Scottish Corridor - Page 2

As can be seen from the previous photo the Germans had quickly rallied and pressed in to close assault, relying on their sheer numbers to decide the fate of the lone Scottish Section. Overwhelmed by numbers they succumbed (more of their loss below) and the Germans confidently advanced onwards, making a group dash across the next patch of open ground. But their confidence would be their undoing, the rest of the Scottish Platoon was nearby and caught the Germans in the open in a crossfire, the fire of the 2 Rifle Sections, suppressing and pinning the Germans.

Caught in the open again - Another German platoon gets shot up while making a dash in the open

Once the British had initiative, No.2 Section (right hand side of above picture) helped out by using the platoon 2" Mortar to drop some HE on the suppressed Germans. More staunch rifle fire followed and the German platoon was decimated... With nothing to lose the PC and last Rifle Section charged the Scots in front of them, the Rifle Section being gunned down by more Rifle & Bren Gun fire, leaving the SS PC alone and within a base width of the Highlanders, with no option but to walk up to the Highlander's and hand himself in, "vor me zee wor ez uver" he was thought to remark. The Germans followed up with some 75mm HE fire from the JagdPanzer against the first house (with the PC, MOP, & Rifle Section in) but with it's bunker status this proved pretty ineffective...

Platoon 3, 1st PzGr Kp, moves up a tad more cautiously! Platoon 2's PC is still suppressed.

Following up from the disaster above, the next German Platoon moved on, the third from the 1st PanzerGrenadier Kompanie. However it followed the route of Platoon 2 but stopped short of the open ground where the latter had been caught out, being a bit more circumspect. By now the balance of the German forces had arrived, and the Panther came rolling on along the Eastern Ridge, heading for the Scots Platoon that had decimated Platoon 1 of the 1st SS Kompanie. The Scots were unfortunately at a disadvantage, having lost their PIAT with No.1 Section in the forward orchard earlier in the German attack!

Big cat on the prowl along the Eastern Ridgeline.

The Panther made a bee-line for No.2 Section, exposed on the top of the ridge in another orchard, but it's first round of 75mm HE flew very wide, and the section quickly fired their 2" Mortar to try and lay smoke in front of the Panther and cover a fast retreat! Alas the smoke failed to materialise, and then the British lost the initiative. The failure to conduct a retreat move at the first opportunity would prove costly.

Trapped! And under close range 75mm HE fire.

The Panther kept the Rifle Section suppressed, although was unable to finish them off. Meanwhile more German forces moved onto the battlefield, including the 8cm Mortar Sections supporting each of the PzGr Kompanies and the first elements of the 2nd PzGr Kompanie. The 1st Kompanie MOP moved up under fire (getting pinned in the process), but managed to bring some (quite ineffective) fire down on the first house (near the sunken road) and deterred Kieran from bothering to shell the building for some time! At this time the moving clock finally activated and 1430 rolled over!

German MOP and the 8cm Mortar Section he is observing for.

By now the lead elements of the second Kompanie were advancing into action, Platoon 5 moving along the edge of the Eastern Ridge following in the wake of Platoon 1.

SS PanzerGrenadier Kompanie 2 begins it's attack, with Platoon 2 on point.

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