Untitled Document
ARNHEM,
THE NETHERLANDS, 17 September 1944: Of the three British routes for the march
into Arnhem from the drop zones, only the 2nd Battalion’s
‘Lion Route’ by the Rhine were the British able to actually
reach the bridge. The Germans obviously understood 3rd Battalion’s
intentions along the Utrechtseweg, so Lt. Col. Fitch detached
Major Lewis’ “C” Company and sent it along a side
road in a flanking attempt. The instructions to the lead platoon
commander, Lt. Wright, were simply “That’s the bloody
way. Get moving!” Following the railway as the evening light
failed, “C” Company made amazing progress while taking
out an armoured car, dodging other enemies and losing only one
man. The company finally neared the bridge from the north in total
darkness. Major Lewis went forward to report to Brigade Headquarters
as the company closed on the perimeter. Unfortunately, a reserve
from Kampfgruppe Knaust was forming up nearby. A short-range firefight
broke out, forcing the paras to fight their way forward. Large
numbers of the inexperienced Germans were cut down. On the British
side, several men were killed and wounded as they maneuvered through
the gardens. As the German command established order, they were
able to cut off and capture most of two platoons. Thus, of the
“C” Company men who had so nearly reached their objective,
only some 45 managed to slip into the perimeter.
Almost 20 years
ago CH launched the independent publishing movement with its first
Arnhem historical module—and now things have come full circle.
The famous battle was the result of Montgomery’s bold plan
to force the Rhine by coup de main using an airborne operation
like none seen in the annals of military history. If successful
the greatest natural barrier protecting Nazi Germany would be
breached—shortening the war dramatically. If it failed, the
‘Red Devils’ of the British 1st Airborne Division would
be at the far end of a tenuous supply line, in the midst of enemy
territory. Allied planners had failed to take note of two elite
Waffen SS divisions resting and refitting following the rucksmarsch,
the headlong flight that followed the German collapse in Normandy.
This intelligence failure would place John Frost and his men of
the 2nd Parachute Battalion in a precarious position in the urban
battlefield of Arnhem.
THIS IS NOT A
COMPLETE GAME! Ownership of the ASLRB, and any modules providing
the Germans and British, plus standard system marker counters
is required to play this historical module.
