Bloedbeek

After Liberating Overloon the British have to push through the forest where they are met by Falschirmjäger, mines and grenades. At the End of the day they reach the edge of the forest and the British are at the Loobeek. …

1944-10-16

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After Liberating Overloon the British have to push through the forest where they are met by Falschirmjäger, mines and grenades. At the End of the day they reach the edge of the forest and the British are at the Loobeek. In 24 hours they have moved only 500 meters. The Germans (107th Panzer Brigade) had pulled back behind the stream and blown up the bridge. They had dug themselves in and laid out minefields. Because of the time constraint they did not map where they put the mines, which they usually did. On the 16th of October 1944 The British prepare to cross the Loobeek, they do so by laying several bridges and the 185th (Norfolks and Warwicks) and the 8th (East Yorks and Suffolks) start advancing, supported by the tanks of the Coldstream Guards and the Grenadier guards. The Brits met with heavy Resistance and fire, among which a strategically placed 88. Trying to find cover in the stream they found that even the bed of the stream was mined. Blood of the soldiers turned the stream red, hence the name Bloedbeek. The stage is set, the battle lines are drawn, and you are in command,

Loobeek, Holland

The Battle of Overloon was a battle fought in the Second World War battle between Allied forces and the German Army which took place in and around the village of Overloon in the south-east of the Netherlands between 30 September and 18 October 1944. The battle, which resulted in an Allied victory, ensued after the Allies launched Operation Aintree. The Allies went on to liberate the town of Venray. The battle of Overloon ensued as the Allies in Operation Aintree advanced from nearby positions south toward the village of Overloon. After a failed attack on Overloon by the U.S. 7th Armored Division, the British 3rd Infantry Division and the British 11th Armoured Division took over. The U.S. 7th Armored Division was moved south of Overloon to the Deurne – Weert area. Here they were attached to the British Second Army, and ordered to make demonstration attacks to the east in order to divert enemy forces from the Overloon and Venlo areas. Suffering heavy losses the British captured Overloon and moved towards Venray. The advance on Venray resulted in heavy losses, especially around the Loobeek creek, which was swollen due to heavy autumn rains and was flooded and mined by the Germans. Casualties were heavy here among theist Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment which was serving in 185th Infantry Brigade of the British 3rd Division. During the battle, the village of Overloon was destroyed. In and around Overloon, some 2,500 soldiers died, making it one of the bloodiest battles in the Netherlands during the Second World War. Dozens of tanks, mainly American, were destroyed.

Wikipedia: Battle of Overloon

German

British

Game Type: Standard

Board Type: Countryside

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