and had been full of vehicles and troops when they went down. In next 6 minutes I ordered the arty to allow it's fire to spread over the two choke points. I gave my guns a short brake to allow my Tornadoes time to move in and report on the situation.
They reported from what could be seen, that there was much carnage and the enemy appeared to retreating in bad order. Some elements were advancing, those on our side of the stream. No fire rose to meet my Hubzs, so I ordered them in closer to attack the choke point. They expended about half their rockets, with the effect of great suppression and damage, no doubt raising the chaos factor. I had the Tornadoes disengage, and ordered the barrage to recommence.
The Tornadoes were ordered to leave a spotter behind, and brake off the other two to find the other advancing Yanks. A quick search turned up some recce elements and few halftracks. I ordered the Hubzs in to dissuade them from any further advance.
Coming in on their attack runs, both Hubz were fired at but were not hit. One attacked from side, and successfully took out a M8 0r M20 and caused two HT's to disembark their troops, likely with causalities and damage to the HT's. The other Hubz found two Spahwagen and 3 ht's racing down the northern paved highway, he attacked from behind them blowing up one HT the other two had troops running for cover, one SpW was damaged the other it's status unknown. Ammo running low, I recalled the Tornado Gp, the spotter bagged a jeep in a clearing on the way back.
A few more SpW's were killed by my Tiger's and one by a StuG, however, in less than 30min it was over with only a few scratches from stray arty rounds.
I surveyed the two bridges and surrounding battlefield early this morning as we passed though moving forward. There was a vast pile wreckage intertwined with both bridges, many Panzers and vehicles were abandoned more so than destroyed, weapons and kit were to be found all over, this foe had well and truly broke and ran. A couple things s stood out, found by Div engineers was a dead white horse with a US Calvary saddle, and when I poked around the area, I found a pearl handled revolver not far from the horse. I believe now, I know why such a rout, Patton himself was there, he was killed or injured, this combined with the rain of fire and the Hubzs' attack, sent them streaming to the rear.
[img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Lightning.gif[/img] [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Lightning.gif[/img]Obersturmbannführer PanzerBob
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