Opening Moves

It was the reports of ground successes that interested him, particularly the low levels of resistance encountered, particularly in the southern part of Germany.

The feedback from the raids aimed at command and control was limited and there were few indications as to their success, save for the obvious disorganisation in some allied units.

Nowhere on the map or in the reports were there indications of retaliatory air strikes or counter-attacks so it was probable that the Allied command structure was paralysed by either incompetence, fear or injury.

‘Well whatever it is, is fine by me,’ mused Zhukov.

The plan ensured that the pressure would be kept on at all points of attack and that the Soviet air regiments would keep attacking the allied air forces, not permitting them time to recover, although new units arriving would be a problem in time.

Timed perfectly to the thought, Malinin appeared with the latest estimates of the destruction wrought upon allied air power.

The figures were larger than before.

Malinin replied to the question in Zhukov’s eyes.

“Yes Comrade Marshall, I think we can trust these to be a reasonable set of figures. The regiments have confirmed their submissions and understand the need for accuracy, and the projections of success from the ground assaults are wholly reasonable, certainly not over-optimistic.”

Zhukov studied the list again.

“In which case Malinin, we have been extremely lucky today.”

Handing the paper back to his deputy, Zhukov cast his professional eye over the map once more. Pointing at one place where things had not gone well he gave Malinin instructions.

“Tell Rokossovsky to sort out his attack north of Linz or he will be counting trees.”

Shifting his point of focus Zhukov continued.

“And tell Bagramyan to get 43rd Army moving or he won’t get his Marshall’s stars!”

Whilst the words were spoken with the normal bark of command Malinin knew that the bite was not present, for the day was going very well indeed and his boss was a very happy man.

0530 hrs Monday, 6th August 1945, Rittmanhausen, Germany.

Allied Forces – ‘A’ Troop, 4th Cavalry Recon Sqdn, 4th Cavalry Group, US 19 Corps, 9th US Army, US 12th Army Group.

Soviet Forces – 55th Rifle Division of 89th Rifle Corps, 189th Tank Regiment of 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps all of 61st Army, and 5th Guards Rocket Barrage Division, all of 1st Red Banner Central European Front.

Nothing the doughboys had experienced came close to the hell that was visited upon them that morning.

Veterans of D-Day and a score of actions on the drive across Europe, the troopers of 4th Cav rightly considered themselves veterans and solid soldiers.

From concealed positions two and a half miles to the east, two Guards Rocket battalions from 5th GRBD employed ninety-six BM13-16 Katyusha mounts to deluge the American positions in Rittmannshausen and Luterbach.

That amounted to fourteen hundred and thirty-six rockets in the air at the same time, each with forty-eight pounds of high explosive at the business end.

Their arrival on target was devastating and many young men died without even knowing what had killed them.

German civilians also died as their houses were swept aside in a wave of high explosive.

Divisional artillery guns from units of 89th RC also joined in, initially firing a mixture of fragmentation and smoke, adding to the confusion.

Tanks of the 2nd GCC started forward with tank riding infantry clinging to their sides, aiming straight down the road.

Infantry from 89th RC moved forward in the open to threaten Luterbach and Altefeld, as well as others who slipped clandestinely through the woods between Rittmannshausen and Rambach.

Staff Sergeant Joshua Ravens was a tank commander, and exceptionally proud of his M24 Chafee light tank, ‘Lady Lucy’, named for his fiancée back in New York.

On hearing the rocket strikes on the positions to his southeast, he immediately got his tank moving to support his colleagues in ‘A’ Troop who were clearly under attack.

As ‘Lady Lucy’ moved cautiously forward, Ravens’ attempts to bring up anyone else on the radio net failed.

Artillery was falling in front of them in what looked like a combination of explosive and smoke rounds so he commanded his driver to seek a position of cover off the road.

Immediately the driver swung the vehicle left and drew up adjacent to a small copse of trees just off the road about two hundred yards short of the village.

In between new explosions and burst of smoke shells, the crew could see the destruction being wrought to the buildings and people in front of them.

Emerging out of that destruction were a number of shell-shocked and dazed survivors, both military and civilian.

The nearest man was very obviously staggering around oblivious to the fact that he had no arms but he soon succumbed to his wounds and fell silent to the earth.

The falling artillery seemed now to be all smoke.