Battle for Arnhem.... (1 Viewer)

[panda1gen]

Ref: Battleground Europe - Operation Market Garden Hell’s Highway - By Tim Saunders

The American Counter-Attack from the South – 23 September 1944

With the failure of the SS and 6 Fallschirmjäger Regiment’s attacks from the south-west, the situation, as far as the Allies were concerned, was stabilized and operations to restore the vital link to the north could now get under away. The Divisional counter-attack plan was for 506 PIR ....




..... with the Shermans of B Squadron 44/RTR, to attack northwards on Hell’s Highway.




They would meet up with a southerly thrust by 32 Guards Brigade.





Meanwhile, C Squadron 44/RTR along with elements of 327 GIR were to advance east to clear the enemy from Erp.

A Squadron 44/RTR would join the elements of 501 PIR holding the Eerde sector to the south west of Veghel. This was to prevent renewed attacks by Oberstleutnant von der Hydte.

As 506 PIR was moving to its line of departure, the much-delayed fourth lift arrived at LZ W, between Son and St Oedenrode. This consisted of the last combat elements of the 101[SUP]st[/SUP]. They arrived in seventy-seven gliders and their arrival further enhanced the Allied firepower as they included the 105mm guns of 907/Glider Field Artillery Battalion and support elements of 327 GIR, which now became available to join the battle.

In addition, during the day, the 101[SUP]st[/SUP] Division’s order of battle was completed by the arrival of the 101st’s Sea Tail of non-airportable and non-essential vehicles.

 

[panda1gen]

Reports to the German LXXXVIII Korps of the arrival of further American reinforcements prompted the following order:

‘Divisions are to implement draconian measures and be merciless in their quest to provide reserves again, even so called stragglers are to be reformed in this role under tight control.’






German commanders ....




.... complained that there was a serious gulf between the stream of instructions emanating from superior headquarters and the reality on the ground.

Even the German genius in mounting an effective defence with ad hoc units and formations was wearing thin, but as the military pressure of shortages, bombing and facing a superior enemy increased, so did the iron grip of 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] Reich political power.




Earlier in the war, the 3rd Reich forces inflicted heavy casualties. Now, German casualties (dead, wounded and missing), would themselves reach very high levels in 1944 and early 1945, see below.

Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_casualties_in_World_War_II

 

[panda1gen]

Ref: Battleground Europe - Operation Market Garden Hell’s Highway - By Tim Saunders

2/506 PIR started their advance north up Hell’s Highway to Uden at 14.00 hours.




The first to suffer casualties were Company F, 2/506 PIR. Sergeant Schwenk recalled that:

‘Our platoon leader was visibly shaken. What we got from him was that our platoon was to lead the attack – right smack into the Germans and their tanks. This was his death warrant.

The road on which we were to move was strewn with wreckage from a British convoy, which the Jerries had smashed the day before. The trucks were still burning'.

Company F’s advance had only just begun, when a quietly burning British truck exploded, killing the platoon leader who had been so shaken by his orders. The paratrooper’s advance halted in disorder ....

..... and the tanks of 107 Panzer Brigade counter-attacked.



Sergeant Schwenk recalled what happened:

‘I couldn’t believe my eyes. Three Panther tanks came rolling down the road towards us – all guns blazing. 75mm shells exploding on the road. Smaller turret guns swinging and firing continuously.

This was not a good place to be. We had some cover, as the roadside ditches were about two feet deep.…

.... The tank was almost between us. I could count the bolts on the tread. There was a 57mm anti-tank gun back aways.… just then the gun fired and nailed the tank spinning him to the left.




The disabled tank turned into a field and began to burn.




The men who tried to crawl out of the turret were easy targets for our guys. I noticed the other two tanks had turned back – they had no infantry with them.’

.... Retreat ....

 

[panda1gen]

Ref: Battleground Europe - Operation Market Garden
Hell’s Highway - By Tim Saunders

The arrival of the Shermans of B Squadron 44/RTR stabilized the situation .... .... but, as Sergeant Taylor recalled:

‘It was now about 3 o’clock that afternoon and we eventually got word to move out. We went straight up the highway. We didn’t meet anything. We went up a few miles and took a road to the right and I was moving along a ditch through an orchard area. We spotted a German half-track out there several hundred yards.


... building by RISORGIMENTO:salute:: ... nice one Carlo.

We were going around in the hope of cutting that dude off and .… all of a sudden an enemy officer raised up in front of me. … He was hollering “Kamerad, Kamerad, Kamerad”.’




Shortly afterwards, British Shermans were seen approaching from the north.

 

[villagehorse]

Carlo’s building fits very nicely in the narrative Kevin. Robin.

 

[panda1gen]

Carlo’s building fits very nicely in the narrative Kevin. Robin.

Indeed it does.

 

[panda1gen]

Ref: Battleground Europe - Operation Market Garden
Hell’s Highway - By Tim Saunders

32 Guards Brigade’s attack 23 September

The Guard’s plan was originally simple, i.e. force their way north up the highway to Arnhem and relieve 1[SUP]st[/SUP] Airborne. They now had an equally simple new plan, but this time they were attacking from the north.




The Grenadiers were to force their way south, through two thousand yards of German held road, in order to meet up with the Americans.




Meanwhile, the Coldstream Guards were ordered to deal with enemy concentrated in Volkel. Their advance was now along the road that runs east from Uden.




Radio communication was now working well, so fire support was available to forward units.




It would come from the artillery units that were still south of where the Germans cut the road.

 

[panda1gen]

Ref: Battleground Europe - Operation Market Garden
Hell’s Highway - By Tim Saunders

The start of the Guard’s attack was initially delayed, in order to co-ordinate with the attack of 506 PIR from Veghel.




Due to Market-Garden, the 107th Panzer Brigade had been re-routed from Aachen to the Netherlands. They immediately went into combat on the 19[SUP]th[/SUP] September 1944 (as part of LXXXVI Corps of the 1st Parachute Army) at Nuenen.

Here, they fought Easy Company of the 506th PIR (101st Airborne Division) and six Cromwell tanks of the British 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars (the divisional armoured reconnaissance regiment of the 11th Armoured Division) and forced them to retreat. This skirmish was made famous in the series ‘Band of Brothers’.

107th Panzer Brigade had been busy since then, but after the heavy overnight artillery fire ....




.... and the renewed fighting on the morning of 23 September, its strength was reduced even as it now faced powerful enemies on two fronts.




Major von Maltzahn considered the best options....




,but the 107[SUP]th[/SUP] Panzer Brigade was too weakened and struggled to sustain the fight. When they eventually got going, the Grenadiers found that the majority of the enemy had melted away.




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer_brigade

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/25th_Panzergrenadier_Division

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ E_Company,_506th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th/19th_The_King's_Royal_Hussars#Regimental_museum

 

[jason foote]

This is incredible, well done. This is something I have always wanted to do with my collection. You have smashed it

 

[panda1gen]

This is incredible, well done. This is something I have always wanted to do with my collection. You have smashed it

Thank you Jason, your comments are appreciated and I am glad you like it. I have about twenty years of photos, but not just of my collection. (I wish.)


Ref: Battleground Europe - Operation Market Garden

Hell’s Highway - By Tim Saunders

Lieutenant Franklin led his reconnaissance troop (A Squadron 2/HCR - Household Cavalry Regiment) towards Volkel.




Here, the Coldstream Group met stiffer opposition.




Corporal-of-Horse Booth recalled:

‘Lieutenant Franklin had halted the troop and we were all in a position to observe a line of 88-mm guns in a row.



These guns were partially concealed by an embankment a kilometre to our east at a place called Oosterens.

… Lieutenant Franklin duly reported his findings and the troop was ordered to keep the enemy guns in sight and await the arrival of the Coldstreamers, who were coming forward with tanks and infantry.’

 

[Louis Badolato]

Kevin,

Your photos continue to amaze!:salute::

 

[panda1gen]

Kevin,

Your photos continue to amaze!:salute::

Thank you Louis, glad you like them.


Ref: Battleground Europe - Operation Market Garden
Hell’s Highway - By Tim Saunders


The cavalrymen observed the enemy ....




.... but were interrupted by a C-47 and towed glider (heading north to 82nd Airborne’s LZ north of the Waal) crash-landing in their position.

Corporal-of-Horse Booth continued his account:

‘Within a short time, fourteen paratroopers in the most spotless order… came over towards us. This was their third attempt to get to Nijmegen, they said, as they had to turn back owing to weather being so bad.

… I have never seen anything like their kit. They had jeeps, rifles, grenades hung all over them, chewing gum, and even brand new frying pans.

“Say, boys, which way to the battle?” demanded one.

We pointed in the direction of the 88mms and warned them that there were a number about.






We also suggested that they should be careful about showing themselves and that we had been ordered to await the arrival of reinforcements'.



"Say, Buddy, we came here to fight and that’s what we’re going to do.”

With which remark the entire party motored off towards the enemy and we saw them disappear round a bend in the road.

All at once, there was a tremendous burst of firing and the sound of loud explosions and much shouting. After an interval the survivors came back …'

 

[panda1gen]

The cavalrymen warned the Armour about the German positions,






but had even less success in persuading the Coldstream Guards to be cautious:




In the event, Number 3 Squadron’s tanks, unsupported by infantry, led the way in the first attack on Volkel.



‘Lieutenant Franklin supplied the commander of the first tank with all the information he had, and also told him what had happened to the Americans but he formed the impression that his story was not entirely credited.

There was a brief conference and the first tanks went into the attack. Straightaway three went up in quick succession and the attack stopped dead.’

 

[panda1gen]

The Coldstream Group’s Fifth Battalion was short of infantry and was organized in two companies,




but the First Battalion’s tank strength was still ninety percent.




In these circumstances, as 107 Panzer Brigade had earlier found, infantry support was necessary in such difficult terrain.

Corporal-of-Horse Booth thought the renewed attack was better planned and supported:

‘There was another O Group at the side of the road, then the column got under way once more, supported by 3” mortars and infantry.’
At ten minutes past one, attacking together, Number 1 Squadron and Number 1 Company overcame the German anti-tank screen with machine gun and mortar fire.






At long ranges, the 88mm was supreme against the lightly armoured Allied tanks, but when deployed in the open, its high silhouette and lack of protection for the gun crews was a significant disadvantage in close-quarter fighting with infantry.

 

[panda1gen]

With the way now open to Volkel the combined (infantry) Company/Squadron (tank) group closed up to the village.




The light reconnaissance armour of 2/HCR covered the flanks and watched the Coldstream Guards group attack:






‘The Germans replied with mortars and the Coldstream casualties began to trickle back in growing numbers.




Then in a further five minutes or so there was even more noise – lots of bangs, shouts and explosions as the Foot Guards got in amongst the Germans with their bayonets, then silence, and shortly afterwards people began to filter back along the road.

 

[panda1gen]

An officer remarked that:

“Seven Panther tanks had just got away and were hovering about”.




The Company/Squadron Group had driven off the Panthers but now had to keep them at bay whilst the infantry,






supported by some of the Squadron’s Shermans,




attempted to clear the panzer grenadiers from Volkel.

 

[panda1gen]

Major Darell commanded the armoured squadron and left his squadron second-in command to fight the armoured battle outside the village. He met with the infantry company commander, Major The Lord Long, who had only taken over Number 1 Company the day before. By working together on foot, the two commanders were better able to co-ordinate the group’s clearance of the village.



In understatement typical of the Guards, the Coldstream’s historian described the battle as ....

‘a bitter little fight’

What it lacked in scale, it made up for in intensity. The sturdy brick-built Dutch houses made excellent fighting positions for the Germans and they had to be driven out of successive buildings.






The Guards infantry and armour, were by now used to working together and proceeded to clear the village in a thoroughly competent manner, although there were casualties.

 

[panda1gen]

Re: battle for arnhem....

Kevin-

you are a man outta time!!! The addition of the narration changes the DIORAMA to a DIODRAMA!!

Terribly well done sir- I raise my pint to you!!!

STANDS ALONE!!
CC

Chris,

I went back to the early part of this thread to find something, couldn't find it but found this instead.

For newer members, this was your christening of the term diodrama. I raise my pint to you Sir! :salute::{sm4}

 

[panda1gen]

Lord Long was killed whilst he directed his platoons from a forward position.




Following further officer casualties, Company Sergeant Major Farnhill commanded the unit in the final stages of the battle.




Farnhill won a well deserved Distinguished Conduct Medal ....

.... while a Sergeant ....




.... and a Guardsman each earned a Military Medal.




The regimental historian concluded that:

‘By 3 o’clock the village was clear. It remained only to beat the woods and villages to the south east, and the tanks sent forward to do this found that the Germans had already withdrawn.’

 

[Terp152]

I look fwd to these posts every morning with my coffee. A story so well depicted. :salute:: Chris