Amazing feats from your units?

[Cross]

A single troop of three British cruiser tanks is carrying the day in my most recent battle. Led by Lt Randall, everywhere these tanks went they had success. They were responsible for breaking the German attack, and immediately exploiting that situation into a deep penetration and successful flanking attack on German armour and positions.

The troop had accumulated kills of six Panzer IVs, two heavily armed halftracks and a Wespe SP artillery, plus infantry and crews. Lt Randall’s tank was responsible for three of the Panzer IVs and one halftrack.

Then, Lt Randall’s tank was following about 150 yards behind a British halftrack loaded with infantry down a road deep in German territory. The halftrack ran into and was attacked by some crew escaping down the road. Randall loaded an HE round and fired at the crew, missed, hit the back of the halftrack which exploded and killed or wounded every infantryman on board, only the halftracks driver and co-driver escaped!

I've seen misses hit other vehicles before, but it's rare, and even rarer to hit your own AFV. In this case the halftrack was in the same hex as the targeted crew.

What stinks is that I was planning to award Lt Randall a DSO for his accomplishments. (He would get renamed at the end of the battle ‘Lt Randall DSO’) The DSO is usually only awarded to officers Major and above, but is occasionally awarded to junior officers with exceptional merit.

Now what to do? Can’t award him a DSO after such serious fratricide, despite being accidental. Since that incident, the other two tanks under his command have KO an additional two Panzer IVs; bring the troop total to eight Panzer IVs!

I think I may only award him a Military Cross, and bury the incident in the paperwork.

In future he will only use his MGs in a similar situation.



cheers,
Cross