| AAR - Trelon, France |
| Written by Ish |
| Saturday, 15 November 2008 00:47 |
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The Allied Armies are advancing on the Sambre River line from this area, and there is a sense of anticipation in the air as the troops sense an opportunity coming with the order to attack the town of Trelon. The Anglo-French First Army Group under General Jamm40 has within the last twenty-four hours placed itself in strength at a weakened area of the German lines, and is poised for a breakthrough to threaten the vital aerodrome at Mauberge and to crack the German line and cross the Sambre to break into the rear. This reporter spent the day with troops of the British 1st Division's SAS Brigade, attacking Trelon from the wooded Foret De Trelon north of the city. When we arrived, the troops had already set up a staggered line of infantry and anti-tank guns, and the burning hulks of Axis armor littering the grassy slopes to the south spoke of their success. The tanks were down, then, and with no other obstacle on the horizon, officers gave the order for the infantry to move out up the hill, beyond which lay the objective: Trelon itself. As whistles sounded, weary and smoke-blackened troops hauled themselves to their feet beneath the scattered trees and began to move out across the open fields. This reporter accompanied the assault troops to their first phaseline, a small copse 100 yards south of the forest. There, troops yelled in consternation as they observed a feared German 88mm gun setting up on the ridgeline ahead of them. Long range rifle fire opened up on the Jerry cannon and crew, but it took the bravery of a young anti-tank rifleman, staggering under the weight of his Boyes gun, who rushed out into the open and fired several times, damaging the enemy gun and forcing it and its crew to withdraw. Their path cleared, the infantry moved out again... but only briefly. A single shot rang out, and a Tommy fell, mortally wounded not fifty feet in front of me. The other boys hit the dirt, and scanned desperately for the sniper, but the enemy was cunningly hidden and remained unseen. Officers yelled and the troops rose to advance again, and again a shot rang out. Another man down. With nothing for it but to push on, the troops grimly moved forward, others collapsing randomly from the unseen onslaught of the enemy sniper. When enough--too many--had died, the officers called a halt, and the remaining men clustered in the copse and the tall grass south of the forest. The gun crews behind scanned with field glasses, but no one could spot the lone enemy holding up the entire advance. A sudden rumble from the south told us that the opportunity was lost; Jerry was making his counter-attack. Infantry and Sdkfz 232 armored cars crested the ridgeline and the battle was joined. Anti-tank guns roared and small arms fire crackled, and dust rose from the fields only to be quenched in blood from both sides. The Axis attack pushed the SAS troops right back into the forest, but it ended as quickly as it began. Over the radio at the company headquarters, word came: other battalions had pushed into town and captured it, forcing the enemy to fall back or surrender even as this unit was fighting desperately far from the city. The battered Tommies of SAS seem philosophical about their role in the attack, even as orders come down for them to pack up and proceed to the next objective, the town of Avesnes, one stop closer to Mauberge. "I didn't even get to see the top of the church tower in this lousy place, and they tell me we took it already," one battered grunt said. "I ain't gonna complain about missing out on the house to house fighting, but it's nice sometimes to see the burg you're supposed to be fighting over." Submitted by ''Ish" We publish after action reports written by players. If you would like to submit a report or are interested in becoming an official WWIIOL War Correspondent, contact MOTORMOUTH. |
