Combat! (CH)
Title
Combat! (CH)
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Hill 226.6
Disappointed by their lack of success at nearby Prokhorovka, Corps commanders now decided to exploit their successes in the Psel bridgehead. Their efforts were to be concentrated on securing ail of Hill 226.6 that still remained in enemy hands. With…
1943-07-12
High Water Mark
The second night Totcnkopf spent in the PscI bridgehead was far from secure. It was spent taking the northern slopes of Hill 226.6 from it's tenacious defenders while the division’s panzer regiment drove 3km northeast to the edge of the highway…
1943-07-13
Komsomolets Collision
As SS General Hausser’s 11 SS Panzer Corps began its final assault toward Prokhorovka, it met Lieutenant General P.A. Rotmistrov’s 5th Guards Tank Army less than 5 kilometers from the German objective. When the opposing forces crashing into one…
1943-07-12
Schwerepunkt Blunted
With the Germans now more thoroughly in control of a foothold across the Psel River, they now sought to strengthen their hold while driving north toward Oboyan and Kursk itself. Having secured Hill 226.6, the Germans pushed northeast, while tunneling…
1943-07-13
Heirs Bridgehead
It came as no surprise, especially to the Russians, that the German 2nd SS Panzer Corps would spear head the summer offensive against the Kursk salient. The Germans were involved in some of the heaviest fighting in the most crucial sector of the…
1943-07-10
Clash of Titans
While the SS mopped up local resistance on the eleventh of July including the seizure of the southern slopes of the tactically vital Hill 226.6, the Russian juggernaut in the form of the Fifth Guards Tank Army bored down on them. As the SS prepared…
1943-07-12
To the Last Round
After nearly two days of extremely intense fighting, the seesaw battle for the Totenkopfs bridgehead over the Psel was ending. Like two punch-drunk prizefighters, the Germans and Russians had exhausted each other. Gathering their remaining strength…
1943-07-14
Graveyard of Steel
As the battle north of the Psel roared, both sides threw in their reserves in order to carry the day. The better part of a Russian tank and infantry corps was committed to flattening the bridgehead, while the 2nd SS Corps committed the bulk of the…
1943-07-11
Just Over The Highway
Having established themselves across the Psel River the previous evening, the Totenkopf was deter mined to expand their bridgehead and outflank the Russian defenses near Prokhorovka. This would protect the flank, and ease the progress of rest ofthe…
1943-07-11
Battle At Arm’s Length
After a long night of struggling to secure little more than a tentative hold on the north bank of the Psel, the Totenkopfs Panzer Regiment received orders to expand the bridgehead and explore the Russian defensive positions in the region. Unbeknownst…
1943-07-11
Last Line Before Oboyan
As the battle of Kursk intensified in the southern half of the salient, the Totenkopf division reached the last Russian barrier before Oboyan. Lightly defended fortifications lined the River Psel, constructed over the previous weeks and months.…
1943-07-10
To the Volga
We have now gathered sufficient force to take the entire Tractor Works area. We must move quickly if we are to gain the banks of the Volga…
1942-10-14
Into the Inferno
You are in charge of one flank of our massive assault on the Tractor Works - the last obstacle in our march to the Volga. You…
1942-10-14
Zholudev's Guards
We shed the fascist blood in the Owrashnaya Woods on 27 September. STAVKA ordered a Special Defense Command be set up opposite the city…
1942-10-07
The Grain Elevator
Brave marines and guardsmen you are commended for tying down the fascist horde…
1942-09-14
Nikita's Revenge
Only fragments of our former strength are still holding out in the Tractor Works…
1942-10-15
Iron Coffins
Desperate to make headway against our defenses, the fascists are now using tanks to spearhead his drives, even in the rubble. We will use our tank killing expertise to deny them forward movement.
1942-10-14
Rattenkrieg
The enemy is holding several key factories and other buildings on our left flank, which are impeding our move to the Volga…
1942-10-15
Annihilation
The Fascists have destroyed most of our defenses in the Tractor Works, but we still hold key positions…
1942-10-14
Report for the Fuhrer
The Administration Building is holding up our advance on the entire front. It dominates our front line…
1942-10-06
Into the Factory
Having crushed the Soviet opposition in this sector, we must hold the ground we have won against any counter-attacks…
1942-10-12
End Tide
The Communists are forming up for another fruitless attack. We must stop them before they re-take any important terrain…
1942-10-11
Go To Town
Through the afternoon, German artillery continued to pound the men of 3/325th Glider Infantry, and the menace of counter attack loomed. Fearful for Fox Company’s open flank, Harney pleaded with his colonel for support. Before himself collapsing from…
1944-06-09
Easy Over
Third battalion of the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment was lined up to assault the causeway in sequence of companies: George, Easy, Fox. As 1st Platoon of Easy arrived at La Fiere, the bulk of George Company was still strung out …
1944-06-09
Lifeline
Lt Colonel Shanley weighed his determination to hold his assigned position against the desperate state of his seriously wounded men. As the sun rose on his third morning on the hill, Lindquist radioed from Chef du Pont with the news …
1944-06-09
Everybody's Dying
Shanley used his radio contact with Colonel Lindquist at Chef du Pont to plead for supplies, and by nightfall was promised that a convoy would make an attempt. But first, the Germans would have to be cleared from the western …
1944-06-09
Omaha Lifeline
After reaching St-Pierre-du-Moni before noon, the relief column planned to push along the coastal highway to the junction of the exit road from Pointe du Hoc. Company A of the 2nd Rangers, fonning the column’s point, got to a hamlet …
1944-06-08
Rudder's Line
As night approached, there was still no word from Omaha Beach. Colonel Rudder faced a difficult command decision with regard to the disposition of his limited forces. Of his original 200 men, over a third were casualties, though many of …
1944-06-07
1600 Hours - Stein’s Flank
The next German effort came shortly after 1600 and was much more dangerous. It hit the right end of Company F’s thin line. Two BAR’S as well as the mortar section were on this wing, but only afew riflemen, and …
1944-06-06
Wintz's Flank
The flrsi German attack came over the fields that stretched toward St-Pierre-du-Mont, where Lieutenant Wintz’s Rangers spotted riflemen coming through the craters, with at least one machine-gun section, When the enemy reached the hedgerow field one…
1944-06-06
Advance To The D514
After the first objective, a small group of ruined farm buildings, had fallen, the Rangers pushed on without pause despite enemy artillery falling nearby. Ahead, the ground was open, and the trench used thus far came to an end at …
1944-06-06
First Objective
Rangers from Companies E and D (less elements detained on the Point) began to come together on an axis along the north-south exit road from the Point to the highway. The bulk of the group that started down the exit …
1944-06-06
The Seige
By D+2, Timmes had the enormous psychological boost of a telephone line across the marsh to the far shore. He had also the shaken glidermen who had fallen back to the orchard after the confusion of the night. As dawn …
1944-06-08
Beneath The Castle Walls
Lt Col. Timmes’ night patrols paid off. Lieutenant John Marr and Private Norman Carter stumbled upon the secret ford, and crossed to rendezvous with General Ridgeway at the Division CP. The General’s staff called on the 1st Battalion of the …
1944-06-08
A Bridge So Far…
After a night of uncertainty and confusion, dawn was a lime for the German force based in Amfreville to assess their situation. Little enough was known for certain. Although Divisional headquarters was only a few kilometers down the road, all …
1944-06-06
South Rampart - Fire!
By mid morning, Timmes had over a hundred men digging in around the buildings and gardens of the small hamlet of les Heutes. Timmes’ own CP was established under the trees of a bocage-lined orchard. One detail requisitioned the farmer’s …
1944-06-06
Millet's Men
On the night of the 6lh June, George V Millett, Colonel of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, had come down in a grain field about a thousand yards south of the DZ. He gathered a small force and struck east …
1944-06-09
Westward Ho!
Captain Ben Schwarzwalder was elated to find Cauquigny already in friendly hands. Now there was no need to fight for possession of the Cauquigny bridge head, which seemed firmly held, he felt he had completed the task given him by …
1944-06-06
Absent Friends
Lt. Colonel Timmes landed alone in the flooded marsh and took some time to free himself from his harness. By 04:00 he had gathered ten men. Two gliders landed nearby and the number rose to thirty. The band grew steadily …
1944-06-06
Vii Corps Bridgehead
The plan was that George Company should deploy to the left of the causeway, Easy to the right. But in the turmoil of the crossing, units were mingled inextricably. By the time Captain Harney’s Fox Company came on the scene, …
1944-06-09
Charge The Causeway
3rd Battalion, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment had until recently been 2nd Battalion, 401 Glider Infantry. Now attached to the 325th, some resentment was felt by the orphaned unit. Resentment worsened on the approach march to La Fiere, as their…
1944-06-09
Go! Go! Go!
George Company was assigned to the assault over the Merderet. In advance of his company, Captain Sauls reconnoitred the way forward, hauled aside the 507th Regiment’s dead from the road ahead, and waited for the promised smoke barrage. The deadline …
1944-06-09
Cloaks Of Confusion
Landing on 7 June, the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment spent much of the day mai'ching and counter-marching. Late in the day, 1st Battalion was despatched across the ‘secret ford’ through the marshes to bolster Colonel Timmes’ 2/507th in their orchard…
1944-06-08
No Better Place To Die…
Overnight, the position was reinforced but pressure on the defenders of the east bank was maintained by mortar and artillery fire. A dawn air supply drop relieved the most pressing ammunition shortage. The recently arrived reinforcements pulled out…
1944-06-07
To The Manor Drawn
After taking the La Fiere manoir, Captain Schwarzwalder’s contingent crossed over the causeway. Finding no enemy present at Cauquigny, they moved out to the north, seeing no need to garrison Uie west end of the causeway. Able Company, still unaware …
1944-06-06
Ambush At Cauquigny
After passing the manoir, Captain Ben Schwarzwalder pressed on across the causeway. On the far bank, he found Lieutenant Louis Levy in charge of a mixed group of 507th and 508 paratroopers. Assuming wrongly, and tragically, that the bridgehead was …
1944-06-06
The Milling Crowd
Following their successful drop, intact and in almost perfect order, Able Company of the 505th P.I.R. moved speedily to their D Day objective: the Merderet bridge at La Fiere. The large manor house adjacent to the river bridge had been …
1944-06-06