H&L Ingouf farm, 2th Scenario of Carentan

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This is the attack of the paratroopers of the 101st division, under Lieutenant Colonel Robert George Cole, against the Ingouf farm and the bridge over the Madeleine river of the road that links St. Come du Mont with Carentan, defended by the paratroopers 6th Fallschirmjäger-Division of Von der Heydte.

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Carentan, June 11th 1944, Coles Charge.
On June 9th, German regulars along with many Fallschirmjäger abandoned positions in Pont du Douve.
They had done well to hold the American advance for so long but under heavy pressure from strong probing assaults, they were forced to move south. After destroying their heavy weapons, they used explosives to destroy the most northerly of the 4 bridges over the Douve. They then headed south to join the new front line. It was now a waiting game to see when the Americans would try to take the Carentan causeway.

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In an old wine cellar on the outskirts of Carentan was the Regimental dressing station. It was here that the Regimental Doctor, Dr. Roos and the Battalion doctors of the 2nd & 3rd Battalions operated around the clock. Along with two captured American doctors they treated more than 1000 wounded American, German, Georgian soldiers and French civilians in a 24 hour period.
The regiment held its new front line without artillery, tank or Luftwaffe support. Ammunition became scare, in particular Mortar and machine-gun ammo. Artillery ammo was plentiful but they had no guns.
The thinly spread 6th Fallschirmjäger defended their positions north of Carentan with what ammo they had left. Mines were hastily placed to try to slow the probing attacks by American forces who were poised to breakthrough to Carentan, their next objective.

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In early hours of June 10th, US Paratroops reconnoitered the flooded marshland either side of the causeway to find weaknesses in the German defenses. Many casualties were caused by MG and sniper fire from the islolated groups in the marshland, from Ingouf Farm and from Fallschirmjäger dug into the southern end of the causeway.
In the morning of June 10th, Ingouf farm and its surrounding buildings were subjected to a massive artillery barrage. This appeared to VDH to be the prelude for an assault but nothing happened. Only an American offer of surrender was forthcoming to which he replied, "What would you do in my place".
A supply column from 84 Korps brought in French mortar ammo late on June 10th, but it was the wrong caliber. During the night of June 10th/11th, JU52's dropped Mortar and MG ammunition. Even re-supply could not stop the inevitable.

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Robert Cole was the commander of the 3rd battalion of 502th Paratroopers Regiment and was a fearless leader. During the night of D-Day he used a torch to look at the map without using something to put over the map to stop the light from showing. This is an example of his fearlessness.
From the 9th June to the 11th June the 3rd battalion 502th Paratroopers Regiment battled from Dead Mans Corner to this spot along a single road causeway. The Germans way flooded each side of the cause so the only way to advance was along the open causeway. The causeway were very few trees to give the men cover. To make things worse the Germans were firing on the men from either side of the causeway wounding and killing many of the men. When Cole and the remaining men of the battalion reached, bridge 4 there was less than a Company of men left.

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Late in the afternoon of June 10, the third battalion of 502th Paratroopers Regiment, preceded by an artillery barrier, he advanced along the road, but soon fell under the fire of German machine guns, becoming an easy target when advancing almost in column on a front limited to the road. After barely advancing, the paratroopers encountered a new obstacle in the form of one of the so-called Belgian Doors, which blocked the road making it impossible to go further. They managed to open a step in the obstacle, but only allowed the passage of a single man and the progression was paralyzed. The fight continued until late at night, and was marked by the attack of two aircraft of the Luftwaffe, something extraordinary in those days in the skies of Normandy.
At dawn, about 250 American paratroopers had reached the last bridge over the Madeleine River, dominated by the Ingouf Farm. The Germans were held up in the farmhouse so Cole knew the only way to get them out was to charge the 200+ meters to the farmhouse across open ground.

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Early on the 11th June he sent for artillery to lay a smoke cover over the field to give the men cover. At 06:15, Colonel Cole and Major John Stopka ordered his men to fix bayonets and led a 70-parachute bayonet charge against the farm, occupied by a superior force in number. When the smoke was thick, enough Cole charged and ordered the men to follow. Cole was only armed with a pistol and kept charging towards the farmhouse. He picked up a weapon of a fallen trooper and carried on. With bullets flying and men getting hit the survivors eventually reached the farmhouse.
The cargo was successful and the farm was taken, but the loss of third battalion of 502th Paratroopers Regiment had been so high that it had to be reinforced by first battalion of 502th Paratroopers Regiment.

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Even today, most of the farm buildings remain and there is very clear evidence of bullet marks on the outer walls of the farm.
Robert Cole received the Medal of Honour for the bayonet charge. He received it posthumously because he was killed in Best by a sniper when he was putting identification plates out in a field so the US fighter planes could see that they were friendly forces.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of the Congress the Medal of Honour to Lt. Colonel Robert G. Cole.

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Second screen of introduction to the scenario "Ingouf farm", of the Historical Module Carentan

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Third screen of introduction to the scenario "Ingouf farm", of the Historical Module Carentan

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fourth screen of introduction to the scenario "Ingouf farm", of the Historical Module Carentan

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Fifth screen of introduction to the scenario "Ingouf farm", of the Historical Module Carentan

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The second scenario for the historical module Carentan, of Heroes and Leaders mod, Ingouf farm, is already available at the "threah":

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4374224#

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Carentan Ingouf expansion coming soon

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Expansion Carentan Ingouf is coming

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Carentan Ingouf farm expansion is American Eagles La Fiere scenario