It’s late in the day on 26th June 1944, and Operation Martlet was still well short of its objectives: The British attack had been unable to get past phase line Walrus, having been stopped cold at the farm at St Nicholas several times. Now running out of time before nightfall on the second day of […]
Tag: chain-of-command
18
Nov
08
2016
Operation Martlet Game 8: Back to St Nicholas
The sun was dipping low in the sky above Normandy and the shadows were getting long as the German defenders watched for signs of movement in the orchards. It was the second day of the latest British offensive, Operation Martlet. A rapid British push had expelled the Germans from the village up the road, Fontenay-le-Pesnel […]
7
Oct
04
2016
Operation Martlet Game 7: Another Attack on the Hauptkampflinie
The British troops were well dug in on the outskirts of the French town of Fontenay. Twice already they’d thrown back German assaults on their line, and twice the British had tried to go back on the offensive and been beaten. The grand advance of Operation Martlet had broken down into a series of tit-for-tat […]
5
Aug
16
2016
Operation Martlet Game 6: Striking at St Nicholas Again
The British infantry worked quietly through the orchards north of St Nicholas. It was mid-morning, and after the last 12 hours of constant German counter-attacks it felt good to be out of their slit trenches and advancing, taking ground from Jerry. Bayonets were fixed, tank engines could be heard not far behind, and the Germans had taken […]
3
Jun
28
2016
Operation Martlet Game 5: The Punch from Wünsche
Day 2 of Operation Martlet dawned with the town of Fontenay firmly in British hands. A strong German counter-attack at the end of the previous day had pinned the British in the town but been unable to retake any ground. As the British stood to in the pre-dawn and watched the first rays of sun […]
