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 It was unclear whether the armour support had been withdrawn overnight or not.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.