Slow Drift to War Europe 1984
- Thread starter Farmer12
- Start date
Farmer12, Rightyho; will be keeping a close eye on what happens to the 1st Bn The Royal Anglian Regiment, 10 Bde, 43 Wessex Division, with Saracen APCs; cough, cough ......................
Great work, Cheers Vikingtank.
VKINGTANK- Are trying to tell me that The Royal Anglian Regiment is a category A battalion using the Saracens APC's. Because i could not find a list of battalions and whether they were Category A battalions using either FV-432'S or Saxon. Or the category b battalions that are truck mounted.
Farmer12, Thanks for your reply. From your post 26 Apr 2019 about 43 Wessex Division:
'The 10th brigade made up of a newly formed tank battalion the 9th RTR armed with Chieftains, while the regular battalion the 1st Royal Anglian Regiment equipped with Saracen APR and the territorial battalion, the 3rd Yorkshire Volunteers equipped with FV-432 APC’s both have be converted from light infantry to mechanized in that have just been mechanized. The 43rd Wessex Brigade with 1st Wessex Regiment, 2nd Wessex Regiment, 3rd Devon & Cornwall Vols., 6(V) Light Infantry. The 160th Brigade 3rd (Vol) Royal Welch Fusiliers, 3(V) Royal Regiment of Wales 4th (V) Royal Regiment of Wales. There are two Recon battalions in the division, one is the Royal Wessex Yeomanry which is equipped with Land Rovers and a newly formed Queens Own Dorset Yeomanry equipped with Saladin Armored Cars. As for the other American units that are attached to the 5th Corp. These units are the 107th ACR as well as the 103rd and the 115th Artillery brigades and the XI corps artillery'.
You had the Saracens brought over from NI ref your post 30 Jul 2018, although for a different Division:
'Then the senior general commented we have a lot of Saracen APC ‘s in Northern Ireland we could ship enough of them to full mechanize the 5th division. We could ask for volunteers from the Ulster Constabulary and other military units to provide the trained crews and the support personal in the three battalions that we were going to make truck mounted and the trucks could be used for the divisions support units. The other officers considered the approach and a slow grim acceptance of weakening of the forces in Northern Ireland ever more than they had already been'.
Cheers, Vikingtank.
Last edited:
Farmer12, I stand corrected, thanks. Your finger is clearly more on the pulse! Keep up the great work. Cheers, Vikingtank.
Fear goes a long way in the Soviet Army
630 AM Chain of Command
As Battalion commander of the Lancaster’s he realized the spot he was in his Company was almost annihilated. While A Company was scattered all over the place. Half of C Squadron was tied up holding a front-line position. The other half, was his only reserve. With all the problems on his battalions front he did not want to commit them to an counter attack only to have the Soviet attack from the other village. It looked like all he could do was engage in a holding action. But he did not want to sound like he was not very aggressive so he could propose using the reserve portion of C squadron with the other half of C squadron to push the Soviet airborne out of the woods to the front of Miene. Then he was told the brigade commander was on the phone.
The Commander of the 33rd Armored Brigade asked for the battalion’s sitrep. When the commander of the Lancaster’s was done. He considered what he had been told. The Lancaster’s were down a company and not really capable of caring out a counterattack. Although he had considered the possibility of making an attack with the C squadron but it would leave the Lancaster without a reserve. The commander of the 33rd Armored Brigade, told the commander of the Lancaster’s that he was to hold in the battalion’s current positions. Having had previously spoke to the Commander of the Blackwatch. The commander reported that so far, the Blackwatch only a few dead or wounded. But his only reserve unit had been used to cover the bridge on the north edge of the trees to the north of Wedelheine. On the other hand, the Scott Dragoons Guards were ready to go he just had to decide where.
Then the 33rd Armored Brigade commander checked with his staff. They had one bit of good news, there had been an air raid carried out by a flight of Harriers and it had been reported that the main bridge across the canal at Wedelheine had been destroyed. That bit of information was welcome, the second bridge was not capable to support the weight of a tank. While the bridge capable of bearing the weight of a tank was destroyed. The Soviet airborne were still on both sides of the canal and a soviet bridging unit would have a somewhat easier time putting a bridge across the canal. But building a bridge took time and would be under fire from British artillery.
But there still was the bridge at Abbesbuttel, the northern bridge could support tanks crossing the river. The other two bridges could be used allow lighter vehicles. That made this bridge at Abbesbuttel as the priority. But while he could send his armored battalion the Scot’s Dragoon Guards against the Soviet positions on the west side of the canal. But he really wanted to take over the village of Abbesbuttel and once in control of the village. The demolition people would be allowed ready the bridged for demolition. Having the Scot’s Dragoon Guards force attack across the bridges to take Abbesbuttel.
He needed a two-prong attack with a battalion attacking out of the town of Brunswick to take Abbesbuttel. That meant he would need a second battalion to successfully carry out the attack. After that they could take a look at attacking Wedelheine. But attacking the village of Wedesbuttel might be a step to far. The bridge that the Blackwatch were guarding was not bearing the weight of the tanks. So, any attacks that were going to be carried out from the direction of Abbesbuttel. The commander of the 33rd Armored brigade decided he needed to speak to the 4th Divisions commander. During his conversation with the commander of the Lancaster’s, the commander 4th division had call and he was now on hold. The switchboard brought the Division commander on the phone. With that the Commander briefed the division commander on the brigade’s current situation.
He needed a battalion from the 20th Armored Brigade to carry out the attack and to get that battalion he needed to talk to the commander of the 4th Division. Preferably the 1 Royal Regiment of Wales, it was positioned behind the city of Brunswick Germany. It was mechanized infantry battalion. The other two regiments were armored battalions, the Blues and Royals was a pure tank battalion while the other battalion 4/7th Royal Dragoon Guards with one company from the 1st Royal Regiment of Wales while one tank company had been attached to the Royal Wales.
The commander of the 4th Division had been watching what had been happening from the reports sent by the 33rd Armored Brigade and specifically the Lancaster’s. But rather than getting the phones, demanding answers, he had given the 33RD Brigade commander time to get a handle the situation. When the phone call came in from the 33rd Armored Brigade commander he was ready. The commander of the 33rd Armored Brigade explained the current situation and what he wanted to do. The division commander listened to what he was being told. Even though both the men were kilometers from the where it was happening. They could hear the sound of artillery beginning to fire as virtually every artillery piece in the BOAR opened up on the Soviet troops on the southern flank of the 1st Corp. The division commander knew what was happening but the Brigade commander had not received the briefing.
When the brigade commander commented on that sound, the Division commander replied, “What your hearing is a special plan to kick the WARSAW pact attack in the teeth. Only the artillery officers and Division commanders and above where told what is happening.” The 33RD Brigade suddenly realized that was why all the requests for artillery had been delayed and only the two batteries of artillery had been made available. The division commander commented that in an hour or so after the guns of the 4th Divisions had bee redeployed he could count on the full support of the division’s artillery.
We will be carrying out the attack you are planning with an addition. Your, idea to attack Abbesbuttel is good. But we don’t have a lot of time to carry it out. I believed that by the end of the day The Corp we know is lurking to the east of the Inner Border should be able to make it to the canal line. What we need to do drive the soviet airborne out of villages Abbesbuttel and Wedelheine. After Abbesbuttel is taken the Scots Dragoon Guards can drive north against Wedelheine. We all might rish drive north from Abbesbuttel drive the Soviets out of Weddesbuttel. But that might involve to much risk after all I do not want the Welsh regiment caught between the canal and a Soviet Corp.
The commander of the 33rd Armored brigade nodded his in agreement. Then he asked a question so the second attack you are talking about is the drive north by the Dragoon Guards. The commander of the 4th Division shook his head and then he replied. No while the main attack will be against Abbesbuttel. I would like to put some pressure on Wedelheine. I understand that the Soviet Airborne set up a series of outposts outside of Wedelheine. The whole B squadron will attack those woods to the south of Wedelheine and at the same time elements of B squadron attached to the Blackwatch would attack from the north against the on section of the outpost line that much armor and infantry should drive them back into Wedelheine.
The commander of the 33rd Armored brigade nodded his head, then he commented I want the commander of both battalions here at my headquarters for a short planning session before we attack. Looking up at the clock he commented it’s almost 7am I figure moving the troops and getting the officers together for a short planning meeting before we go will take until about 9am. We can attack at 915 AM. The division commander nodded his head, carrying out an almost brigade sized attack would take some time to organize. “ Don’t delay the attacks past 10am we need to have the attack completed before the rest of Red Army shows up. I want the Abbesbuttel taken by noon. I also want a Dragoon Guards freed up for an attack on Wedelheine. Understood! “ The commander of the 33rd Armored Brigade simply replied, “Yes sir. “ With that the phone call was over as orders went out from the 4th Division headquarters instructing the 20th Brigade that the 1st Royal Welsh Regiment at the disposal of the commander of the 33rd Armored Brigade.
The commander of the 1ST Corp was not happy not happy at all. The commander of the BAOR was also the commander of Northern Army Group and a very busy man. Not only did he have to deal with commanding the BAOR, command of the Northern Army Group was also keeping him busy. Spetsnaz had carried out a series of attacks some successful and some not also he had to deal with Germans, Dutch as well as the American army. That meant the commander of 1St Corp would make most of the decisions for the BAOR by default.
He and the commander of the BAOR, had expected the two Air Assault Brigade to be used during the attack on the southern flank of the 1st Corp and for it to happen at 7AM. They had planned for the attack happening at that time. Operation Crystal Ball had taken every artillery unit 1st Corp to hit the expected avenue of attack. Now they had two Air Assault Brigades controlling the bridges over the MiddleCanal. He had released a couple of battalions of artillery to support the 33rd Brigade but the rest would not be free until operation Crystal Ball would be over. Then the self-propelled guns could move back to the north to support the defense of canal line. Add on the fact that the demolition charges had been tampered with was disconcerting. He had ordered British sappers to look over the other bridges along the canal defense. But that could take at least an hour or two to get the Sappers in to the bridges. Now he had a problem, the Soviet Corp that was heading south was likely to take a sharp right-hand turn, probably with a MR division in the lead and the tank division following behind.
Looking at the clock he could see it was just before 7am, just a few minutes the WARSAW Pact would begin their artillery barrage. Then the Soviet Army would begin their advance. The question was how much damage had Crystalball done against the two lead regiments.
Back in time 645AM Commander 94th Guards MRD
Watching the shell rain down on two of his regiments the 283rd and 286th Guards Motorized Rifle regiments. He had before the battle picked a position that would give him a good view of the terrain and it was allowing him to see the two regiments being smashed by the British artillery. He had no illusions about what was happening and he knew that this would delay the entire attack. He was not going to let that happen. Or at the very least reduce the amount of time the attack was delayed. Putting out his hand he all he said was phone and it was handed to him and then he said command line. The command line allowed him to speak to his regimental commanders. The commanders of the 288th Motorized Rifle Regiment and the 74th Tank regiments would now be the only ones on the line. The two regimental commanders were on the phone and his orders were short and to the point. Both regiments were to begin to move immediately and to drive no the frontier they would arrive at worst a few minutes behind schedule. There was no argument from his Regiment commanders they knew better. Since the crisis one regimental commander and at least three battalion commanders had been sent to count trees in Siberia.
With that call over he called the Commander of the 2nd Guards Army and informed him about what had happened to his two lead regiments and what he had done. He suggested that the rest of the army should begin moving forward immediately. The commander of the 2nd Guards Army nodded his head and agreed. With that call over then and only then were two senior division officers were sent down the two regiments staging areas. There mission was to reorganize the regiments and get them back into the fight. He did not know if it could be done but he was counting on the fear his officers had of him to get he results he wanted. Fear went a long way in getting things done in the Soviet Army.
As Battalion commander of the Lancaster’s he realized the spot he was in his Company was almost annihilated. While A Company was scattered all over the place. Half of C Squadron was tied up holding a front-line position. The other half, was his only reserve. With all the problems on his battalions front he did not want to commit them to an counter attack only to have the Soviet attack from the other village. It looked like all he could do was engage in a holding action. But he did not want to sound like he was not very aggressive so he could propose using the reserve portion of C squadron with the other half of C squadron to push the Soviet airborne out of the woods to the front of Miene. Then he was told the brigade commander was on the phone.
The Commander of the 33rd Armored Brigade asked for the battalion’s sitrep. When the commander of the Lancaster’s was done. He considered what he had been told. The Lancaster’s were down a company and not really capable of caring out a counterattack. Although he had considered the possibility of making an attack with the C squadron but it would leave the Lancaster without a reserve. The commander of the 33rd Armored Brigade, told the commander of the Lancaster’s that he was to hold in the battalion’s current positions. Having had previously spoke to the Commander of the Blackwatch. The commander reported that so far, the Blackwatch only a few dead or wounded. But his only reserve unit had been used to cover the bridge on the north edge of the trees to the north of Wedelheine. On the other hand, the Scott Dragoons Guards were ready to go he just had to decide where.
Then the 33rd Armored Brigade commander checked with his staff. They had one bit of good news, there had been an air raid carried out by a flight of Harriers and it had been reported that the main bridge across the canal at Wedelheine had been destroyed. That bit of information was welcome, the second bridge was not capable to support the weight of a tank. While the bridge capable of bearing the weight of a tank was destroyed. The Soviet airborne were still on both sides of the canal and a soviet bridging unit would have a somewhat easier time putting a bridge across the canal. But building a bridge took time and would be under fire from British artillery.
But there still was the bridge at Abbesbuttel, the northern bridge could support tanks crossing the river. The other two bridges could be used allow lighter vehicles. That made this bridge at Abbesbuttel as the priority. But while he could send his armored battalion the Scot’s Dragoon Guards against the Soviet positions on the west side of the canal. But he really wanted to take over the village of Abbesbuttel and once in control of the village. The demolition people would be allowed ready the bridged for demolition. Having the Scot’s Dragoon Guards force attack across the bridges to take Abbesbuttel.
He needed a two-prong attack with a battalion attacking out of the town of Brunswick to take Abbesbuttel. That meant he would need a second battalion to successfully carry out the attack. After that they could take a look at attacking Wedelheine. But attacking the village of Wedesbuttel might be a step to far. The bridge that the Blackwatch were guarding was not bearing the weight of the tanks. So, any attacks that were going to be carried out from the direction of Abbesbuttel. The commander of the 33rd Armored brigade decided he needed to speak to the 4th Divisions commander. During his conversation with the commander of the Lancaster’s, the commander 4th division had call and he was now on hold. The switchboard brought the Division commander on the phone. With that the Commander briefed the division commander on the brigade’s current situation.
He needed a battalion from the 20th Armored Brigade to carry out the attack and to get that battalion he needed to talk to the commander of the 4th Division. Preferably the 1 Royal Regiment of Wales, it was positioned behind the city of Brunswick Germany. It was mechanized infantry battalion. The other two regiments were armored battalions, the Blues and Royals was a pure tank battalion while the other battalion 4/7th Royal Dragoon Guards with one company from the 1st Royal Regiment of Wales while one tank company had been attached to the Royal Wales.
The commander of the 4th Division had been watching what had been happening from the reports sent by the 33rd Armored Brigade and specifically the Lancaster’s. But rather than getting the phones, demanding answers, he had given the 33RD Brigade commander time to get a handle the situation. When the phone call came in from the 33rd Armored Brigade commander he was ready. The commander of the 33rd Armored Brigade explained the current situation and what he wanted to do. The division commander listened to what he was being told. Even though both the men were kilometers from the where it was happening. They could hear the sound of artillery beginning to fire as virtually every artillery piece in the BOAR opened up on the Soviet troops on the southern flank of the 1st Corp. The division commander knew what was happening but the Brigade commander had not received the briefing.
When the brigade commander commented on that sound, the Division commander replied, “What your hearing is a special plan to kick the WARSAW pact attack in the teeth. Only the artillery officers and Division commanders and above where told what is happening.” The 33RD Brigade suddenly realized that was why all the requests for artillery had been delayed and only the two batteries of artillery had been made available. The division commander commented that in an hour or so after the guns of the 4th Divisions had bee redeployed he could count on the full support of the division’s artillery.
We will be carrying out the attack you are planning with an addition. Your, idea to attack Abbesbuttel is good. But we don’t have a lot of time to carry it out. I believed that by the end of the day The Corp we know is lurking to the east of the Inner Border should be able to make it to the canal line. What we need to do drive the soviet airborne out of villages Abbesbuttel and Wedelheine. After Abbesbuttel is taken the Scots Dragoon Guards can drive north against Wedelheine. We all might rish drive north from Abbesbuttel drive the Soviets out of Weddesbuttel. But that might involve to much risk after all I do not want the Welsh regiment caught between the canal and a Soviet Corp.
The commander of the 33rd Armored brigade nodded his in agreement. Then he asked a question so the second attack you are talking about is the drive north by the Dragoon Guards. The commander of the 4th Division shook his head and then he replied. No while the main attack will be against Abbesbuttel. I would like to put some pressure on Wedelheine. I understand that the Soviet Airborne set up a series of outposts outside of Wedelheine. The whole B squadron will attack those woods to the south of Wedelheine and at the same time elements of B squadron attached to the Blackwatch would attack from the north against the on section of the outpost line that much armor and infantry should drive them back into Wedelheine.
The commander of the 33rd Armored brigade nodded his head, then he commented I want the commander of both battalions here at my headquarters for a short planning session before we attack. Looking up at the clock he commented it’s almost 7am I figure moving the troops and getting the officers together for a short planning meeting before we go will take until about 9am. We can attack at 915 AM. The division commander nodded his head, carrying out an almost brigade sized attack would take some time to organize. “ Don’t delay the attacks past 10am we need to have the attack completed before the rest of Red Army shows up. I want the Abbesbuttel taken by noon. I also want a Dragoon Guards freed up for an attack on Wedelheine. Understood! “ The commander of the 33rd Armored Brigade simply replied, “Yes sir. “ With that the phone call was over as orders went out from the 4th Division headquarters instructing the 20th Brigade that the 1st Royal Welsh Regiment at the disposal of the commander of the 33rd Armored Brigade.
The commander of the 1ST Corp was not happy not happy at all. The commander of the BAOR was also the commander of Northern Army Group and a very busy man. Not only did he have to deal with commanding the BAOR, command of the Northern Army Group was also keeping him busy. Spetsnaz had carried out a series of attacks some successful and some not also he had to deal with Germans, Dutch as well as the American army. That meant the commander of 1St Corp would make most of the decisions for the BAOR by default.
He and the commander of the BAOR, had expected the two Air Assault Brigade to be used during the attack on the southern flank of the 1st Corp and for it to happen at 7AM. They had planned for the attack happening at that time. Operation Crystal Ball had taken every artillery unit 1st Corp to hit the expected avenue of attack. Now they had two Air Assault Brigades controlling the bridges over the MiddleCanal. He had released a couple of battalions of artillery to support the 33rd Brigade but the rest would not be free until operation Crystal Ball would be over. Then the self-propelled guns could move back to the north to support the defense of canal line. Add on the fact that the demolition charges had been tampered with was disconcerting. He had ordered British sappers to look over the other bridges along the canal defense. But that could take at least an hour or two to get the Sappers in to the bridges. Now he had a problem, the Soviet Corp that was heading south was likely to take a sharp right-hand turn, probably with a MR division in the lead and the tank division following behind.
Looking at the clock he could see it was just before 7am, just a few minutes the WARSAW Pact would begin their artillery barrage. Then the Soviet Army would begin their advance. The question was how much damage had Crystalball done against the two lead regiments.
Back in time 645AM Commander 94th Guards MRD
Watching the shell rain down on two of his regiments the 283rd and 286th Guards Motorized Rifle regiments. He had before the battle picked a position that would give him a good view of the terrain and it was allowing him to see the two regiments being smashed by the British artillery. He had no illusions about what was happening and he knew that this would delay the entire attack. He was not going to let that happen. Or at the very least reduce the amount of time the attack was delayed. Putting out his hand he all he said was phone and it was handed to him and then he said command line. The command line allowed him to speak to his regimental commanders. The commanders of the 288th Motorized Rifle Regiment and the 74th Tank regiments would now be the only ones on the line. The two regimental commanders were on the phone and his orders were short and to the point. Both regiments were to begin to move immediately and to drive no the frontier they would arrive at worst a few minutes behind schedule. There was no argument from his Regiment commanders they knew better. Since the crisis one regimental commander and at least three battalion commanders had been sent to count trees in Siberia.
With that call over he called the Commander of the 2nd Guards Army and informed him about what had happened to his two lead regiments and what he had done. He suggested that the rest of the army should begin moving forward immediately. The commander of the 2nd Guards Army nodded his head and agreed. With that call over then and only then were two senior division officers were sent down the two regiments staging areas. There mission was to reorganize the regiments and get them back into the fight. He did not know if it could be done but he was counting on the fear his officers had of him to get he results he wanted. Fear went a long way in getting things done in the Soviet Army.
At the date you have wrote this 1st Battalion Royal Welsh didn’t exist, it was not till 2006 with the merging of the 1st Battalion Royal Regiment of Wales and the 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, it cam about.
RWF became the 1st Battalion Royal Welsh and the RRW became the 2nd Battalion
I dropped the word regiment in the description the actual regiment is named the 1st Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Wales. I forget the logic behind it at the time I did it. I believe to imply brevity in words in conversations between senior officers who knew what battalion they were talking about.
It. The senior officers would just shorten it to 1RRW.
I’m loving your story and look forward to the next instalment. The reason I wrote about the name change is that I spent the years from 1988 to 2006 in the Royal Regiment of Wales, going from the 3rd Battalion to the 1st and then after the merger to 2nd Battalion Royal Welsh and finally leaving in 2012
Warsaw Pack Attacks / BAOR Reacts
7AM WARSAW PACT ATTACKS/ BAOR REACTS
The 42nd Brigade had the 4th Kings Own Borders holding the line from the town of Oker to the village of Weddingen. While the 1st Royal Irish Rangers held the line from Weddingen to Liebenburg. With the 6th RTR held in reserve. The 4th Kings Own Borders had traded it C company for D squadron from the 6th RTR. Then one troop of tanks were attached to each of the remaining infantry companies while one platoon of infantry from each company was attached to D squadron. A company was given the mission of holding the town of Oker. B company held the center position of the line. The company setup behind a long group of ponds. With one platoon covering the ponds and one platoon with a troop of tanks setup in a wood strip. While D squadron had the mission of holding the villages Immenrode and Weddingen with one troop of tanks and one platoon of infantry in each village.
The 1st Royal Irish Rangers was broken up into a similar breakdown of companies. C squadron with two tank troops transferred to the infantry companies. A company was setup between Weddingen to Klein Dohren. B company took over the line garrisoning first Klein Dohren and then Grob Dohren one platoon in each with the troop of tanks in Grob Dohren. C squadron then took over the line from Grob Dohren and then to Liebenburg. One infantry platoon and the two troops of the tanks are setup in the tree line. While one platoon of infantry backed up by the squadron’s headquarters section held the village of Liebenburg.
The 6th RTR with two tank squadrons and two infantry companies. Each squadron had on infantry platoon and the one troop of tank for each of the rifle companies. The battalion commander broke up the reserve force into two forces. First A squadron and C company from the Kings Own Borders. The second force was B squadron and C company from the Royal Irish Rangers. A squadron and the attached infantry were located just east of the village of Hahndorf. While B squadron with attached infantry located near the village of Posthof
The 12th Armored Brigade took over the line with the 1st Green Howards holding the line from Nuenkirchen to Werlaburgdorf. The breakdown of was similar to the breakdown of other British army battalions. A company from the Green Howards was setup in Neuenkirchen and the woods just to the west of Neuenkirchen. D squadron has a troop of tanks and a platoon of infantry in the villages Gielde. While a the other half of D squadron was setup in a treeline between Gielde and Werlaburgdorf. While C company was setup in the village of Werlaburgdorg and a wood strip.
The next battalion was the 1st Kings Regiment. The B company is set with one platoon where the line turns north while the second platoon and the troop of tanks setup in the village of Borbum. C squadron was setup in a tree line to the north of Borbum that allowed a good view of the front while A company was setup along the same line of wood and the village of Kissenbruck. The 4th RTR is setup in reserve spread out to the east of the village of Klein Flothe.
The 34th Artillery Division opened fire concentrating fire on two battalions the 1st Royal Irish Rangers and the 1st Green Howards. Two regiments of artillery 152mm howitzers were hammering the 1st Royal Irish Rangers while the 1st Green Howards were being hit by another regiment armed with 152mm howitzers and the fourth regiment of the 34th Artillery division armed with the modern equivalent of Stalins organs and missiles rained down on the 1st Green Howards.
The two lead regiments of the 94th Guards had literally been torn to pieces by the bombardment. The 283rd was the southern-most regiment and the command structure was completely destroyed. While the 286th at least had a battalion commander who was attempting to rally his battalion. Behind the two lead regiments were the 288th MRR and the 74th Tank Regiment was the northern most regiment. The 288th moved to the north of a forested area and south of the village of Schuaen as the regiment headed for the Inner border. While the 74th was going to the north of Osterwieck and south of the trees neither regiment as of yet been hit by any artillery and for the moment the two regiments were out of the range of enemy tanks and Milan’s. Both regiments were at least ten to fifteen minutes from the inner border as the units moved forward.
To the north the 207th MRD began to move toward the Inner Border with 33rd MR regiment went around the north side of the trees. The regiment was heading west between the village of Gliede and Werlaburgdorf. While the 40th MRR would initially heading north before heading west toward the village of Borbum.
Just to the north the one division of the 10th Corp, the 364th Rifle Division moved across the inner border with the mission of keeping the 22nd Armored Brigade, busy. But the commander of the 364th Rifle division knew what he was facing the 22nd Armored brigade one of the strongest brigades of the BAOR. With two armor battalion the 14/20th King’s Hussars and the 1st RTR and two infantry battalions the 1st Welsh Guards and the 3rd Royal Green Jackets. He knew perfectly well that his division was no match for the 22nd Armored brigade even with the three full battalions of the T-34’s backed up with nine battalions of leg infantry. He had requested more modern anti-tank weapons for his troops but all his troops had were RPG-7’s the obsolete RPG-2’s with the added problem with the grenades launched by the RPG-2’s had a higher failure rate. He was not looking forward to what the Chieftains of the 22nd Armored Brigade would do to his troop, if they went on the offensive.
The commander of the 22nd Brigade knew that several armored and Motorized Rifle Divisions headed toward the their lines and he was not looking forward to facing those divisions down. He knew that the intelligence Boffins were telling him that the 10th Rifle Corp was facing him. Basically a world war two level division, he did not believe that for a moment. Then his division commander had called him informing him that the 33rd Armored had been hit by two Soviet Air Assault brigades and that could only mean that first line units would be headed toward 33rd Armored. Now all he could do was watch and wait.
As he did he went over the setup of his brigade. The 1st Welsh Guards, were on the south end of the brigades line, A company with two infantry platoons and one troop of tanks were setup on the east edge of a golf course. While C squadron with two troops of tanks and two platoons of infantry were setup on ridge line with the tank’s setup in hull down position along the top of the ridge with the tanks dug into the ground. While the infantry where setup along the edge of the woods. To the north was B company broken into two positions one tank troop in the village of Kleine Denke with the second platoon of B company was being used as security for the battalion Headquarters.
The 3rd Royal Green Jackets, A company was setup on the south third of the village of Linden with two platoon of infantry and a troop of tanks. B company was next in line with the same order of battle covering the middle third. C squadron cover the northern third of the position also had the breakdown two platoons of infantry and two troops of tanks. With the line ending just north of the village of Salzduhlum.
The commander of the 364th watched the first wave of troops from his divisions crossing the inner border. He decided on as fast of an advance as he could. The base where the 365th was organized had large number of BRDM-1’s which he used to form a reinforced Reconnaissance battalion. It’s mission was to drive back the British Reconnaissance units. The base also had a large number of T-34/85’s so he had put as many as he could into operation. Now, the division had three tank battalions. The tanks had would transport three battalions of infantry the entire 1211th Regiment with a few trucks to carry the headquarters unit and some support units. Then he would have the infantrymen of the 1213th Regiment mounted in confiscated East German farm trucks. Behind those trucks would be three battalions of 1215th Regiment infantry marching to the front. Behind that regiment was the 927th Artillery using tractors and trucks confiscated from various collective farms in the area of the base where the division had formed.
The commander of the 20th Armored brigade was worried his units was covering a broad frontline. He was protecting eighteen kilometers the frontline. The logic was that the Soviet Army would go around Brunswick German. He was not too sure about that, given he was facing a division of Soviet Army squaddies. He was positive that they would be more like a swarm of locust and his men could kill a large percentage of them but he had a feeling that the Soviet Infantrymen would get into the city of Brunswick. That would turn the fight into one massive street battle.
When the 60th MRD moved across the border nothing was held back. The division moved across the border in three elements. Drive onto your objectives and achieve them at all costs, that included making it to Mittelcanal no later than 4pm that afternoon. The 14th MR Regiment started in the area of Weferlingen with the mission of driving on Abbesbuttel to relieve the 7th Independent Air Assualt Brigade. The 20th MR regiment drive out from location just a few kilometers to the north of Werferlingen and drive on Wedesbuttel. The final regiment the 22nd MR regiment was to drive from village of Gehrendorf take the bridge to the east of the village of Wasbuttel. In front of the three regiments providing a screen with the mission of driving back the British Recon unit the divisions reconnaissance battalion the 769th Independent Reconnaissance battalion. Behind the regiments were bridging equipment to bridge the Mittelcanal. This division had no reserves its mission was make it to the canal place bridging equipment so that the 117th Guards tank division would have a way to cross the canal and maintain the drive, with its mixture of T-62’s and T-72 tanks. The division would then cross the canal at the point where one of the regiments had forced a crossing.
The commander of the British 4TH Armored division had decided to call the 1st Corp Commander to brief him on the plans for the counter attack on the Soviet Air Assault brigades. The commander of 1st Corp listened to the plan and he made a decision. I basically like you plan but you need to take the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards and send it forward as soon as possible. Its mission will be to retake Wedelheine as soon as possible. Carry out the first attack against Wedelheine with the unit’s currently tasked with the mission. But once the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards arrive throw them into the fight and take Wedelheine. Also do not allow the 1RRW to be trapped against the canal. I fully expect that the Soviets will throw every effort in relieving those two Air Assault Brigade. Just take Abbessbuttel but do not send it further North. Given the fact the only thing slowing down the advancing Soviets are a few Recon units. I do not expect it will take the Soviets all that long to make it to the canal. Understood?
The commander of the 4th Armored division simply replied understood.
The 42nd Brigade had the 4th Kings Own Borders holding the line from the town of Oker to the village of Weddingen. While the 1st Royal Irish Rangers held the line from Weddingen to Liebenburg. With the 6th RTR held in reserve. The 4th Kings Own Borders had traded it C company for D squadron from the 6th RTR. Then one troop of tanks were attached to each of the remaining infantry companies while one platoon of infantry from each company was attached to D squadron. A company was given the mission of holding the town of Oker. B company held the center position of the line. The company setup behind a long group of ponds. With one platoon covering the ponds and one platoon with a troop of tanks setup in a wood strip. While D squadron had the mission of holding the villages Immenrode and Weddingen with one troop of tanks and one platoon of infantry in each village.
The 1st Royal Irish Rangers was broken up into a similar breakdown of companies. C squadron with two tank troops transferred to the infantry companies. A company was setup between Weddingen to Klein Dohren. B company took over the line garrisoning first Klein Dohren and then Grob Dohren one platoon in each with the troop of tanks in Grob Dohren. C squadron then took over the line from Grob Dohren and then to Liebenburg. One infantry platoon and the two troops of the tanks are setup in the tree line. While one platoon of infantry backed up by the squadron’s headquarters section held the village of Liebenburg.
The 6th RTR with two tank squadrons and two infantry companies. Each squadron had on infantry platoon and the one troop of tank for each of the rifle companies. The battalion commander broke up the reserve force into two forces. First A squadron and C company from the Kings Own Borders. The second force was B squadron and C company from the Royal Irish Rangers. A squadron and the attached infantry were located just east of the village of Hahndorf. While B squadron with attached infantry located near the village of Posthof
The 12th Armored Brigade took over the line with the 1st Green Howards holding the line from Nuenkirchen to Werlaburgdorf. The breakdown of was similar to the breakdown of other British army battalions. A company from the Green Howards was setup in Neuenkirchen and the woods just to the west of Neuenkirchen. D squadron has a troop of tanks and a platoon of infantry in the villages Gielde. While a the other half of D squadron was setup in a treeline between Gielde and Werlaburgdorf. While C company was setup in the village of Werlaburgdorg and a wood strip.
The next battalion was the 1st Kings Regiment. The B company is set with one platoon where the line turns north while the second platoon and the troop of tanks setup in the village of Borbum. C squadron was setup in a tree line to the north of Borbum that allowed a good view of the front while A company was setup along the same line of wood and the village of Kissenbruck. The 4th RTR is setup in reserve spread out to the east of the village of Klein Flothe.
The 34th Artillery Division opened fire concentrating fire on two battalions the 1st Royal Irish Rangers and the 1st Green Howards. Two regiments of artillery 152mm howitzers were hammering the 1st Royal Irish Rangers while the 1st Green Howards were being hit by another regiment armed with 152mm howitzers and the fourth regiment of the 34th Artillery division armed with the modern equivalent of Stalins organs and missiles rained down on the 1st Green Howards.
The two lead regiments of the 94th Guards had literally been torn to pieces by the bombardment. The 283rd was the southern-most regiment and the command structure was completely destroyed. While the 286th at least had a battalion commander who was attempting to rally his battalion. Behind the two lead regiments were the 288th MRR and the 74th Tank Regiment was the northern most regiment. The 288th moved to the north of a forested area and south of the village of Schuaen as the regiment headed for the Inner border. While the 74th was going to the north of Osterwieck and south of the trees neither regiment as of yet been hit by any artillery and for the moment the two regiments were out of the range of enemy tanks and Milan’s. Both regiments were at least ten to fifteen minutes from the inner border as the units moved forward.
To the north the 207th MRD began to move toward the Inner Border with 33rd MR regiment went around the north side of the trees. The regiment was heading west between the village of Gliede and Werlaburgdorf. While the 40th MRR would initially heading north before heading west toward the village of Borbum.
Just to the north the one division of the 10th Corp, the 364th Rifle Division moved across the inner border with the mission of keeping the 22nd Armored Brigade, busy. But the commander of the 364th Rifle division knew what he was facing the 22nd Armored brigade one of the strongest brigades of the BAOR. With two armor battalion the 14/20th King’s Hussars and the 1st RTR and two infantry battalions the 1st Welsh Guards and the 3rd Royal Green Jackets. He knew perfectly well that his division was no match for the 22nd Armored brigade even with the three full battalions of the T-34’s backed up with nine battalions of leg infantry. He had requested more modern anti-tank weapons for his troops but all his troops had were RPG-7’s the obsolete RPG-2’s with the added problem with the grenades launched by the RPG-2’s had a higher failure rate. He was not looking forward to what the Chieftains of the 22nd Armored Brigade would do to his troop, if they went on the offensive.
The commander of the 22nd Brigade knew that several armored and Motorized Rifle Divisions headed toward the their lines and he was not looking forward to facing those divisions down. He knew that the intelligence Boffins were telling him that the 10th Rifle Corp was facing him. Basically a world war two level division, he did not believe that for a moment. Then his division commander had called him informing him that the 33rd Armored had been hit by two Soviet Air Assault brigades and that could only mean that first line units would be headed toward 33rd Armored. Now all he could do was watch and wait.
As he did he went over the setup of his brigade. The 1st Welsh Guards, were on the south end of the brigades line, A company with two infantry platoons and one troop of tanks were setup on the east edge of a golf course. While C squadron with two troops of tanks and two platoons of infantry were setup on ridge line with the tank’s setup in hull down position along the top of the ridge with the tanks dug into the ground. While the infantry where setup along the edge of the woods. To the north was B company broken into two positions one tank troop in the village of Kleine Denke with the second platoon of B company was being used as security for the battalion Headquarters.
The 3rd Royal Green Jackets, A company was setup on the south third of the village of Linden with two platoon of infantry and a troop of tanks. B company was next in line with the same order of battle covering the middle third. C squadron cover the northern third of the position also had the breakdown two platoons of infantry and two troops of tanks. With the line ending just north of the village of Salzduhlum.
The commander of the 364th watched the first wave of troops from his divisions crossing the inner border. He decided on as fast of an advance as he could. The base where the 365th was organized had large number of BRDM-1’s which he used to form a reinforced Reconnaissance battalion. It’s mission was to drive back the British Reconnaissance units. The base also had a large number of T-34/85’s so he had put as many as he could into operation. Now, the division had three tank battalions. The tanks had would transport three battalions of infantry the entire 1211th Regiment with a few trucks to carry the headquarters unit and some support units. Then he would have the infantrymen of the 1213th Regiment mounted in confiscated East German farm trucks. Behind those trucks would be three battalions of 1215th Regiment infantry marching to the front. Behind that regiment was the 927th Artillery using tractors and trucks confiscated from various collective farms in the area of the base where the division had formed.
The commander of the 20th Armored brigade was worried his units was covering a broad frontline. He was protecting eighteen kilometers the frontline. The logic was that the Soviet Army would go around Brunswick German. He was not too sure about that, given he was facing a division of Soviet Army squaddies. He was positive that they would be more like a swarm of locust and his men could kill a large percentage of them but he had a feeling that the Soviet Infantrymen would get into the city of Brunswick. That would turn the fight into one massive street battle.
When the 60th MRD moved across the border nothing was held back. The division moved across the border in three elements. Drive onto your objectives and achieve them at all costs, that included making it to Mittelcanal no later than 4pm that afternoon. The 14th MR Regiment started in the area of Weferlingen with the mission of driving on Abbesbuttel to relieve the 7th Independent Air Assualt Brigade. The 20th MR regiment drive out from location just a few kilometers to the north of Werferlingen and drive on Wedesbuttel. The final regiment the 22nd MR regiment was to drive from village of Gehrendorf take the bridge to the east of the village of Wasbuttel. In front of the three regiments providing a screen with the mission of driving back the British Recon unit the divisions reconnaissance battalion the 769th Independent Reconnaissance battalion. Behind the regiments were bridging equipment to bridge the Mittelcanal. This division had no reserves its mission was make it to the canal place bridging equipment so that the 117th Guards tank division would have a way to cross the canal and maintain the drive, with its mixture of T-62’s and T-72 tanks. The division would then cross the canal at the point where one of the regiments had forced a crossing.
The commander of the British 4TH Armored division had decided to call the 1st Corp Commander to brief him on the plans for the counter attack on the Soviet Air Assault brigades. The commander of 1st Corp listened to the plan and he made a decision. I basically like you plan but you need to take the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards and send it forward as soon as possible. Its mission will be to retake Wedelheine as soon as possible. Carry out the first attack against Wedelheine with the unit’s currently tasked with the mission. But once the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards arrive throw them into the fight and take Wedelheine. Also do not allow the 1RRW to be trapped against the canal. I fully expect that the Soviets will throw every effort in relieving those two Air Assault Brigade. Just take Abbessbuttel but do not send it further North. Given the fact the only thing slowing down the advancing Soviets are a few Recon units. I do not expect it will take the Soviets all that long to make it to the canal. Understood?
The commander of the 4th Armored division simply replied understood.
Last edited:
Very much so and still does, practiced with them in the Falklands in 2010 and had them in Afghanistan
Last edited: