by Gee, Colin
It had been hoped that SHAEF would be able to retake control at approx 0400 hrs but the disruption caused by the air attacks on both the airfield and the I.G.Farben building played havoc with the timetable.
Valuable personnel had been killed or wounded and it took extra time for Eisenhower to get his headquarters online.
It was not until 0830 hrs that SHAEF again took control and commenced the normal everyday processes associated with controlling a shrinking army in a losing war.
Towns and cities that yesterday had lain in friendly territory were now behind a line that was relentlessly marching westwards, occasionally checked, occasionally blooded, but presently unstoppable and inexorable.
The first concept of a halt line had never got off the ground, vital sections already having fallen to Soviet advances.
Whilst some new formations were coming online there were still not enough assets in place to be able to do anything meaningful to, in some way, wrest the initiative from the Russian armies.
Clearly Hamburg was vital and McCreery would hold it against whatever the Russians threw at him.
One British Corps commander had stated that it would be a second Stalingrad, and was reminded very succinctly by McCreery that the Russians had won the first rather convincingly.
Canadian and Polish divisions had moved up and stiffened resistance on the North German plain and Eisenhower was sure the Soviet timetable was being wrecked there, which it was. British engineers had developed a penchant for destruction, dropping most of the bridges behind them as they retreated, slowing the Russian advances.
For now, the German divisions in Denmark, complete and ready for battle, were tasked with defending the coastline and probing the landings in Lolland in the east.
Eisenhower left his political masters to soothe the ruffled Swedish feathers, feathers agitated by the thought of armed Germans and armed Russians a few kilometres from their border. A fair portion of the Swedish Army stood to watching events and ready to lash out if anyone should forget national boundaries.
Allied airpower was concentrating on protecting for now, ensuring moving units were not seriously attacked, watching air bases being reconstructed although, where possible, belligerent commanders undertook aggressive incursions to harry the enemy formations with surviving ground attack assets. In basic terms, exchange rates were pretty much one for one, although many allied pilots were recovered as the air war was mainly fought over allied territory.
Plans to use the bomber force had been decided upon but it was felt important that sufficient fighter escorts were available before they were fully implemented.
However, Tedder had put forward one or two low-risk ideas that whetted the appetite for things to come.
At sea, things were not looking so good, with a troop transport mined as it slipped into Cherbourg and the liner Queen Mary torpedoed within sight of the Statue of Liberty. Whilst loss of life on her was much less than at Cherbourg, her loss to the reinforcement machine was immeasurable and certainly counted as a huge success to the Soviet navy.
On the plus side, two Soviet submarines had been sunk off Norway and a Soviet minesweeper destroyed when discovered hiding in a small bay near Savannah, South Carolina. Apparently masquerading as an American vessel, the Russian ship had been there for days quite openly.
On land, the Russians were winning, and winning convincingly, although Eisenhower remained equally convinced that resistance was more than they had anticipated and that it was having an effect upon their plans.
Ike drained another coffee and drew down another cigarette, all the time taking in the situation map as it was updated with newly arrived information.
The loss of Lubeck was grave indeed, placing more pressure on Hamburg’s defenders and opening up Southern Denmark.
Soviet forces had immediately pushed forward and taken a bloody nose. British 11th Armoured Division had manhandled the Soviet 22nd Army at Timmendorfer Strand, taking considerable numbers of prisoners for the first time.
For now it seemed that the Soviet advance into Southern Denmark had been stopped but Eisenhower did not celebrate too much as he watched red markings outflanking Timmendorfer, and worryingly being placed on the eastern and southern suburbs of Hamburg, indicating small but important inroads by Russian forces.
The 82nd US Airborne had all but ceased to exist in bloody defensive battles north and south of the Elbe.
Ike’s attention was drawn back north of Hamburg as a Corporal placed new red markings at Bad Segeberg, heading west from Lubeck. That they went through an area apparently held by the British Guards was a concern and he beckoned a Major forward to send off a message to McCreery for more information.
Once done, he returned to his observations, noting that the advances into the southern environs of Hamburg appeared stalled for now.
Elements of the famous 51st Highland Division had been moved up and were engaged in fierce fighting south of the Elbe around Harburg. Lighting a cigarette, Eisenhower smiled to himself as he also noted the steady progress of 1st Polish Armoured Division, crossing the Weser and assembling at Bremervorde and Stade. Ike gave himself a moment’s pause and wondered if it was a smile or a grimace, for the move was not without risk if Bremen came under direct attack. He liked McCreery’s style though, and it looked like the British General was planning to hit back, driving the enemy back from below Hamburg, and relieving the pressure on the city.
In fact, the more Ike looked at the northern sector the more he felt that a stabilised line was possible in short order, provided no more huge surprises came his way.
Braunschweig had fallen and enemy units were heading to Hannover but were presently stalled at Peine where 405th RCT of the 102nd US Infantry, receiving timely assistance from elements of the British 8th Armoured Brigade, defeated, and bloodied a strong force of the Soviet 69th Army.
Eisenhower remembered reading a report of that action, where the US Commander described the Soviet artillery as incredibly powerful, a string that was repeated across the front. What the Soviets lacked in technology and finesse they made up for with weight of shell and dealing with the massed artillery assaults was a problem for which no immediate solution was apparent.
Making a mental note to find out what progress had been made on that issue, another cigarette armed him for the mental journey down the front line.
Hildesheim.
Still holding.
An RCT from 30th US Infantry Division, part of 2nd US Armored and stragglers from a number of units battling against the Soviet 3rd Army and doing exceptionally well.
‘Need to know more,’ accompanying the thought with a gesture to Colonel Samuel V. Rossiter USMC, officially a USMC officer attached to Ike’s staff to fly the flag for the Corps, which he did ably, but in reality a member of OSS who briefed Eisenhower in on special ops when needed.
“What’s the situation at Hildesheim Sam?”
“Very strange Sir. Nothing happening at all except nuisance artillery fire. It seems the boys handled them very roughly yesterday and they are licking their wounds. We have recon working on it but no reports back as of yet.”
Moreover, neither would there be today. The photo-recce spitfire had long since been struck from the skies.
“2nd Armored has got set on the Hameln-Springe line, but we have confirmed sightings of Soviet vehicles at Blomberg. Not sure what numbers or type, and it could just be a small recon force. General Collier has switched some 2nd Armored assets to cover his southern approaches, just in case.
“Excellent.”
Rossiter was looking directly at his commander and noted the pained look that suddenly developed.
“We still have a huge issue with Göttingen. General Bradley has ordered them out I understand?”
“Yes Sir. There is a difficulty with the route of escape.”
Rossiter tapped the Weser River line, which ran across the path the trapped units needed to use.
“I believe the Soviets have managed to trap
most of the 83rd Infantry and part of the 8th Armored east of the Weser.”
Fishing in the sheaf of papers he held in his left hand, he extracted the report he was looking for.
“Major General Macon of the 83rd states he cannot disengage as he is pressed on all fronts and fighting every foot backwards. Recon elements of the 8th are trying to find a way across the Weser. Unusually, the Reds are bombing the bridges, something they have singularly avoided doing thus far. Options for withdrawal over the Weser are becoming less by the hour. General Bradley has ordered a stand on the west bank of the river opposite these forces to try and give them the best chance of escape, and engineers are putting extra bridges across.”
Eisenhower had recently discussed this with Bradley and whilst he was content to let the old warhorse do his work, the risk to both the trapped units and those ordered to hold the Weser line was great.
Gesturing with his smoking right hand, Ike pointed out a Soviet drive that was moving north-west from Fritzlar.
“Actually Sir, we have garbled reports of enemy activity just south of Istha.”
“Where’s that?”
Rossiter walked to the map and his finger pointed out a small town positioned west of Kassel.
Eisenhower’s face was a mask of horror.
Returning, the Marine Colonel hastily continued.
“We are trying hard to firm that up but we have no contact with the unit from the 79th that gave us the heads up.
“OK,” an angry finger waved in the general direction of the map, a voice slightly raised, “But we do need to stay on top of that one, Sam.”
“Yes Sir.”
Coffee arrived on cue and gave a natural break, permitting one man to retire feeling chastened and the other to drink, feeling that he just displayed a little too much emotion for a Commander-in Chief. A word of apology later would be needed. The Colonel was good at what he did and did not deserve his boss’s anger, leastways not for that.
It was not getting any better by the time he resumed his observations. Kassel was holding and holding tough, but the Soviets looked like they were trying to bypass to the south. Frankenberg had stopped them, or rather the Eder River through it had, 75th Infantry Commanding officer reporting the bridges down and his front stabilised in a very recent report.
Giessen was also holding, having been assaulted very early on in the conflict, the Soviet advance being unexpectedly deep, mainly because of the problems experienced by 5th and 6th Armored Divisions.
A move to the south aimed at Butzbach had been anticipated and blunted. The Soviets didn’t know that the paratroopers dropped on Kransberg were all dead or captured. It had been an easy call to anticipate a relief attempt, so when they peeled south-east and then drove back into Bad Nauheim the Americans were ready again, although the fighting was hard and casualties heavy on both sides.
Frankfurt was still friendly but that was very finite, as the eastern suburbs now belonged to the enemy and probes were being thrown out north and south in an attempt to surround.
A southeast aimed thrust had taken Aschaffenburg in a bloodless advance and that element seemed to be turning south-west.
‘Looking to be aiming at Darmstadt’ he proposed, in discussion with himself.
‘Too close to the Rhine for my tastes,’ He conceded.
Beckoning Rossiter over again, he did not forget what he owed the man.
“My apologies Sam. Forgive me.”
“Think nothing of it Sir; it’s a hell of a day that’s all.”
No harm done and one very serious and competent officer thinking that his Boss was actually a good man.
“Darmstadt?”
“Third herd in situ and Grow is itching for them to come in harm’s way.”
Eisenhower laughed aloud.
“OK, that will do for me. They will hold. Thank you Colonel.”
“Sir.”
‘Third Herd’ was the nickname of 3rd US Armored Division, an outfit that was tough as they came and Robert Grow was a fighting General with a reputation for bravery and steadfastness.
South-east of that and more trouble, as 42nd and 63rd Infantry were being pressed hard on a north-west to south-east line either side of Bad Mergentheim. They were struggling to create a holding barrier on the Main and Tauber Rivers, acknowledging the main line would be on the Neckar behind them and making their left flank fast to the 28th US Infantry who had moved up to Mannheim and Heidelberg.
Ike noted the French in the picture, with the tough 3rd Algerian Division turning Stuttgart into a fortress to the 63rd’s rear.
Aggressive intent revealed itself as he noted the 12th US Armored moving up to around Bad Windsheim to the west of Nürnberg. The Soviet left flank looked vulnerable and it would be a shame not to take the opportunity offered, especially as Tedder had added a surprise to the pot, with fighter squadrons in abundance to cover the attacks, at the cost of cover elsewhere admittedly, but worth the risk.
12th and 9th Armored will give the Reds something to think about.
‘Hooah.’
Tomorrow.
Nürnburg would hold.
So would München but the area was rapidly becoming a machine eating men and equipment. Bombing raids and artillery by themselves were causing casualties enough, but the Soviets were now pressing on the ground.
A thin salient was developing where 45th US Infantry’s 180th RCT was defying all efforts to shift them from the Bavarian township of Moosburg.
Attempts to outflank the ‘Thunderbird’s’ were stopped short at Erding in the south, and Allershausen in the north, but both thrusts reduced the corridor from Moosberg to München to a worrying ten miles width, all of which was under artillery fire.
4th US Armored was forming the southern defences with the 157th RCT, with bit and pieces of the 99th Infantry coming together to the northern side, finally becoming organised after their flight from Regensburg.
As Eisenhower studied the whole München situation, his view was obscured as three agitated officers started running fingers over the map, voices raised, not in anger but in concern. One turned to Eisenhower, catching his eye and pointing at Ingolstadt.
And there it was; the hole.
The dam had burst even as he had sat looking at the map, making his plans, assessing, and all the time the goddamn Russians were through.
When the French had been given back their country, the members of the FFI became redundant overnight, as the Germans were back beyond their borders. Some were patriots of the Maquis, long standing fighters from the early days but many others were recent arrivals to the cause, having been less than active under occupation and suddenly keen to be involved.
Eisenhower always suspected that the employment of FFI in line divisions would not bode well but they had done enough, fighting as they were against a hated foe on his shrinking territory.
Somehow, the 14th French Infantry Division had become relatively isolated in the line at Ingolstadt and their right flank had caved in completely, melting away in front of what was believed to be the Soviet prime attack force, namely the 5th Guards Tank Army.
He had missed it, his Generals had missed it but the Soviets clearly had not and now they were flooding through the front line at Manching. Their right flank on the Donau, nothing between them and Augsburg.
All across Germany and Austria, allied forces were retreating under orders, holding where required, occasionally having to react to appalling problems like Göttingen and the developments around Kassel.
However, this was different. There was little beyond to stem the flow and it had caught everyone by surprise.
The rest of the map could wait because this needed his personal attention and he strode forward to take charge of what was rapidly becoming a pantomime scene as concerned staff rushed around brandishing reports and messages.
It was a question of assets, and the immediate ones to hand were 2nd French Armoured Division in and around Memmingen and two US cavalry groups, the 115th near Kemp
ten and 101st at Ehingen.
The Cavalry Ike could get moving quickly and he did so, calming his subordinates with his unruffled approach and steady voice, dictating his orders to the 6th Army Group commander, General Devers. Under his direction, the staff group came back to order, once more efficient and functioning at 100%.
He could also alert 1st US Infantry Division, ‘The Big Red One’, who could look to their southeast flank and stiffen it with some armor in case the Soviets turned to the north to undercut Nürnberg.
As he pondered more moves, another report indicating continuing resistance in Ingolstadt from part of the 14th helped a little but he could not trust them anymore.
Now he had a French General to order forward and, ever the diplomat, he considered how he would present the abject French collapse to the proud Frenchman.
0845 hrs Thursday 9th August 1945, Curau River crossings, South of Malkendorf, Germany.
Fig#12 - Malkendorf.
Allied Forces – ‘C’ Sqdn, 3rd R.T.R. and D Coy, 8th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade and 119th Battery, 75th Anti-Tank Regt RHA and 2 Battery, 13th [HAC] Regt, RHA and 2nd Independent Machine Gun Company, Northumberland Fusiliers, all of 11th Armoured Division, British 8th Corps, British 2nd Army, British 21st Army Group, plus Horsdorf Defence Unit [Kommando Horsdorf], Malkendorf Defence Unit [Kommando Malkendorf].
Soviet Forces – 1013th Rifle Regt and 1015th Rifle Regt and 1017th Rifle Regt and 835th Artillery Regt, all of 285th Rifle Division, and 27th Guards Heavy Tank Regt of Soviet 21st Army, 1st Baltic Front.
Lubeck had been a bitter pill indeed, but 21st Army had subsequently made steady progress, pushing a handful of British troops before them, driving northwest. Then the call for help came from 22nd Army, halted by obdurate defence at Timmendorfer.
Swinging north, 21st Army intended to drive in the direction of Pönitz, using the River Trave as a secure right flank, before turning east and compromising the defenders of Timmendorfer with a swift rear attack.
Earlier that morning, 1017th Rifles of 285th Division had been leading the way until they were stopped dead at Rohlsdorf, bridge blown in front of their eyes and then swept with accurate and fatal artillery fire. Lacking bridging assets to continue with his planned advance, the 1017th’s Colonel requested orders.