Let's continue with the AAR...
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Turn 10 ( Afternoon, September 19th)
General Situation
For the first time since the last two days, the enemy was able to manoeuver massively in the daylight as the RAF still has to recover from the air strikes carried out against german air bases before dawn. Though enemy pressure on the airborne bridgeheads decreased a bit, but regarding the massive troop movements detected and current dispositions recon estimates that the allied airborne divisions awaits a hard night.
The landing of the PAB immediatly drained reserves from the other hot spots of the battle and seems to work as planned. It seems the sole possibility of a river crossing at Huissel lets the germans keep the opposite shore occuppied, draining even more reserves.
In the south there seem to be two minor battles evolving, one for the city Weert, where the enemy has sent a parachute infantry regiment to defend it and one near Helmond, where the 107.Panzer brigade is assembling.
XXX Corps makes its way north where it is desperately needed as german troops are now outnumbering the allied paratroopers by approx. 2:1 and none of the airborne divisions has any reserves left currently.
Arnhem
British 1st AB
The division is still on the defence. On the western front, 156 Para Bn has linked up again with the friendly line after a combined operation with frontline units to open its back. An infantry company of KG Schulz has been encircled during this operation. On the city front, the frontline had to be regrouped again after the last enemy attack. The germans abandoned their previously gained ground and retreated after a probing attack directly west of the city centre.
Polish airborne brigade
The 3rd battalion of the PAB encircled a Panzergrenadier company of 19.SS PzGren Regt near Driel which has broken through to the rhine in the morning. The 1st and 2nd battalion have assaulted SS companies which have approached the brigade after its landing. Units of KG Euling have been beaten back to the rhine and a headquarter unit on the brigade’s eastern flank has suffered heavy losses and retreated. If the enemy will not bring in reinforcements from the north, the assault on the bridge will begin in the early night hours, carried out by the 2nd and 3rd battalion.
An entrained battalion has been bombarded by the RAF south of the PAB’s landing zone, but german fighters interdicted, causing massive losses to the bomber wings. The damage to the enemy ground units is expected to be low. Another ground bombing was conducted against enemy artillery (from II.SS PzKorps) massed in and around the village Pannenden, 15 kilometres northeast of Nijmegen, but also here the RAF took heavy casualties while the inflicted damage was relatively small. From this position the enemy artillery reaches both bridgeheads (Nijmegen and Arnhem) and may cause severe problems especially for the troops attacking Nijmegen.
Nijmegen (US 82nd AB)
Allied troops drove the enemy another kilometre back and are now standing in front of the city centre and two kilometres away from the bridge. During this operation a group of worn-down enemy units has been cut off in the forests southeast of the city, among them a regimental supply column and the HQ of V.SS Ersatz. The battle was very bloody and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy as also on own troops. At Beek the enemy has been driven back further, so that the german troops at Nijmegen are now almost isolated from the ones on the northeastern front of 82nd Airborne. .
On the Reichswald front an attack south of Kranenburg resulted in the destruction of one enemy infantry company and the reoccupation of the position lost to the enemy in the morning.
The units that were freed up after the occupation of Hatert have moved across the Maas-Waal canal to participate in the attack against Nijmegen instead of attacking Somerchen. One company has been sent south to reinforce the Grave defence line, while the engineers of the 508th Regt are working on the bridge to become passable again.
Though the Nijmegen front has been constantly pushing back the enemy, this operation is in danger of becoming a kind of Phyrrus-victory, as the units in front of the city have suffered enormous losses and are in low readiness and supply that in the case of an enemy counterattack they would have no other choice than to retreat. All in all the northern front is in no good shape and the western front is hanging in the air. The Corps is desperatly awaited here.
Sector of US 101st AB
In the most part of the bridgehead it was calm. The Corps‘ spearhead ( 8th Armoured Bde) has passed Son bridge and lead elements almost have reached St.Oedenrode at sunset. Operations have been conducted against Uden, Beek and enemy troops in the marshes north of Eindhoven. Despite heavy losses the enemy still holds his ground at Uden. The garrison of Beek still withstands all attacks. The enemy also could not have been forced to retreat out of his position north of Phillips factory near Eindhoven. South of Son bridge the former garrison of Son retreated further west after an attack by US troops.
XXX Corps
Middle Sector (Advancing spearhead)
Lead elements of the corps have reached St.Oedenrode before sunset. North of Eindhoven the corps had to drive its tankdestroyers and the first battalion of the welsh guards towards Opwetten in reaction to the appeareance of 107.Panzer Bde near Helmond. Northwest of Eindhoven are still some resistance nests that could not have been cleared yet. The small bridge of Heuvel could have been taken against strong artillery barrage from 59.Infanterie Div. The corps artillery has been closing in to the rest of the corps and the first batteries can give support fire to the southern half of 101st airborne’s front at Best.
Western flank (50th Northumberland Div)
151st brigade has cleared the area south of Postel from the last resistance and is currently heading north, where other units of the division are heading towards Oirshot bridge to close the last gap for enemy troops to retreat. Once the area is cleared, the brigade will cross Oirshot bridge to drive into the enemy‘s rear around Best.
Eastern flank (43rd Wessex, Pr.Irene Bde, 9.Inf Bde/3rd Div)
In the south the 9th Bde is still operating against enemy Fallschirmjägers at Neeroeteren. Small progress could have been made east of Midbul and the 7th Somerset light battalion is approaching the enemy at Weert from the northwest. Two tank companies of 8th Armoured Brigade, that were resting near Lommel to resupply have been sent there in the hope to achieve a fast decision.
4th Somerset light battalion has digged in at Heeze bridge to block it and to resupply. It will possibly be sent northwest towards Asten after the night. Duke of Cornwall battalion, followed by 43rd Armoured Car battalion has reached Mierloo and the Wiltshire battalion has been sent to Opwetten in reaction to the appeareance of 107.Panzer Bde. The rest of the 43rd is currently following the rest of the corps to the north.
Enemy dispositions and reactions
Enemy reinforcements have been spotted only north of Arnhem, where a Flak brigade and several machinegun companies, have been moving south to the city centre.Heavy battles arised in the Arnhem area and on the Reichswald front of the 82nd but not with the intesitivity like in the morning.
The Arnhem bridgehead was attacked from each direction, the city’s western quarters have again changed possession and the SS has digged in in the ruins. In the north of the bridgehead the enemy made a progress of one kilometre north of Wolfheze. 156.Para Bn, which has just reestablished contact with friendly lines has been badly mauled. Under pressure from enemy attacks battalion commander Lt.-Col. De Voeux’s headquarter has been rounded up and the second company has been evaporated. Also the enemy managed to relieve his encircled company there.
The PAB has been approached by more enemy troops. German reserve troops and marine infantry being supported by one tank section, have reached Driel, while on the eastern flank a SS Kampfgruppe has established contact with allied troops and driven back an AT section.
In the Nijmegen area the enemy set up a series of unsuccessfull assaults against the Reichswald line. Massive troop movement towards the south has been detected behind the enemy lines there. It seems the enemy is going over to the defence in this area and has begun sending troops over Oeffelt bridge to support 180.Infanterie Div and drive into the southern flank of the 82nd. Units from FJ Regt AuE Greve have already occupied Mook bridge, but the northern end of the bridge is still blocked by a company of 1/505 Para Regt. An assault is awaited there for the pre-dawn hours. Though 1222.Gren Regt (180.Inf) could have been spotted moving south of the Maas river there is no clear information about its current position. No enemy activity south of Nijmegen itself; the troops defending the town have received no reinforcements.
In the 101st airborne’s sector the enemy continued his offensive on the frontline between Best and Schjindel but was nowhere successfull except north of Best, where one position had to be given up. Armoured engineers of 107.Pz Bde have destroyed the eastern bridge at Lieshout.
Enemy activity in the XXX corps‘ sector was limited to the right flank only. 107.Pz Bde has advanced towards allied lines, although not yet at full strength. An armoured recon company has broken into allied lines, forcing half of 1/Welsh Guards Bn to retreat of which one company was overrolled and destroyed. The enemy came to a halt in front of Opwetten where allied armour will be tasked to deal with it. Mierloo bridge, on the advance route of 5.Duke of Cornwall/43. has been occupied by a flak company. In the south the FJ Regt Laytved-Hardinger has reached Weert to enter the battle for the town. No significant enemy activity has been reported from Bocholt and Neeroeteren.
I have made a movie (my first one) showing the operations at Arnhem and in the northern part of the Nijmegen bridgehead during turn 10. The last frame shows the situation after the german turn and has been taken from allied turn 11 - a PM turn, the recon is 0 %, so the german artillery didn't disappear.
