Opening Moves

4th US Cavalry Group had probably been destroyed as there had been no contact with any of the units since mid-afternoon on the 6th, which also explained why Soviet tanks, infantry and of all things horsed cavalry were in the south-eastern suburbs of Kassel itself.

Bad Hersfeld had fallen in the late evening and some reports had the Soviet advance units at Alsfeld, although other reports stated that the forces engaging south of Alsfeld were paratroopers dropped to secure the road bridge. Either way, things north of Frankfurt were looking bad as this Soviet spearhead had made a deep penetration of approaching sixty miles since the attack started.

6th US Armored’s difficulties had opened up the road through Fulda and Soviet troops were already in combat in Geinhausen with the steadfast 7th US Armored Division, who were being pressed hard and preparing to fall back to a second line at Hanau. This was not an ideal defensive force as tank units were better preserved for offence but, in this case, the need was great as the attacking Soviet forces included a large number of armoured vehicles and the road to Frankfurt would be laid bare without the Lucky Seventh.

Eisenhower interrupted gently but firmly, calling a halt to the briefing and beckoning forward a one-armed infantry Colonel whose chest indicated the booty and the baggage of many exchanges in the service of his country.

“Harry, we will be shifting our headquarters by tomorrow at 1800, handing over control to 12th Army Group, all personnel to be gone by 2300 latest. Get it sorted, advance party to get the new site prepared as best it can be. Organise some night air to shift us pronto. I want it to be up and running by 0300 latest. Any questions?”

None forthcoming, the Colonel departed to set the wheels in motion.

“My apologies. Carry on John.”

Matters around and south of Nurnberg were a lot trickier it seemed.

89th US Infantry had been pushed back to Schweinfurt but was in good order, despite losing a full company of riflemen to Soviet flame-throwing tanks in the failed defence of Munnerstadt.

76th US Infantry had been battered back to Hochstadt and Erlangen but had managed to keep a tenuous hold on the right flank of the 89th.

6th Cavalry had fallen back to Erlangen, 14th Cavalry displacing to Altdorf, east of Nurnberg.

9th US Armored and 9th US Infantry had been withdrawing all night and many of the 9th Infantry’s units were crammed into the defensive perimeter of Nurnberg itself. 9th Armored units were passed on through to reassemble around Ansbach to the south-west. The intention was to make the division available to hit back if possible.

In addition, Ike noted 12th US Armored units moving into a line centring on Bad Windsheim, probably for the same purpose.

16th US Armored had not managed to hold and was totally ineffective, its units split up and without proper leadership, resulting in disorganised but bitter clashes throughout the whole area east of Nurnberg. Some modest resistance seemed to be in place on the main highway but Soviet troops were already through Amberg and fifteen miles further west, having relieved paratroopers dropped the day before to secure the bridges over the Vils, a major tributary of the Donau.

Regensburg was still the scene of bitter fighting as elements of the 99th US Infantry, supported by stragglers from 16th Armored and 102nd Cavalry, strove to hold back the 5th Guards Tank Army driving in from the northeast and a portion of 2nd Shock Army that had sub-divided at Wernberg and was now hammering at the city from the north.

90th US Infantry were under pressure on the Donau line, just holding at Straubling and Deggendorf. 26th US Infantry were still bloodying the Soviet drive at Passau, but at a cost. It had been detected that Vilshofen to the west was undefended and a reduced Regimental Combat Team [RCT] was being quickly switched to defend the river crossings there.

Linz was under immense pressure, with street fighting of great intensity going on all night in the southern suburbs. Units of the 65th and 80th  US Infantry divisions were engaged in hard fighting and it was this and the situation south of Linz that meant that the victors of Kefermarkt had to withdraw. More than that, the corps commander was trying to disengage all of the 11th US Armored to act as his reserve, ready to prop up Passau, Linz or Wels if needed, or as everyone thought, when needed.

Steyr had fallen in the night but not without a serious fight with the 80th US Infantry, from which unit the report was that a Soviet Cavalry unit had been bled dry.

In general there had been some night bombing by Soviet aviation regiments but nothing of note, and Mosquito NF30’s from the Amiens based 219 Squadron RAF had had some rare success, getting in amongst some PE-3m night fighters and shooting down ten without loss.