Chain of Command 2 - Game Report 11

Operation Martlet – 2000-2200 25 June 1944

Introduction

This is the 3rd scenario from the Operation Martlet PSC (Pint Sized Campaign). The British have pushed on late in the day and encountered the main line of resistance in the village of Fontenay Le Pesnel.

Ground

Given many of my readers liked to see the ground, and the real ground as seen on my battlefield tour in Oct 2025, here is the terrain map from the scenario. As before the numbers relate to the vantage points where I took pictures.

View 1 – From the British Start Line.

View 2 – looking from the road into the sunken gardens, and yes these are high walls!

View 3 – Looking towards the farm complex – note that where the beige house would be would be open fields.

View 4 – Looking from the high walls surrounding the gardens towards the farm. Note how few windows there are from the outside of the barns. This would have required some cunning loopholes to be cut in the walls by the defenders.

This is from the right hand end of the horizontal red-line from point 4, looking back into the walled gardens. This reinforces the point made on the height of these walls – breaching charges are a must.

View 5 – A view into the farm complex.

View 6 – from the crossroads in the village, the German start line.

Finally, the terrain that Kevin built.

Situation

The attack continued into the night, with the aim of pushing the enemy out of their main defensive position before first light on the 26th June.

Enemy Forces

The enemy were known to have taken significant losses, that they were ill-equipped to replace. They did have armour and heavy weapons in abundance so we might expect steel to replace men in the next phase of the operation. Moreover, this village was expected to be the main line of resistance, and we could expect any of the buildings to be greatly improved positions to at least the level of protection of bunkers.

Friendly Forces

With the loss of 2Lt Sutherland, the Battalion Commander sent forward a replacement officer to assume command. 2Lt George Dunbar was 21 year old young officer. He had come down from university to enlist and was quickly sent on an Officers training Course. He was relaxed and confident and Sgt Wilson warmed to him immediately.

He brought forward with him from Battalion HQ three replacements and he and Sgt Wilson reorganised the platoon into three 8-man sections, with the 2" Mortar Team and Piat Team. Of greater import was the news he brought that they would be supported by an AVRE, engineers with explosive charges and fire support from the battalion mortar platoon.

Mission

5 Platoon is to secure the crossroads and destroy all enemy within boundaries.

Post Mission Report

2Lt Dunbar brought up the engineer team to breach the outside wall of the farm complex.

Meanwhile 2 Section deployed into the walled garden.

With the breach successfully made 1 Section moved up to 2lt Dunbar ready to effect entry.

With progress being made by 5 Platoon to occupy the buildings in front of the crossroads, the AVRE was called forward.

3 Section were brought forward to occupy the building. Once the Bren team were in place on the top floor of the barn to provide covering fire the rifle team with the section commander moved out to secure the Café.

Both 3 Sections rifle team and 2 Section deployed forward to protect the flank of the AVRE.

The AVRE moved forward under the close protection of 2 and 3 sections.

In the near distance 2 and 3 Sections heard the distinct engine sound of enemy tanks.

There was the sharp crack of tank cannons with both vehicles missing each other. 2Lt Dunbar ordered smoke from the 2" Mortar.

The smoke dispersed more rapidly than we would have wished for (end of turn on three sixes), but The PzIV decided that it needed additional protection and fired its smoke grenades for cover.

However, this smoke also cleared rapidly (Kevin ended the turn when he wanted to!)

With dispersion of the smoke the PZ IV fired and brewed the AVRE. While this was happening 2Lt Dunbar sent the rifle team left flanking around the north side of the farm complex, only for these men to be ambushed by two MG42 teams. With the loss of the men from 1 Section and the loss of the PIAT team, which had vainly attempted to attack the tank but instead were cut down by an MG42 from the house on the south side of the crossroads, the Battalion Commander ordered 5 Platoon to withdraw.

Outcome

5 Platoon lost a further 8 men in this attack, including 1 Section Commander Cpl McKie. The losses taken by 11th Royal Scots Fusiliers (11 RSF) led the Brigade Commander to call forward 7th Duke of Wellington's Regiment (7 DWR) to continue the attack in the morning.

Chain of Command 2 - Game Report 14

Operation Martlet – 1200-1600 26 June 1944

Introduction

This was refight of the fourth Operational Martlet PSC scenario.

Situation

Time was running out, and the Divisional Commander had given a rocket to the Commander of 147 Bde, who had similarly launched into CO 7 DWR. The bottom line was that a failure to take Rauray Ridge could imperil the success of operation Epsom which had started earlier that day. 7 DWR had to be on the ridge line by last light!

Enemy Forces

The Germans were clearly not going to give ground willingly, irrespective of what their Fuhrer had ordered. Enemy losses suffered earlier in the day were unknown but not thought to be significant and therefore the defence was considered to be intact.

Friendly Forces

3 Platoon had received further support from the Sherwood Yeomanry with two more Shermans moved forward to support them. An additional PIAT team were provided by the Company Commander given the close country and the likelihood of enemy armour.

Mission

No Change. 3 Platoon A Company 7 DWR is to clear St Nicholas farm.

Post Mission Report

Lt Bertram-Willey kept with the same plan using the Orchard as a covered approach to the objective.

However, this time he ensured that 3 Section were in closer support and accompanied the Shermans as they advanced through the Orchard.

The Platoon with the Shermans closed up to the forward edge of the wood, moving around the flank of the Sherman destroyed in the last engagement.

As Number 2 Section advanced to secure the breach in the outbuilding, they were engaged by German machine guns and forced to retire. Lt Bertram-Willey ordered them to move around the right flank.

As they did so they were engaged by a PzIV, and suffered a number of casualties. Number 2 Section was effectively out of the fight. Unfortunately, their tank support wasn't in a position to return fire. However, Lt Bertram-Willey immediately brought forward 3 Section to pass through 2 Section covered by their Bren Team.

With time being critical, and with the Sherman in place providing covering fire, he moved forward with 3 Section's Bren team while the remainder of the Section went right flanking. No 1 Section were deployed on the left to provide cover for the left flank Sherman.

The PzIV had been manoeuvring in the depth of the German position looking for a firing position. It had found a position where it could engage the left flank Sherman.

However, once again the 3 Platoon 2" mortar team were able to provide smoke to obscure the German Tank. But in this case the German Tank Commander charged his tank like a Prussian Hussar through the smoke to engage the Sherman. Both tanks fired at each other missing each other blindly as the smoke evaporated. Meanwhile, on the right flank Lt Bertram-Willey had brought 3 Section forward to secure the breach and enter the farm complex, while Number 1 Section had advanced and secured the outbuilding adjacent to the Pz IV.

The PZIV was obscured again by smoke from the 2" mortar. Meanwhile the right flank Sherman is moving into a position to outflank the farm. On the road the remains of jeep which had been carrying the reserve PIAT team lays smoking after it was ambushed earlier in the engagement.

Outcome

3 Platoon lost a further 8 men from 2 and 3 Section, but the aggressive action had forced the Germans to withdraw.

Chain of Command 2 - Game Report 13

Operation Martlet – 0800-1200 26 June 1944

Introduction

This is the 4th scenario from the Operation Martlet PSC (Pint Sized Campaign). The British have pushed on beyond the village of Fontenay Le Pesnel, with the fight moving down the road to Rauray. The next defensive position available for the Germans was the farm of St Nicholas 500m south of Fontenay.

Ground

Continuing the pictures from battlefield tour in Oct 2025, here is the terrain map from the scenario. As before the numbers relate to the vantage points where I took pictures.

View 1 – Looking into the St Nicholas Farm from the other side of the road.

View 2 – looking down the road to Fontenay Le Pesnel from which the British would be advancing.

View 3 – Looking towards the objective of St Nicholas farm from the British perspective.

Finally, the terrain (that Kevin built), looking from the German's position from an oblique view taken by a photo recon sortie as 7 DWR started their advance.

Situation

After pushing the Germans out of Fontenay the pursuit looked like it was on, and there was hope for a clear end run to the Rauray ridge. After their success the CO 7 DWR ordered A coy forward led by 3 Platoon.

Enemy Forces

Given the time the enemy had been positioned in defence there was every expectation that they would have prepared as many buildings for defence as possible. It was unclear which, but given that St Nicholas farm was on one of the sole buildings on the axis of advance intelligence were confident that this would be part of the defence in depth that the Germans had prepared. However, detailed forces confronting 7 DWR were unknown.

Friendly Forces

3 Platoon would continue to be supported by two Shermans from the Sherwood Yeomanry, the battalion mortars, and engineers.

Mission

3 Platoon A Company 7 DWR is to clear St Nicholas farm.

Post Mission Report

Lt Bertram-Willey decided to advance to contact with 2 sections forward, with 1 Section left and 2 Section right. The Shermans would accompany them in initiate support as they cleared the orchard to the north of the farm.

In the distance the British tank crew recognised the deep throaty sound of the Maybach HL230 P30 V12 gasoline engine powering a Panther; the big cats were on the prowl.

The orchard was crossed by a number of low hedges, these provided ample cover to allow the sections to advance by fire and movement as they closed in on the farm.

The Panther was spotted outside the farm flanking the Platoon and Lt Bertram-Willey ordered 2" mortar to fire smoke to provide cover as they advanced. It was also intended to allow the Shermans to reposition themselves while the Panther was obscured.

The Shermans moved forward and started to provide covering fire and opening breaches in the walls of the farm's outbuildings.

The Mortar platoon started a stonk on the farm to keep the German's heads down.

While a Sherman advanced down the eastern flank of the farm it came under Panzerfaust fire all of which was inconsequential. The other Sherman provided covering fire for 2 Section to advance to the breach in the outbuilding.

The distinctive sound of the Panther could be heard within the farm courtyard and more smoke was brought down to obscure it.

Number 3 Section have now advanced into line ready to move around the eastern flank of the farm. Meanwhile as the smoke has clears the Sherman and Panther fail to secure any hits on each other as they become visible to each other. At the same time Number 2 Section has started advancing to the breach.

Unfortunately, the Panther scored a direct hit and brewed the Sherman, while the remaining Sherman working the left flank was ambushed by Panzerfausts and immobilised. With no armour support to take on the Panther 3 Platoon withdrew through the Orchard successfully.

Outcome

3 Platoon lost only two men in the engagement, one of which was lightly wounded and who was likely to return that day.

Chain of Command 2 - Game Report 12

Operation Martlet – 0400-0800 26 June 1944

Introduction and Ground

This is a refight of the 3rd scenario from the Operation Martlet PSC (Pint Sized Campaign). The British are continuing to break through the main line of resistance in the village of Fontenay Le Pesnel. Not surprisingly the ground is the same as the previous battle there!

Situation

Overnight the Commander 147 Infantry Brigade called forward his reserves forward to continue the battle. Consequently, 7the Battalion Duke of Wellington's Regiment (7 DWR) conducted a forward passage of lines overnight through 11th Royal Scots Fusiliers (11 RSF) ready to renew the attack against Fontenay at first light.

Enemy Forces

During the last attack enemy armour had intervened destroying an AVRE. It was unclear whether the armour support had been withdrawn overnight or not. There had been no time after the passage of lines for 7 DWR to conduct any fighting patrols to determine the residual enemy strength. However, the assessment was that the enemy would continue to put up string resistance to hold their strong position around the house they had converted to a strongpoint south of the crossroads.

Friendly Forces

CO 7 DWR gave the task of clearing Fontenay to A company, led by their 3rd Platoon under the command of a 25 year old officer Hugh Bertram-Willey from Harrogate. He had joined the regiment in 1941 from his Officer Training course rising to the rank of Lieutenant before D Day. He was the senior Lieutenant in the Company and had a relaxed confident demeanour from his experience leading his platoon. His platoon sergeant was Jack Ormerod. He was 33 years old from a farm in the Dales. He was responsible for training the platoon and other members of the company in their fieldcraft. To ensure success the CO had provided 2 Shermans from the Sherwood Yeomanry to support them, an engineer team and a sniper from the battalion recce platoon. He also placed the mortar platoon on call with fire support.

Mission

3 Platoon A Company 7 DWR is to secure the crossroads in Fontenay Le Pesnel.

Post Mission Report

Lt Bertram-Willey's plan was to advance with number 1 and 2 sections moving through the village. He sent 3 Section with Sgt Ormerod right flanking to attack the crossroads and the fortified position from the west. Sgt Ormerod's section were able to deploy well forward ready for this move.

Both Shermans arrived on time and moved forward as quickly as possible to provide fire support for the infantry.

Number 1 and 2 Section were able similarly to deploy well forward and were ready to exploit the loopholes and entry points created in the buildings by 11 RSF.

Number 3 Section advanced very cautiously to the west-east road running through the crossroads. They were all to aware that the building south of the road had been heavily prepared for defence and was known to be occupied by German MG teams.

At this stage the Shermans remained on overwatch, in order to prevent any reoccurrence of the day before when the attack had been caught flat footed by a counter-attack from a PzIV.

One of the Shermans came up in close support to the infantry but was forced to detour around the knocked out AVRE which was blocking the main route.

The 2" mortar successfully laid down a smoke screen this enabled Number 3 Section to advance to the village square protected by the ornaments. Their Bren team was positioned to provide covering fire. Although a German infantry section deployed in the garden of the fortified position and opened fire on the section, they were able to hit the dirt and find protection behind the ornamental structures.

The Sherman had navigated its way through the farm complex and was able to provide excellent fire support against the infantry in the garden and against the building.

As 3 Section's Bren Team advanced they were caught in the open from a German HMG that deployed in support of the troops in the garden.

Outcome

The German's decided that the threat of the armour and Number 3 Section moving around their left flank that it was time to withdraw. 3 Platoon only lost 3 casualties with 1 dead and two minor wounds.