The first battle was 2 days ago; when troops from the 3rd Bttn, West Surrey Rgt, took the village. It was then on the E flank of the Allies’ push to Villers Bocage. Now the Brt have withdrawn from the larger town and, as they reconsider their plans, this exposed flank is threatened by advancing Grmn Pzr Grenadiers.
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| View of the village from the North |
The Brt are tasked with defending the road junction in the village, an MG emplacement to the east of the village and a command post in a ruined house immediately south of the village.
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| View of the village from the west |
Only 2 rifle Pltns of the 1st Coy. defended the village. 1st Pltn was positioned to defend the 3 objectives. The 2nd Pltn occupies the fields and coppice to the south east.
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| Brt 1st Pltn occupies the village and the 3 objectives |
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| Brt 2nd Pltn occupies the cover to the SE of the village |
The Grmns advance S with their Coy. Cmd Pltn, their HMG support Pltn and 1 rifle Pltn. They had armoured support from a Pzr IV and 2 x StuG’s.
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| Grmn R. flank advanced S along the road and occupied the orchards either side. |
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| The E flank appears with a rifle Pltn and 2 x StuGs as armoured support |
On the E flank, a Grmn Pltn occupies the NE farm. The Coy. Cmdr orders the attack to begin here.
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| Grmn view of the village from the orchards to the NW |
The Grmn Coy Cmdr quickly took stock of the situation and confidently ordered his R flank to suppress the village whilst unleashing his own E flank.
As the Stugs suppress the Brt MG, the Grmn rifle Pltn immediately began an advance to the E of the village to outflank the MG emplacement (Objective 1)
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| Initial Grmn attack falters. |
The defenders subject the enemy to concentrated fire from the woods and hedgerows to the SE of the village and pin down the Pltn Cmdr.
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| The Grmn support Pltn heavy MGs fire on the village from the orchards |
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| Grmn StuG take Objective 1. Brt Cromwell arrives. |
The Brt Coy Cmdr does manage to call up armoured support, with a Cromwell appearing to the S but the 2 Shermans lagging behind. Meanwhile the Grmn infantry advance is directly supported by the 2 Stugs
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| From the village, the Brt could make out the enemy infantry and Pzr support. |
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| Grmn HMG in the orchard and PzrIV on the road |
The
Brt rifle Pltn in the village still holds on, pinned down by MG fire from the Grmn
support Pltn and Armour. The Brt shermans arrive and put fire on the StuGs
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| View N along the road from the village |
With
the advance of the Grmn E flank being stalled the Cromwell races to the W of
the village to counter the Pzr, but was destroyd, leaving the crossroads
undefended
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| StuGs press forward to take the first objective |
As
the initial Grmn infantry attack falters, the StuGs pressed forward to take the
first objective
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| Grmn reinforcements join the assault to achieve objective 1 |
More
Grmn reinforcements join the assault to achieve objective 1, the MG position,
and push on, to take the village itself. The Grmn Pltn Cmdr struggles to mount
an attack to the W from the orchards.
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| Grmn infantry supported by a StuG press on into the E of the village |
With
casualties from the first attack still in the road, the Grmn infantry supported
by a StuG press on into the E of the village
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| The Pzr IV, falls prey to the Brt PIAT team in the village. |
The
PzrIV, having knocked out the Cromwell, advances unsupported by infantry, to
take the cross roads objective, but falls prey to the brave Brt PIAT team in
the village.
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| Brt Coy. Cmdr arrives with the remaining infantry and Sherman support. |
The Brt Coy. Cmdr arrives with the rest of the Coy.’s infantry and Sherman support, just in time to bolster the defence of the village.
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| Grmn troops to the NW are held back |
The Grmn
Cmder pays the heavy price for bravely leading his troops, becoming a casualty
along with a large part of his support platoon.
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| Brt reinforce W of village and regain Objective 2 |
Brt
infantry restore the balance, although loosing the MG position and the E of the
village, they regain the crossroads.
The Brt
end the battle with a narrow defeat and later, decisions made by Brt High Cmd render the village expendable and Bieville Bocage is left to the enemy. The Grmn victory is at a high cost in manpower and materials and the Grmn High Cmd consider the loss of the Coy. Cmdr as a just end for failing to take
the village more swiftly.
This was a very enjoyable game with the result in the balance
right to the end.
