Slow Drift to War Europe 1984
- Thread starter Farmer12
- Start date
Fester, sorry but the defending units at each of these bridges were West German Territorial Army unit approximate strength two squads per bridge. There are no Bundeswehr units in the area. This section of the front was under the control of the Bundeswehr's 3rd Corp but the British 5th Corp to over the front line to free up the 3rd Corp for combat in the Northern Plains. I believe the regiment your referring to is the 1085th Rifle Regiment of the Soviet Armies 356th Rifle Division. That is only unit in that area i referred to as a regiment. As for what is defending the bridge the 1085th is going to be the covering unit for now until the 245th MRD, 153rd Regiment is crossing the river at this time while the 376th regiment is waiting to cross. I will go over the situation in the next time i go over the the respective portions of the front. But at this time since most of the units belonging to the British 5TH Corp are category B infantry units or truck mounted with limited tank support. This makes any sort of counter attack over such open terrain against even a Category D Soviet Divisions is unlikely.
ferdi254
Banned
I sort of wonder what the West German territorial army should have been. The Bundeswehr had a peacetime force of 495k soldiers to be brought up by reservists to 1.100 k soldiers.
But then they were one Bundeswehr.
I never heard of a territorial army. Germany was a direct front state.
But then they were one Bundeswehr.
I never heard of a territorial army. Germany was a direct front state.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorialheer
https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/de-army-1989.htm
"By 1989 the Army was the basic and largest branch of the Armed Forces (340,000 persons). It consisted of the Field and Territorial armies. The Field Army was the most combat-ready component ofthe Army (it included some 80 percent of Army personnel). In peacetime large and small units of the Field Army were assigned for transfer to the NATO Allied Forces. They were kept in a high state of combat readiness and were at 85-90 percent strength in personnel and 100 percent in weapons and equipment. The Army Inspector (CIC) exercises direct control over them through the Main Staff."
...
'"The Territorial Army was intended for accomplishing a wide range of missions in the interests both of the Bundeswehr and of support to combat operations of NATO Allied Forces Central Europe and partially of Allied Forces Northern Europe. In addition, they were a base for mobilization deployment of the Armed Forces.
Among the basic missions of the Territorial Army were supporting Bundeswehr mobilization deployment and NATO Allied Forces operational deployment on FRG territory; participating in combat operations as part of FRG army corps; providing combat and logistic support to American troop reinforcements; defending rear areasand combating airborne and amphibious assault forces; securing and defending important state, military andindustrial installations, transportation routes and linesof communication; training reservists in peace and war-time; and replacing losses of large and small army units in the course of a war.
The Territorial Army was in three territorial commands (Schleswig-Holstein, North, and South); subordinate to them were six military districts, individual commands (signal, logistics, engineer, medical), 12 brigades and 15 regiments of Home Defense, 29 region and 80 subregion defense staffs, and 150 security companies and 300 security platoons. It was planned to transfer deployed Home Defense brigades together with army corps to the operational subordination of the NATO Allied Forces Command. These brigades would be employed tactically under plans of FRG army corps.In peacetime the large and small units and sub-units of the Territorial Army were at 10 percent strength in personnel and 100 percent in weapons and military equipment. The peacetime personnel strength was 50,000 and in wartime it could be taken to 600,000."
Belgium Corp
0600 10TH Soviet Army Headquarter
The staff of the 10th Army was waiting for the attack to begin. Several weeks before they had decided that the forces, they had at their disposal were not enough to guarantee a breakthrough. Finally, after a fair amount of pleading they had received another category D division but it was one of the better CAT D division the 288TH Motorized Rifle Division. When the division had been reformed, the base where the division had been reformed had large number of BTR-152 in storage and the commander of the 288th went into the buildings where the troop transport where stored and picked the best ones for service and stripped the others for spare parts. When looking through the warehouses they found T-10 tanks, when the activation process was over the division managed to activate the equivalent of three battalions of tanks. Each of the division Rifle regiment received one battalion.
When the message informing the army of the assignment of the division to the 10th Army left the staff underwhelm. The message also informed the 10th Army that they would not receive any more units for reinforcement and to make what they had work.
The commander of the 10th Army decided that something drastic had to be done the bulk of the army divisions were category D division now five in all with two category three division and a pair of Category one divisions as the armies OMG. The final two division would only come into action if the frontline was pierced otherwise those two division would remain in the rear. Facing the 10th Army was the Belgium Army Corp made up of two regular army divisions and one division of reservists and with an American National Guard armored brigade.
If he concentrated the two category three divisions to make the main attack, that meant he would have to really on the Category D division to defend the rest of the frontline. That was a disaster waiting to happen. No one believed these Category D division could hold a defensive position if attack by units armed with more modern equipment. These division needed to be reinforced but the refusal of the High Command to end any more Category 3 divisions left him with a problem. The 288th was a bit of a question mark in a lot of ways but the T-10 that formed the tanks battalions were superior to the T54/5’s and with the BTR-152 the division was also fairly mobile but not as mobile as the Category 3 divisions equipped with BTR-60’s. He also had questions about how well the division would do in the defense but in the end, he decided that the 288th would be used offensively.
Working to make sure his defenses would hold he attached a Motorized Rifle Regiment to each of the Category D division as a sort of reserve. This decision diverted units from his main attack but to be sure that the rest of the line did not crack he had to do what he needed to do. He chose the 60th MRD to provided the regiments for the Category D divisions. The 357th Rifle division was positioned opposite the Belgium 17th Armored Brigade Their orders were quite specific to advance up to the enemy mainline of resistance and carryout diversionary operations to keep the 4th Mechanized brigade busy. The 14th MRR from the 60th MRD was to support the 357th but to not become decisively engaged in the fighting unless the Belgium units attempted to advance from their positions.
The 358th Rifle division would move against the Belgium 17th Tank Brigade with the 20TH MRR assigned to support the attack being carried out by the 358th. While the 359th with the 22nd MRR would move against the Belgium 7th Armored brigade. The 360th Rifle Division with the support of the 326th MRR of the 88th MRD will engage in an actual attack not diversionary attacks on part of the line held by the 1st Mechanized Brigade. The section of line ran from Bremke to position one kilometer to the east of Reckershausen. The orders stated the attack to be aggressively carried out.
But the main attack would be initially carried out by the 288th MRD with attached units from the 60th MRD - the 229th Tank Regiment, the 1073rd Artillery Regiments as well as the 769th Recon battalion and the 297th Sapper battalion as well as other attachments from the 60th MRD. The 88th MRD less the 326th MRR will be the follow-on forces. With the main drive being carried out by 7th Corp with the 1 Tank and 1 MRD but only once the Belgium lines had been completely broken.
The plan was for the attacking is to drive to the north behind the Belgium Corp and driving on the Germany Northern Plain. The plan is for the 7th Corp to meet up with units that would be driving to the west This would catch the entire Belgium Corp as well as the British 54th Brigade in a Cauldron. Now the just had to make the plan work.
645 AM Operation Crystal Ball The Belgium artillery officers were facing a situation where they did not have regimental sized target close to the frontlines. Also, the range of some of the howitzers were limited or the mobility was limited that also reduced the possible size of the Artillery barrage. The 288th was broken up into regiments but then the regiments had been further broken up into battalion sized attack groups with a couple kilometers between each formation. Each regiment had been assigned specific target and would attack in battalion order. The 1012th would attack the village of Reckershausen. The 1014th would attack hill 897. While the 1016th would attack the village of Hebenshausen. Each attack would be carried out one battalion at a time. With a half hour delay between each battalion strength attack.
Finally, the decision was made that the attack would be made on only one of the attacks being made by the 288th would be hit. The lead battalion of the 1012th Regiment would be hit. The artillery attack on the 1 battalion of the 1012th totally disrupted the battalion. The T-10 were pretty much undisturbed but the BTR-152’s were heavily battered. The open top vehicles allowed the shrapnel to hit the troops riding in the vehicles. The 1/1012th was out of the battle for the now at least.
655AM
The artillery units of the Soviet 10TH Army began firing on various positions all along the front. But much of the firing was concentrated against the 1st Mechanized Brigade of the 1st Division. Divisional artillery from the 288th and the 88th MRD. The artillery from the 7th Corp and its two component divisions the 1st Tank and the 1st MRD. The strong points located in the villages of Reckershausen and Hebenhausen as well as the hill 897. The artillery barrage was producing mixed results with the cannons of the 288th were world war two origin the tubes were old and worn which caused to shell to go astray to a considerable degree the tubes from the 88th was also old just not as old but still the age of the guns was affecting the effectiveness of the artillery. On the other hand, the artillery from the 7th Corp were relatively new and did strike their designated targets.
7AM The Soviet units were beginning to move against the inner border. While the supporting regiments waiting on the East German side of the border the Category D division began to attack. The 357th crossed the border with little resistance. But the troops had at least twenty kilometers to cover before they would make it to the Belgium frontlines of the 4th Mech Brigade. Luckily most of the terrain the 357th was through forested terrain allowing a much easier approach. The 358th had to cross over a lot of open terrain having about twenty kilometers to move to attack the 17th Armored brigade. But the 359th only had between five to ten kilometers and much of its forested terrain. The 360th moved across the inner border into trees and then onto the front line of the 1st Mechanized Brigade.
The 288th first wave began to move forward, for now the 1 of the 1012th leadership was pretty much annihilating and no word had been sent out about what had happened to the battalion to either regiment or division headquarters. The 1/1014th was moving against hill 897, the hill was being hit with a mixture HE and smoke. Somewhat obscuring the view of the troops on hill 897.
730 AM On top of hill 897 were a platoon of three Leopard 1’s, so far the artillery barrage had not affected the tank. There were also five Milan systems left operational one had been taken out by a direct hit on a bunker. As the 1/1014th moved out of the village of Arenshausen but now the Russians were with the maximum range of the Leopard. The T-10’s were moving closer but now the Leopards opened up. Two of the Leopards could see the tanks. One tank hit the other missed and the enemy tanks continued forward as Belgium artillery began to hit battalion as its moved forward.
The 1/1016 had been advancing behind terrain and the cluster of houses by a railroad track. But while the Belgium could not see the tanks advancing. But elements of the 2/51ST Highland Regiment could see the advancing Russian units and even thought the Russians were attacking the Belgium’s and they decided to attack. The Highlanders had moved a pair of MILANs into the village of Eichenberg. The Soviet troops were not looking for fire from that direction and a pair of T-10’s where picked off. Then a platoon of centurions sitting in an over view position seeing the Highlanders attack fired a volley and two more T-10’s burst into flames. The Soviet troops were surprised by the direction of attack but they kept moving forward.
The rest of the 1st Brigade Mech were being hit by masses of light infantry, the 326th MRR so far has not made an appearance. But the use of human wave attacks over open ground were being torn apart while troops trying to infiltrate through the trees were running into minefields with a mixture of land mines and claymore mines exacting high casualties. The 359th Rifle Division was just starting to make contact with the 7th Tank division a T-34/85 from the divisions tank battalion had been just a bit to careless. The rest of the line has not as of yet had any contact with the attacking Soviet troops.
745 am 1/1014th Regiment continued to take casualties from the units stationed on Hill 897. The ability of the tanks on top of Hill 897 had been having a field day despite the shelling by the Soviet artillery. The third tank on the hill was moved to a position where it could see the attacking enemy forces. The T-10 tank company attached to the attacking battalion. Was decimated there were only three tanks still left. Orders went out the tanks would take out the tanks while the Milan’s were given the mission of taking out the BTR-152’s. But the troops holding the village of Reckershausen not having anyone to shoot decided to open up on the 1/1014. The smoke from the burning Tanks and BTR-152’s rose over the battlefield. It was then that a badly decimated 1/1014 broke and began falling back to the building at their rear. At the same time the 2/1012 appeared heading for the village of Reckershausen and the 2/1014 also began to arrive the firing began to shift.
But the 1/1016th was having the worst of it. The attacks by the British troops from the flank continued. Now the Hebenshausen and the village of Berge opened up. The 1/1016 was finding itself in a crossfire and being ripped apart. While the 2/1016 was arriving on the battlefield.
8am The advancing 2/1012 had the full attention of the troops in Reckershausen and they could see another formation was following behind. The 3/1012 was arriving ahead of schedule. While the 2/1014 was pushing forward a lucky hit had taken out one of the Leopards and another Milan was taken out. The reduced number of the anti-armor weapons facing the 2/1014 was allowing the battalion to move closer to its objective and behind it the first reports of the 3/1014 was arriving. The 2/1016 was now in the cross hairs of the combined defense. The addition of the British troops to assist in the defense of Hebenhausen was having an unexpected bonus.
On the Soviet side of the front the entire 229th Tank regiment was behind the 3/1014 and its orders were short and to the point. The regiment with its recon and sapper battalions were to bypass the Belgium troops on Hill 897. The orders were sent out by 10th Army headquarter for the entire 88th MRD to begin moving forward. No matter what the casualties were a breakthrough was going to happen.
The rest of the first brigade was facing the 360th and despite taking crippling casualties the 360th was actually penetrating portion of the brigade front line with the 326th being committed to take the village of Bremke with two battalions but this attack was running into trouble the 1st Brigade sent in its company of Jagdpanzer Kanone brigades Anti-tank battalion to Bremke while the Milans were ordered forward to reinforce the 2nd Carabineers.
While Corp command ordered the 4th Ligne of the 10th Brigade were ordered to move up to reinforce the Liberation Infantry Battalion of the 1st Brigade. It believed that the Bvr simply had to many enemy troops to deal with. The 4th Ligne did not have any tanks attached to it so it was felt that this battalion would be a better fit in the rugged terrain in that area of the line. At the same time a company of tanks of the 4th Lancers of the 10TH brigade was ordered to move to an overwatch position on hill 973. While the rest of the brigade was to remain on alert to be moved when needed.
At the same time the 1/152nd Armored was to move forward to the village of Atzenhausen. The Corp command felt that putting the 1/152nd in a flanking position would allow for a counterattack. At the same time the 1/279th Mechanized infantry was ordered to move south to the village of Obernjesa from that location it could be move to support any part of the 1st Brigades from line. Then the Corp command sent a warning order to the 12th Brigade telling it be prepared to move south when needed. Finally the 1/131st Armored was also alerted but is mission would be to replace the 12th Brigade if it was move south. It was felt that with the 4th Lancer they would have sufficient troops to hold the north flank.
The staff of the 10th Army was waiting for the attack to begin. Several weeks before they had decided that the forces, they had at their disposal were not enough to guarantee a breakthrough. Finally, after a fair amount of pleading they had received another category D division but it was one of the better CAT D division the 288TH Motorized Rifle Division. When the division had been reformed, the base where the division had been reformed had large number of BTR-152 in storage and the commander of the 288th went into the buildings where the troop transport where stored and picked the best ones for service and stripped the others for spare parts. When looking through the warehouses they found T-10 tanks, when the activation process was over the division managed to activate the equivalent of three battalions of tanks. Each of the division Rifle regiment received one battalion.
When the message informing the army of the assignment of the division to the 10th Army left the staff underwhelm. The message also informed the 10th Army that they would not receive any more units for reinforcement and to make what they had work.
The commander of the 10th Army decided that something drastic had to be done the bulk of the army divisions were category D division now five in all with two category three division and a pair of Category one divisions as the armies OMG. The final two division would only come into action if the frontline was pierced otherwise those two division would remain in the rear. Facing the 10th Army was the Belgium Army Corp made up of two regular army divisions and one division of reservists and with an American National Guard armored brigade.
If he concentrated the two category three divisions to make the main attack, that meant he would have to really on the Category D division to defend the rest of the frontline. That was a disaster waiting to happen. No one believed these Category D division could hold a defensive position if attack by units armed with more modern equipment. These division needed to be reinforced but the refusal of the High Command to end any more Category 3 divisions left him with a problem. The 288th was a bit of a question mark in a lot of ways but the T-10 that formed the tanks battalions were superior to the T54/5’s and with the BTR-152 the division was also fairly mobile but not as mobile as the Category 3 divisions equipped with BTR-60’s. He also had questions about how well the division would do in the defense but in the end, he decided that the 288th would be used offensively.
Working to make sure his defenses would hold he attached a Motorized Rifle Regiment to each of the Category D division as a sort of reserve. This decision diverted units from his main attack but to be sure that the rest of the line did not crack he had to do what he needed to do. He chose the 60th MRD to provided the regiments for the Category D divisions. The 357th Rifle division was positioned opposite the Belgium 17th Armored Brigade Their orders were quite specific to advance up to the enemy mainline of resistance and carryout diversionary operations to keep the 4th Mechanized brigade busy. The 14th MRR from the 60th MRD was to support the 357th but to not become decisively engaged in the fighting unless the Belgium units attempted to advance from their positions.
The 358th Rifle division would move against the Belgium 17th Tank Brigade with the 20TH MRR assigned to support the attack being carried out by the 358th. While the 359th with the 22nd MRR would move against the Belgium 7th Armored brigade. The 360th Rifle Division with the support of the 326th MRR of the 88th MRD will engage in an actual attack not diversionary attacks on part of the line held by the 1st Mechanized Brigade. The section of line ran from Bremke to position one kilometer to the east of Reckershausen. The orders stated the attack to be aggressively carried out.
But the main attack would be initially carried out by the 288th MRD with attached units from the 60th MRD - the 229th Tank Regiment, the 1073rd Artillery Regiments as well as the 769th Recon battalion and the 297th Sapper battalion as well as other attachments from the 60th MRD. The 88th MRD less the 326th MRR will be the follow-on forces. With the main drive being carried out by 7th Corp with the 1 Tank and 1 MRD but only once the Belgium lines had been completely broken.
The plan was for the attacking is to drive to the north behind the Belgium Corp and driving on the Germany Northern Plain. The plan is for the 7th Corp to meet up with units that would be driving to the west This would catch the entire Belgium Corp as well as the British 54th Brigade in a Cauldron. Now the just had to make the plan work.
645 AM Operation Crystal Ball The Belgium artillery officers were facing a situation where they did not have regimental sized target close to the frontlines. Also, the range of some of the howitzers were limited or the mobility was limited that also reduced the possible size of the Artillery barrage. The 288th was broken up into regiments but then the regiments had been further broken up into battalion sized attack groups with a couple kilometers between each formation. Each regiment had been assigned specific target and would attack in battalion order. The 1012th would attack the village of Reckershausen. The 1014th would attack hill 897. While the 1016th would attack the village of Hebenshausen. Each attack would be carried out one battalion at a time. With a half hour delay between each battalion strength attack.
Finally, the decision was made that the attack would be made on only one of the attacks being made by the 288th would be hit. The lead battalion of the 1012th Regiment would be hit. The artillery attack on the 1 battalion of the 1012th totally disrupted the battalion. The T-10 were pretty much undisturbed but the BTR-152’s were heavily battered. The open top vehicles allowed the shrapnel to hit the troops riding in the vehicles. The 1/1012th was out of the battle for the now at least.
655AM
The artillery units of the Soviet 10TH Army began firing on various positions all along the front. But much of the firing was concentrated against the 1st Mechanized Brigade of the 1st Division. Divisional artillery from the 288th and the 88th MRD. The artillery from the 7th Corp and its two component divisions the 1st Tank and the 1st MRD. The strong points located in the villages of Reckershausen and Hebenhausen as well as the hill 897. The artillery barrage was producing mixed results with the cannons of the 288th were world war two origin the tubes were old and worn which caused to shell to go astray to a considerable degree the tubes from the 88th was also old just not as old but still the age of the guns was affecting the effectiveness of the artillery. On the other hand, the artillery from the 7th Corp were relatively new and did strike their designated targets.
7AM The Soviet units were beginning to move against the inner border. While the supporting regiments waiting on the East German side of the border the Category D division began to attack. The 357th crossed the border with little resistance. But the troops had at least twenty kilometers to cover before they would make it to the Belgium frontlines of the 4th Mech Brigade. Luckily most of the terrain the 357th was through forested terrain allowing a much easier approach. The 358th had to cross over a lot of open terrain having about twenty kilometers to move to attack the 17th Armored brigade. But the 359th only had between five to ten kilometers and much of its forested terrain. The 360th moved across the inner border into trees and then onto the front line of the 1st Mechanized Brigade.
The 288th first wave began to move forward, for now the 1 of the 1012th leadership was pretty much annihilating and no word had been sent out about what had happened to the battalion to either regiment or division headquarters. The 1/1014th was moving against hill 897, the hill was being hit with a mixture HE and smoke. Somewhat obscuring the view of the troops on hill 897.
730 AM On top of hill 897 were a platoon of three Leopard 1’s, so far the artillery barrage had not affected the tank. There were also five Milan systems left operational one had been taken out by a direct hit on a bunker. As the 1/1014th moved out of the village of Arenshausen but now the Russians were with the maximum range of the Leopard. The T-10’s were moving closer but now the Leopards opened up. Two of the Leopards could see the tanks. One tank hit the other missed and the enemy tanks continued forward as Belgium artillery began to hit battalion as its moved forward.
The 1/1016 had been advancing behind terrain and the cluster of houses by a railroad track. But while the Belgium could not see the tanks advancing. But elements of the 2/51ST Highland Regiment could see the advancing Russian units and even thought the Russians were attacking the Belgium’s and they decided to attack. The Highlanders had moved a pair of MILANs into the village of Eichenberg. The Soviet troops were not looking for fire from that direction and a pair of T-10’s where picked off. Then a platoon of centurions sitting in an over view position seeing the Highlanders attack fired a volley and two more T-10’s burst into flames. The Soviet troops were surprised by the direction of attack but they kept moving forward.
The rest of the 1st Brigade Mech were being hit by masses of light infantry, the 326th MRR so far has not made an appearance. But the use of human wave attacks over open ground were being torn apart while troops trying to infiltrate through the trees were running into minefields with a mixture of land mines and claymore mines exacting high casualties. The 359th Rifle Division was just starting to make contact with the 7th Tank division a T-34/85 from the divisions tank battalion had been just a bit to careless. The rest of the line has not as of yet had any contact with the attacking Soviet troops.
745 am 1/1014th Regiment continued to take casualties from the units stationed on Hill 897. The ability of the tanks on top of Hill 897 had been having a field day despite the shelling by the Soviet artillery. The third tank on the hill was moved to a position where it could see the attacking enemy forces. The T-10 tank company attached to the attacking battalion. Was decimated there were only three tanks still left. Orders went out the tanks would take out the tanks while the Milan’s were given the mission of taking out the BTR-152’s. But the troops holding the village of Reckershausen not having anyone to shoot decided to open up on the 1/1014. The smoke from the burning Tanks and BTR-152’s rose over the battlefield. It was then that a badly decimated 1/1014 broke and began falling back to the building at their rear. At the same time the 2/1012 appeared heading for the village of Reckershausen and the 2/1014 also began to arrive the firing began to shift.
But the 1/1016th was having the worst of it. The attacks by the British troops from the flank continued. Now the Hebenshausen and the village of Berge opened up. The 1/1016 was finding itself in a crossfire and being ripped apart. While the 2/1016 was arriving on the battlefield.
8am The advancing 2/1012 had the full attention of the troops in Reckershausen and they could see another formation was following behind. The 3/1012 was arriving ahead of schedule. While the 2/1014 was pushing forward a lucky hit had taken out one of the Leopards and another Milan was taken out. The reduced number of the anti-armor weapons facing the 2/1014 was allowing the battalion to move closer to its objective and behind it the first reports of the 3/1014 was arriving. The 2/1016 was now in the cross hairs of the combined defense. The addition of the British troops to assist in the defense of Hebenhausen was having an unexpected bonus.
On the Soviet side of the front the entire 229th Tank regiment was behind the 3/1014 and its orders were short and to the point. The regiment with its recon and sapper battalions were to bypass the Belgium troops on Hill 897. The orders were sent out by 10th Army headquarter for the entire 88th MRD to begin moving forward. No matter what the casualties were a breakthrough was going to happen.
The rest of the first brigade was facing the 360th and despite taking crippling casualties the 360th was actually penetrating portion of the brigade front line with the 326th being committed to take the village of Bremke with two battalions but this attack was running into trouble the 1st Brigade sent in its company of Jagdpanzer Kanone brigades Anti-tank battalion to Bremke while the Milans were ordered forward to reinforce the 2nd Carabineers.
While Corp command ordered the 4th Ligne of the 10th Brigade were ordered to move up to reinforce the Liberation Infantry Battalion of the 1st Brigade. It believed that the Bvr simply had to many enemy troops to deal with. The 4th Ligne did not have any tanks attached to it so it was felt that this battalion would be a better fit in the rugged terrain in that area of the line. At the same time a company of tanks of the 4th Lancers of the 10TH brigade was ordered to move to an overwatch position on hill 973. While the rest of the brigade was to remain on alert to be moved when needed.
At the same time the 1/152nd Armored was to move forward to the village of Atzenhausen. The Corp command felt that putting the 1/152nd in a flanking position would allow for a counterattack. At the same time the 1/279th Mechanized infantry was ordered to move south to the village of Obernjesa from that location it could be move to support any part of the 1st Brigades from line. Then the Corp command sent a warning order to the 12th Brigade telling it be prepared to move south when needed. Finally the 1/131st Armored was also alerted but is mission would be to replace the 12th Brigade if it was move south. It was felt that with the 4th Lancer they would have sufficient troops to hold the north flank.
Map of Belgium Corp Frontline
With this map the Blue is for units with positions on the frontline
Orange is for the Belgium Reserve Units
Yellow for US National Guard
Red is for all Soviet Units
Note each of the four brigades of the Belgium on the frontlines is represented by a different Color
Orange is for the Belgium Reserve Units
Yellow for US National Guard
Red is for all Soviet Units
Note each of the four brigades of the Belgium on the frontlines is represented by a different Color
24 Aug German Northern Plains BOAR Army Group Magdeburg is officially activated taking command of all forces designated to the attack on the BOAR. The first moves of the attack on the British Army of the Rhine had begun early on the 24th of August. The previous day, Soviet High Command of Western Direction made a few last-minute additions to the forces attacking the BOAR. The 26TH Artillery division which had been located near the city of Wittenberg was ordered to move forward on the morning of the 23 August with orders to take up positions near the City of Halberstadt. The 26th Artillery division would not be able to take part in the first attack but it would be in position to move forward to the frontlines with relative ease. At the same time the 1011th and 1051st Independent Airborne Brigades were being transported by air from the city of Halle. The helicopters of the 801st Independent Helicopter regiment would be busy all day and into the night. This force was not to be committed during the initial attack but would be available for attack in the afternoon or the next day.
At the same time the 9th Rifle Corp began to march to the north sliding into the rear areas of the 10th Rifle Corp. While the 10th Rifle Corps remained in its positions. British Reconnaissance units observed the movement. But the HQ for the BOAR considered the movement as a sort of confirmation that the main assault would be made on the southern positions of the BOAR. Headquarters stated that the neither of the two Rifle Corps were capable of rapid movement and during an attack the two Corps would not become engaged much before late afternoon. This would allow the British Army to deal with the more mobile elements of the Soviet Armies attack.
In the afternoon the 34th Artillery division began to move forward to its preplanned firing positions. While the 2nd Guards Army began to move into place with the 94th and 207th MRD divisions moving into their frontline positions with the 21st MRD and the 16th Guards Tank division moving into follow up positions. While the 90 and 20th Tank divisions of the 25th Tank Corp move up into a supporting position. At the same time the 117th Guard TD and the 60th MRD from the 21st Tank Corp division to position behind the 9th and 10th Rifle Corps. But the reaction was that the force would be used to reinforce the attack in the south.
Further to the rear of the WARSAW PACT the 3rd Combined Arms Army began to moving forward in a general easterly direction. While it was also reported that the 20th Guards Combined Arms Army was also moving to the north and east. As dawn approached NATO intelligence which had thought army was a reserve force for Southern Germany were now wondering what was happening. It was looking like on the 26th of August at last six more tank division and two MR Divisions would arrive on the battlefield facing BOAR and there was already talk who would have to be sent to reinforce the BOAR. While the Headquarter BOAR felt that while the additional were a real threat. There were sufficient forces available to deal with the initial assault while additional reinforcement could be brought into the area.
530AM Army Group Magdeburg The Commander of Army Group Magdeburg was waiting for the attack begin. The southern flank would be covered by the 79th Rifle Corp attacking in the Harz Mountain while the main attack carried out by the 2nd Guard Army would be the main strike. The two Tank Corps each had a separate mission. The 25th Tank Corp was the be ready to go on the attack when the 2nd Guards Army broke through the British lines.
But what he was waiting for was initial attack being made by the 3rd and 7th Independent Air Assault Brigades. Originally the 25th Tank Corp was supposed to carry out this assault with the 3rd Independent Assault Brigade. But with the 21st Tank Corp being reassigned to Army Group Magdeburg the 25th Tank Corp was reassigned to the main assault and the 21st Tank Corp was given the mission with the addition of a second assault landing Brigade the 7th Assault Landing Brigade.
All six of the infantry battalions from the two Air Assault Landing Brigades would take part in the attack. The second lift would bring in the two brigades artillery battalions with two battalions of troops from the 10TH Rifle Corps 364th Rifle division 1214th Regiment.
The attack will be made against a section of the line control by the 4th Armored, 33rd Armored Brigade. The attack will be made on the battalion 1st Queen’s Lancaster Regiment which controls the line from the bridges at both Abbesbutel and the village of Wedelheine. Due to transfers of units between the 1st Queen of Lancaster Regiment and the Royal Scotch Dragoon Guards create an infantry heavy battalion. With three battalions landing at each village. Looking at his watch, it was 545AM in fifteen minutes the heliborne attack.
The British 33rd Armored Brigade had setup a line of defensive positions along the canal. At the village of Abbesbutel northern bridge an infantry platoon was setup in a defensive position in small cluster of building the tree right where the bridge crossed the canal. Attached to the platoon were pair of Milans located on either flank of the platoon. Given the lack of proper cover only a squad with a single Milan was assigned too the middle bridge. The rest of the platoon along with the troop of tanks and two Milans attached to this company were located in the village of Vordorf as a company reserve. Covering the southern bridge was the third platoon also with two milans were located in a cluster of trees located on the west side of the canal. Further back was a squad of West German Territorial troops whose mission was to flip the switch and blow the bridge when the time came.
To the north the next section of the line was protected by a a balanced armored squadron from the Royal Scotts Dragoons Guards. B Company was broken up into two separate elements. One Troop of Armor and a platoon of infantry with two Milans were setup in an area of woods on the west side of the canal between the villages of Abbesbutel and Wedelheine. The second element with one troop of tanks, the companies HQ tanks and a platoon of infantry with one Milan were setup in the village of Meine. This unit was the Lancasters tactical reserve.
Finally C company as an infantry heavy company with its troop of tanks was setup entirely in the village of Wedelheine with a platoon setup near each bridge with a platoon kept it reserve and the units FV-432’S with the crews, were positioned outside of the village in the trees to the north of the village, to avoid the APC’s from being damage or trapping falling debris from building being knocked down as well as the roads being blocked by the same debris. The Local Defense squad was setup in two sections to blow the bridges in the village.
Four of the eight Fox armored cars assigned to the battalion were out in front of the battalion carrying out their reconnaissance mission. Two of the Foxes were setup in the village of Grob Bunsrode with two others setup in the village of Essenrode.
Just to the north in the same woods as the C companies APC’s , was the 1st Black Watch’s A company a mech heavy company. With its attached tank troop the company setup on a line along the canal. One platoon had a larger area to cover but given the open nature of the terrain in front of the platoon it was felt that with all four of the companies attached Milan’s the platoon position was fairly secure while the second platoon with the Troop of tanks were covering the bridged that crossed the Canal. The three tanks from the troop with the three Carl Gustov Recoiless rifles would provide sufficient anti-armor capability. Also, a squad from the Local Home Defense Platoon was in overview its mission was to blow the bridge. But since the bridge was wired it was felt that once the bridge was blown. The troops could be spread out to cover a wider front.
B Company of the Black Watch with its attached troop of tanks and a squad of Local Defense Platoon were setup in the village of Wasbuttel. The squad of Local Defense platoon had setup in a position allowing the squad to watch the bridge and the Canal Lock. C squadron of Royal Scots Dragoon Guards was like in the Lancaster battalion. Had been split into two elements one element was set up in an overwatch position watch the bridge that crossed of the canal near the village Issenbutel. The second element was setup in a wooded area to the rear of the villages of Issenbutel and Wasbuttel.
Four Foxes were out in front two to the south of the Mittellande Canal and two more to the north. The first section was setup near the village of Wettmershagen. The second section was located on the north side of the canal in a strip of trees to the east of the village of Ilkerbruch.
Finally, the full battalion of the Royal Scotts Dragoon Guards, were setup in woods with a central position that allowed the use of the road network to rapidly move reinforcements to one section of the line or another. The brigade headquarters was not far from that location but further into the forested area.
555am Oberfeldwebel Gunther Priem and his driver were going north on the road just to the east of the Mittelland Canal. His Home Defense platoon was responsible for bridges over the villages of Abbesbutel Wedelheine. It was not quite 6 AM, he and his driver needed to be in a safe location when the Soviet Airborne landed. While the British were defending the line, troops of the West German Territorial Army had the responsibility of blowing the bridges since the bridges were German, the logic had been the Germans were the ones who were too blow the bridges. The British Army had not argued since it meant that they would not have to provide any of the materials needed for the demolition of the bridges. They viewed it as a cost saving of sorts.
Earlier in the crisis had begun, his STASI handlers had provided him with dud detonators. Since everything was electronic all they had to do was flip a switch to blow the bridges only the bridges would not go boom. But he wanted to be on what he believed would be the Soviet side of the Canal. He had a feeling that once the bridges failed to blow up, he would be asked questions he did not want to answer.
Off in the distance Gunther could hear the sounds of large numbers helicopter getting louder and louder. He smiled to himself, in a few minutes the British would find out what he had done and then it would be too late. But the British were not entirely uniformed about what was happening. Flying at low level two large formations of soviet helicopters had crossed the borders headed toward the bridges and along the way the helicopters flew over scattered elements of A squadron of the 9th/12th Lancer carrying out the regiments reconnaissance missiion. At the same the sound of a large number of vehicles could be heard to the east. The various Reconnaissance units sent in a reports on of helicopters moving into NATO held territory and the movement of what they believed to be Soviet Armor. But the reports had to go through channels and it would take a few minutes for the message to work it’s way through the various levels of the BOAR command then to the Frontline brigades.
At the same time the 9th Rifle Corp began to march to the north sliding into the rear areas of the 10th Rifle Corp. While the 10th Rifle Corps remained in its positions. British Reconnaissance units observed the movement. But the HQ for the BOAR considered the movement as a sort of confirmation that the main assault would be made on the southern positions of the BOAR. Headquarters stated that the neither of the two Rifle Corps were capable of rapid movement and during an attack the two Corps would not become engaged much before late afternoon. This would allow the British Army to deal with the more mobile elements of the Soviet Armies attack.
In the afternoon the 34th Artillery division began to move forward to its preplanned firing positions. While the 2nd Guards Army began to move into place with the 94th and 207th MRD divisions moving into their frontline positions with the 21st MRD and the 16th Guards Tank division moving into follow up positions. While the 90 and 20th Tank divisions of the 25th Tank Corp move up into a supporting position. At the same time the 117th Guard TD and the 60th MRD from the 21st Tank Corp division to position behind the 9th and 10th Rifle Corps. But the reaction was that the force would be used to reinforce the attack in the south.
Further to the rear of the WARSAW PACT the 3rd Combined Arms Army began to moving forward in a general easterly direction. While it was also reported that the 20th Guards Combined Arms Army was also moving to the north and east. As dawn approached NATO intelligence which had thought army was a reserve force for Southern Germany were now wondering what was happening. It was looking like on the 26th of August at last six more tank division and two MR Divisions would arrive on the battlefield facing BOAR and there was already talk who would have to be sent to reinforce the BOAR. While the Headquarter BOAR felt that while the additional were a real threat. There were sufficient forces available to deal with the initial assault while additional reinforcement could be brought into the area.
530AM Army Group Magdeburg The Commander of Army Group Magdeburg was waiting for the attack begin. The southern flank would be covered by the 79th Rifle Corp attacking in the Harz Mountain while the main attack carried out by the 2nd Guard Army would be the main strike. The two Tank Corps each had a separate mission. The 25th Tank Corp was the be ready to go on the attack when the 2nd Guards Army broke through the British lines.
But what he was waiting for was initial attack being made by the 3rd and 7th Independent Air Assault Brigades. Originally the 25th Tank Corp was supposed to carry out this assault with the 3rd Independent Assault Brigade. But with the 21st Tank Corp being reassigned to Army Group Magdeburg the 25th Tank Corp was reassigned to the main assault and the 21st Tank Corp was given the mission with the addition of a second assault landing Brigade the 7th Assault Landing Brigade.
All six of the infantry battalions from the two Air Assault Landing Brigades would take part in the attack. The second lift would bring in the two brigades artillery battalions with two battalions of troops from the 10TH Rifle Corps 364th Rifle division 1214th Regiment.
The attack will be made against a section of the line control by the 4th Armored, 33rd Armored Brigade. The attack will be made on the battalion 1st Queen’s Lancaster Regiment which controls the line from the bridges at both Abbesbutel and the village of Wedelheine. Due to transfers of units between the 1st Queen of Lancaster Regiment and the Royal Scotch Dragoon Guards create an infantry heavy battalion. With three battalions landing at each village. Looking at his watch, it was 545AM in fifteen minutes the heliborne attack.
The British 33rd Armored Brigade had setup a line of defensive positions along the canal. At the village of Abbesbutel northern bridge an infantry platoon was setup in a defensive position in small cluster of building the tree right where the bridge crossed the canal. Attached to the platoon were pair of Milans located on either flank of the platoon. Given the lack of proper cover only a squad with a single Milan was assigned too the middle bridge. The rest of the platoon along with the troop of tanks and two Milans attached to this company were located in the village of Vordorf as a company reserve. Covering the southern bridge was the third platoon also with two milans were located in a cluster of trees located on the west side of the canal. Further back was a squad of West German Territorial troops whose mission was to flip the switch and blow the bridge when the time came.
To the north the next section of the line was protected by a a balanced armored squadron from the Royal Scotts Dragoons Guards. B Company was broken up into two separate elements. One Troop of Armor and a platoon of infantry with two Milans were setup in an area of woods on the west side of the canal between the villages of Abbesbutel and Wedelheine. The second element with one troop of tanks, the companies HQ tanks and a platoon of infantry with one Milan were setup in the village of Meine. This unit was the Lancasters tactical reserve.
Finally C company as an infantry heavy company with its troop of tanks was setup entirely in the village of Wedelheine with a platoon setup near each bridge with a platoon kept it reserve and the units FV-432’S with the crews, were positioned outside of the village in the trees to the north of the village, to avoid the APC’s from being damage or trapping falling debris from building being knocked down as well as the roads being blocked by the same debris. The Local Defense squad was setup in two sections to blow the bridges in the village.
Four of the eight Fox armored cars assigned to the battalion were out in front of the battalion carrying out their reconnaissance mission. Two of the Foxes were setup in the village of Grob Bunsrode with two others setup in the village of Essenrode.
Just to the north in the same woods as the C companies APC’s , was the 1st Black Watch’s A company a mech heavy company. With its attached tank troop the company setup on a line along the canal. One platoon had a larger area to cover but given the open nature of the terrain in front of the platoon it was felt that with all four of the companies attached Milan’s the platoon position was fairly secure while the second platoon with the Troop of tanks were covering the bridged that crossed the Canal. The three tanks from the troop with the three Carl Gustov Recoiless rifles would provide sufficient anti-armor capability. Also, a squad from the Local Home Defense Platoon was in overview its mission was to blow the bridge. But since the bridge was wired it was felt that once the bridge was blown. The troops could be spread out to cover a wider front.
B Company of the Black Watch with its attached troop of tanks and a squad of Local Defense Platoon were setup in the village of Wasbuttel. The squad of Local Defense platoon had setup in a position allowing the squad to watch the bridge and the Canal Lock. C squadron of Royal Scots Dragoon Guards was like in the Lancaster battalion. Had been split into two elements one element was set up in an overwatch position watch the bridge that crossed of the canal near the village Issenbutel. The second element was setup in a wooded area to the rear of the villages of Issenbutel and Wasbuttel.
Four Foxes were out in front two to the south of the Mittellande Canal and two more to the north. The first section was setup near the village of Wettmershagen. The second section was located on the north side of the canal in a strip of trees to the east of the village of Ilkerbruch.
Finally, the full battalion of the Royal Scotts Dragoon Guards, were setup in woods with a central position that allowed the use of the road network to rapidly move reinforcements to one section of the line or another. The brigade headquarters was not far from that location but further into the forested area.
555am Oberfeldwebel Gunther Priem and his driver were going north on the road just to the east of the Mittelland Canal. His Home Defense platoon was responsible for bridges over the villages of Abbesbutel Wedelheine. It was not quite 6 AM, he and his driver needed to be in a safe location when the Soviet Airborne landed. While the British were defending the line, troops of the West German Territorial Army had the responsibility of blowing the bridges since the bridges were German, the logic had been the Germans were the ones who were too blow the bridges. The British Army had not argued since it meant that they would not have to provide any of the materials needed for the demolition of the bridges. They viewed it as a cost saving of sorts.
Earlier in the crisis had begun, his STASI handlers had provided him with dud detonators. Since everything was electronic all they had to do was flip a switch to blow the bridges only the bridges would not go boom. But he wanted to be on what he believed would be the Soviet side of the Canal. He had a feeling that once the bridges failed to blow up, he would be asked questions he did not want to answer.
Off in the distance Gunther could hear the sounds of large numbers helicopter getting louder and louder. He smiled to himself, in a few minutes the British would find out what he had done and then it would be too late. But the British were not entirely uniformed about what was happening. Flying at low level two large formations of soviet helicopters had crossed the borders headed toward the bridges and along the way the helicopters flew over scattered elements of A squadron of the 9th/12th Lancer carrying out the regiments reconnaissance missiion. At the same the sound of a large number of vehicles could be heard to the east. The various Reconnaissance units sent in a reports on of helicopters moving into NATO held territory and the movement of what they believed to be Soviet Armor. But the reports had to go through channels and it would take a few minutes for the message to work it’s way through the various levels of the BOAR command then to the Frontline brigades.