Firestorm: Stripes

The Welsh Cavalry made contact with the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR) of the US VII Corps. The Group Commander had received a hand delivered note to “immediately go to Radio silence and hold, Hand the battle space over to the 2nd ACR, prepare for movement.”

The UK 3rd Armour Division Commander arrived by Lynx helicopter and took away the Group Commander and S-3 with no further information. The Group 2IC walked over to were Squadrons and Company Commanders and told them, “Gentlemen were are under radio lessen silence as of right now, I need you to prepare for movement, be back in 2 hours with your personnel and maintenance status”

2 Hours later there were given there assemble location and march orders, an hour before dusk the Tank transports started to arrive, both British, American, and even a few Germans! Next morning their were meet by the Group Commander, who informed them that they were now just North of Minden!

The 3rd Division S-3 and S-2 gave a situation update brief to assemble officer of the 4th Brigade.

The S-2 was quick and to the point we are facing 20th Guards Army Group made up of 3 Russian Motorized Rifle Division (MRD) and from East German a Tank Division and MRD. The 20th may have a second Tank Division from the 1st Guards Tank Army. No change in type of equipment we will face.

The S-3 gave the situation, “In NORTHAG both Hamburg and Bremen had been overrun by the 2nd Guards Tank Army. The Dutch I Corps along with the German I Corps were able to hold in Amsterdam and were conducting limited counter attacks. The British II Corps was able to just hold the Ruhr. The British I Corps held Hanover against the odds and hold limited advance into Leipzig by our Division”.

In the background, someone said “Is that what you called limited? Hell, we were North East of Leipzig!” The group laughed.

The S-3 continued on

“And In CENTAG, Fulda was overrun, the German 3rd Corps fall back to Frankfurt with elements of US V Corps screen forces and was barely holding . The remaining elements of US V Corps moved south behind US VII Corps. The German II Corps was able to hold the Czech force in Hof. The arrival of US round brigades and the US III Corps, The US moved all there forces into a CENTAG in order to conduct a counter attack into East German.

Once the US forces were in place they launch an Attack in Leipzig! The 1st Cavalry Division two Brigades didn’t move into CENTAG, they are the Strategic reserve for NORTHAG. They are presently location behind British II Corps”. This end the S-3 brief and the 3rd Armour Division Commander took over.

“Gentlemen, In order to stabilize the front elements of the Belgium, Dutch and German National call up have been moved to the Ruhr. The German II Corps transfered a Panzer Grenadier Division to German III Corps to keep Frankfurt from falling.”

“And now for the our British I Corps, we are realigned facing North with 1st Armour on the right or East flank, 4th Amour in the middle, and our 3rd on the lift or West flank. The 2nd Infantry Division will cover the rear area. To balance the forces the 3rd Amours Division, 19th Infantry Brigade is being swapped for the 4th Armour Divisions 33rd Armour Brigade. This will give each Division two armour brigades with a supporting infantry Brigade.”

The Greys were now part of the 3rd Armour Division!

“Yes Gentlemen were advancing into Hamburg! Our Division lead by Battle Group Union will kick off tonight at 2300. At the Same time the US 2nd Marine Division will attack Northern Hamburg from the Atlantic. Once our force link up with the Marines, the Russian will be encircled and cut off. To make sure the Russian stay in place the force in Amsterdam and the Ruhr will conduct limited attacks. Gentlemen that’s the plan, we don’t stop advancing until will link up with those Marines”

The 3rd Amour Division Commander wants a “running” battle to deny the WARSAW PAC force a chance to regroup! Major Reilly thought.

Then Major Reilly thought to Himself. “We just pulled a Patton with a MacArthur on the Russian! If the plan works as stated?”

The 3rd Division Commander told the group that the operation was called Sky hook!

Operation Sky Hook.

The 3rd Armour Commander kept Battle Group Union together with some minor changes.

Union would be built around the last remaining Welch Cavalry Squadron – Alpha, The Irish Guards provide a full strength Bravo Company with support from the 17th/21st Lancer in there Still brews, The Greys would provide their Left Center Squadron at full strength (Charlie to everyone else) support from the Royal Scots. Union’s primary artillery support would come from the Division M109 Battery.

The plan was simple is concept.

Starting at 0100 hours Advance North East from Minden into Southern Hamburg until contact was made, then bypass and continue to advance until contact was made with the US Marine force coming from the North.

The Queens Welch Cavalry would travel with 1st troop, then 2nd troop followed by 3rd troop. The HQ, FO and Blow pipe section would be next. Then the 4th Troop (Anti-Tank), 5th Troop (Infantry) and finally the Greys 11th troop with their Chieftain mix.

At the Line of Debarkation 1st Troop went cross country due North East, The 2nd Troop took the lead and remain on the road followed by the Battle Group, At the next Y intersection 2nd Troop turn North East along the road toward a small farm house and a four way cross road. , 3rd Troop continued to travel North West on the road. HQ and the FOO followed 3rd Troop; The Blowpipe section broke off to cover the Battle Group. 4th Troop took up position on the high ground just North East of the Blow pipes. From here they could cover tow of the three area were the Russian force could come from. 5th and 11th troop held back to remain flexible

Just as 1st troops crossed the road just south of the four way intersection when they saw flash’s to north, followed by 2rd Troop reporting Contact to their North West and North East. The Cross road was defend! 1st Troop turns North West and began to engage, accounting for at least two destroyed wheeled vehicles. 2nd troop return fire and the Troop leader called down a pre plotted fire. The HQ went to ground and the FOO went to high ground to the North West to get a better view. The 5th Troop turned North East cross country and moved along the South side of a ridge line. The 11th Troop moved to support 2nd Troop if call forward.

As the sun was rising in the East the 3rd Troop turned to the North East and started down a farm road when they saw Hind D’s, four of them! Two went down in blaze of smoke to due missile fired by the blowpipes to the South East! The other two strafed the 3rd Troop then flew off to the North. They had 13B out of action. She would be recovered and required minor repairs

2nd Troop had gotten the better of the Russian accounting for five to seven wheeled vehicles! There from the tree line, a Company of T-64 opened up on them destroying or disabling three!

1st Troop found infantry and there BTR 60 advancing South East then turned to South West to engage the 1st Troop! The 1st Troop thru direct fire and Artillery would take out three or four more vehicles and about twenty infantry dead or wounded.

The Hind D come from the West and again were meet by the Blowpipes, Destroying one and driving the other off.

The 3rd Troop had already moved of the the North East and was about to flank the Russian force at the cross road! Do to commos problem the command didn’t know where 3rd Troop was? They account for at least two or three wheeled vehicles claimed by the 4th and 11th Troop

The 4th Troop found there targets in the wood line destroyed two out right and a probable on a third. Major Shaw called the 11th Troop forward, as they were moving down the valley a Strike to their South East went up in a blaze from a AT-4 Spigot missile! The FOO immediately brought down Artillery on them!

The combined fire from the 4th Troop and 11th Troop drove off the mobile elements of the Russian.

The Russians in full retreat, I don’t believe for a minute?

Major Shaw looked down at his map, had they found a hole in the Russian line?

He knew his would not be the last battle