This will not be an usual AAR, more like a colourfull story [;)], detailed - focused on close look of brave man struggle for city Rabat on Malta.
Malta , Summer´41:
Rabat is the City laying South on Malta.
In scenario variant, the early German drops are also on the South-East. And City Rabat is the first obvious target for those landing troops.
[/img]German drops are the X´s, and the City is "opened" from the start. The Nearest Allied forces are marked V´s.
Fallshrimjeäger Regiment 2 commanded by Oberst Alfred Sturm, and Major Schultz was directed for the sector
The second wave of the German forces in this sector was expected to be on the ground at 1800 D1,
By this time the City is secured in orginal Wehrmacht commanders plan. And the combined task force schould start the advance North.
So the first German landing forces, had to secure the City before eavening,
Garmans, from the dropzones have about 2km´s to the City,
while the nearest Alied forces have about 4 (forces defending Ta Kali Airfield are excluded option, as the are definitly forbidden to leave the Airfied at any circumstances).
So 4 km´s is the distance to be made by Allies.
German need to regroup after landings, giving the opportunity to grab the City first for Allies.
Though the forces are limited for this task..
For the task 2 batallions from Fallshrimjeäger Regt 2 was assigned
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[/img]Actually, the core of German Army. Well trained , agressive, expierienced combat machines, who will not hacitate...
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Playing the rolle of Allied high command Ive decided to give a fight for that City.
As mentioned, the forces defending Ta Kali Airfield are denyied from the operation by absolute order.
So the forces to disposal for the task was actually 1 full Battalion (wich had to be drawn down from the Northern coast)
+ 2 unfull Batallions allready in the aera.
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[/img]The Manchester Regt marked by V-center ,ocupying Musta is the one - actually in position to grab the City first.
Without a Mortar Coy, and D-Coy (wich had been leaved well entrenched in the back) this unexpierienced unit will about to take the responsibillity for the City center itself.
Some parts of this Regiment (with great historical waight for the British) , had tasted the Fall Gelb ending in Dunkirk. Unfortunetly the one part here is pretty much fresh.. And lets say.. Withouth a match for the German FJ.
So part of ww2 hell in good fashion for them..
Marked red is the Royal Irish Fusiliers Batalion wich are about to arrive from the coast. This is the one full Battalion wich will take part in this.
[/img]Presenting itself better than the Brits from Manchester, reflecting the Irish spirit - but as the Brits, lacks the rest...........
One serious unit, schould be the Hampshire force.
The unit had some expierience in Africa.. Mostly securing there the Garison, but.. always something..
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Both sides are pretty ewenly equiped.
With Mausers, and Lee Enfields letting the sides to project fairly accurate inf fire to about 300m.
And Mgs allowing for about 750m.
-Altrough the German Ammunition Bandoleers (specialy designed for FJ) containing two-of ten pockets, allowing them to cary more ammunition.
+ 50 % more than the Allied standard. -The actual Fallshrimjeäger Battalion is able to cary about 15000 rounds of 7.92m, and about 5200 of 9m with Allied Bn :about 10200 303in and 2300 for Thompson.
-Machine guns are also evenly mached, though the MG 34 allowing Germans to fire long, 20round series.
-Mortars are to discusion, as the 5m German tube is able to make an impressive rate of fire from 15 to 20 per minute , with the Alied 2inchonly 8. But the ammunition for this type of weapon carried by Allies at this time is almost 100% more than germans..
So the rapid German shelling dont have to be an advantage. It depends on the situation I gues..
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Now the are seem to be 3 approach options for the FJ troops
[/img]-2nd - the central seem to be the most covered , and safest, but also most obvious, and with the perspective of long line to center of the city trough urban combat.
-Both 1, and 3 bypassing the branches of center approach, but have the road with possible LOS for the enemy..
As for defending the city..
-Stepouts to in fron of the City seem to be excluded trough number of force avaliable at the very begining, and risk, that the Germans will regroup some units faster than predicted, lunch them earlier, and those will be waiting covering those scattered trees with a suprise.
- The front of the City itself is possible, but the risk is to be easily bypassed.
So below is the force allocation plan for Rabat.
[/img]"Manchesters" to take the city deep. With the major objective to guard the Northern exit roads from the City.
"Hampshire" acting as an "outside-command" -on the flank, covering the river line, with one Coy stone-entrenched at the Imtaria Barracks - with the important task to prevent bypassing the city trugh the neck.
"Irish Fusiliers" are expected to arrive from Northern-West at about 12:00.
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BATTLE ITSELF
7:00
-Orders was spread to the battalions who will take part in defence of the City.
7:30
-Activity of enemy aircraft over Southern Malta.
8:15
-First landings were sighted in the aera.
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9:50 , 10:02
First Manchester units , and Hampshire Bn units raports of reaching their objectives.
10:23
First German units spooted approaching the Hampshire positions.
[/img]Atmosphere getting thick , as the Germans advancing confident. First fire contact tooked place at about 10:35
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11:25
Germans heading hard for the Eastern approach. Thretning with a will to completly bypass the city.
Putting preassure on Recon. They are locating the Hampsire mortar positions. Laying fire on it..
[/img]-At this point there are also aware of heavy dense of units ocupying the City.
They had first wave of Stukas allready in the air heading towards the aera. RAF plains was engadged in combat West. So for the 2 FJ Regt it was simple as - Coordinates - Confirm - Result.
Aerial attack reached Hampshire mortars with a deadly strike..
2 of 3 Eastern mortar positions was completly destroyed.. and the Coy fleed in panick.
Rest of Hampshire Bn stayed in.. Strenghten by A Coy.. Not thinking about leaving the positions.
Irish arrived at Luna Asylum.. and the rapid order for them was delivered to enter the city from West, and engage German back with ofenssive stepout.
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The advancing German spearhead, aware of Alied positions had stoped before Military Hospital, and for two more hours entrenching their positions with no ofenssive attitude, trying to cut the Hampshire "outside-command".
13:44
After this was done.. They started a move on the city from behind the curtain..
[/img]Meeting them in the City, are the A, and C Coys of Manchester regt.
One Coy was sended in by the Germans.. very agressive one.
You can see the suppression level of one of the units lunching sky high when with close contact with Fallshrimjeägers.
30 MPs-40/ per unit marking its domination in short-range urban combat
Furious attack, and it was no dubt that the fresh Brits wont handle it long.
[/img]Routing tooked place few minutes after (13:47)
[/img]and the second unit held ..few minutes more [:'(] under this preassure.
It tooked about 10 minutes for single German FJ (later examined as 2.1 FJ Coy)
to force to retreat 2 of Allied units guarding the entrance to the City.. It was a scarry perspective..
And earlier established Irish move was the only hope at this time..
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13:59
And the FJ Coy tooked control of the main town road.
LtCol of Manchester regt at this time desperately tryed to arrange some arty soupport.
Hampshire Mor Coy was far away, and couldnt be consiered in this one.
[/img]Irish Bn command had responded that their Mortars could be used shortly. And layed an order for immidate deployning.
Also main Arty of Western sector (wich had been very busy shelling the East - main Axis landings) had offered their fire , but only for 30 mins.
And Mor Coy from the Kali Airfield could fire on the town without friendly units presence.
So 12 - 25 pdr Mk 2 guns opened fire.. Alligning with Irish Mor Coy, and the fire from mortars from Airfield - produced a major obstacle for Axis ambitios.
[/img]Irish also sended one of their units to soupport struggling Manchester boys.
Hampshire Bn A Coy also decided to take the matter in their own hands.. Prepearing for the attack on neck.
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German command was furious.. Had to withraw its FJ Coy (replacing it though by another, but at western corner of the town, without further advance)
Not thinking long.. The Manchester C Coy.. who had panicked, and pulled out earlier (with no losses!) feeling confident now[8|], with the D Irish Coy advancing along had started to regain their positions)
Manchester A (the one that stayed longer facing the Germans lost 9 men, and 2 Bren LMGs) and not really rushing in there..
[/img]German anger thouh resulted in action - they obviously requested another air soupport - and got it.
As about 40 min later the specific sound covered the sky..
I know this music..
[/img]And they had hit directly Irish Mortar positions...
[/img]wasting 3 of our guys.. with painfull losses of the equipment. Truck with ammunition had stand on fire.. with one of 2 mortars lost.
Thought that couldn stop the Irish advance down..
(You can see the "brave" C.8M ewentualy when lost its cover (Irish D coy turned direction to its own task) havnt reached their positions[8D] - Its just too much for those pussys from Manchester to cruze without a mummy there/.
So Again -in the center - C.8M and the Irish "B" had to handle the case)----------------------------------------------------
14:50
But ewentually "The brave C" arm by arm with Irish "B", had made another step-out to meet the FJ. Soupporting them from distance ofcourse [8|][;)]
Germans ovcourse tooked it. And went deep in to the fog. Hand to hand combat developed on the streets!
[/img]A.8M Coy was turned back, to cover the railroad station, while German FJ 2.2 Coy has advanced forward in connection to the city with some threats.
There were really no choice, and the
"B" Manchester had been given the ticket for a tour on the city..
..Meanwhile Irish encountered mortar fire at the outskirts of the town. Seeing Germans deploying their ATs to command the center road.
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So the brief of the situation to the highest command at 1500 would be:
-Town in controll, Both - Hampshire and Manchester Bns handling their objectives
-Initial German push: 12a.m.-14.p.m resulted with a breaktrough - Stoped at 14 p.m by arty fire, 15p.m. secondary push underway - initialy covered with Inf stepouts.
Irish Bn engaged in ofenssive operation.
No major Inf casualties.. Equipment loss trough Stuka attacks. Both flanks lacking mortars, relying only on partial soupport.
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Comment: Have to say.. The AI plan to cut the flank was suprisingly good. Their suffered some casualties in this at the begining, but when the push on the city was initiated Town was left only with Manchester..
They only just couldnt predict the Irish there.....
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16:00
The German Fj 2.1 is engaged in close combat for the main road with Irish "B" and Manch "C". 2.2 FJ penetrationg the East of the city, covered by a head of Eastern curtain (positioned in forest before the Military Hospital)
The 2.1 put up a good fight in the center - the result could go eather way, but the Irish advance to Southern outskirsts of the Town is what made the diffrence..
Now Germans found themselfs fighting at 3 sites.. And just couldnt handle this.
[/img]16:24
Center FJ advance was ewentually had been given an order to abandon the action.
Irish stepout is directed marked (red) German unit wich was earlier examined as a Eng Unit.. equiped with Flamethrowers.. The goal for the Irish is to not let them in to the building aera with those throwers..
At this time - Hampshire "A" has tooked abandoned position near Military Hospital
Will not about to stay there - as from the start Ive consider it as a dangerous place to be.
Shortly the had been given an order to withraw to the Hospital aera.
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Irish recived a reminder to draw it mild. As their spirit tooked the reins.
Germans though was not done yet..
Theyve pulled back to the hill - and then bounced back HARD on the Eastern flank.
Shortly Hampshire had full hands.. Their "A" was still in gained position, prepearing foir the withrawal, when they found German FJ Coy appeared in front of their faces..
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The whole thing was to just shut the mouth of the North outside, so the Germans could focus on the Eastern river line..
Two Hamp Coys faced an advancing group..
Though their positions seem vonuarble..
[/img]The Germans havnt got a clear LOS on them..
while Both Ald coys had a pretty good one.
[/img]So it had to result in some kills on German advance..
Sturm.. or Schultz (because if Sturm ever will arrive, it will probobly later) had been desperated to grab something on this first day... anything... he just had to.
So it wasnt a matter of losses for him at this time I think..
Wasnt a dubt for me that the 2 Hampshires will not handle the positions.. As the positions was not designed to do so with such odds.
Was in fact a good perspective for the Allies to swich preassure..
Hampshire is the only one, say .."ready" for such action.
Well.. at least I guesed so...
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18:00
Boys of Hampshire engagdeg in serios of German advances on their position.. Their holding..
The mark over the "i" was taken again by Luftwaffe.
[/img]The Air attack wastet a number of 10 Infantry, with Bren Lmgs in number of 3 loster. That eventualy forced Hamp units to withraw behind the river..
Was no suprise..
What was shocking that some of the soldiers of this Batallion (considered to be the "serious one") raised their hands , and give themself up to the Germans.. [X(][:-]
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[/img]This baunced to be a big "wow" within our lines.. Schould be no suprise after a general briefing reached the soldiers , flowing with words "Two options are up to YOu, -Surrender to the Germans, or fight and WIN".. Some cholos seemd to just lost their faith under the commanding wings of german Stuka.. They just saw enough..
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Meanwhile, the second German wave was arriving on the fields 3 kms from the city.. Among them.. probobly Major Alfred Sturm..
[/img]what a sweet suprise to him must be to hear from his adjutant "Herr Sturm! The British still are in the controll of the Town.. Two of our attempts failed.. Though we did succeed in pushing back British flank.." /and right the town is standing, though without a flanking guard - but a fair trade for me (and ill get to that)
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It was the eavening now..
FJ, as the ball get back after bounce, decided that their done enough on the West side of the city, and didnt give a chace to the Hampshire.. Got back to their aera on the hill facing the Town.
Forces in the town, still expected a 3rd push lefted their recon at the borders, but the rumour was that the Germans had enough for today..
What a relief... covered with a feeling of succes.
[/img]SlowSunSet.. Both forces licking their wounds
Though the morale among my troops staing at good level..
The log of Irish "A" unit.. the force wich has done the most in this (getting down in to the face of the Germans) speaking for it self.
[/img]From the time of their most dense combats at South-End, by almost 3 hours duration of the offence.. They only suffered casualties twice. And thats just ...IRISH
Allied losts after this long day could be count in:
about 30 men
2 trucks, 3 heavy mortars (that was painfull) and some Inf equipment such as: 4 or 5 Bren LMgs
(most of equipment was taken out by Luftaffe)
(good to mark, that Thompsons here apeared to be a kiss of god as those who had them in their hands all made it safe trough this - not any Thmompson was droped)
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Stategic analyse at the state of 21:30
[/img]would state that despite the highm morale, the troops are faightred. Especially the Irish..
The flank is opened (not guarded by the Germans)
But Sturm apparently turned it focus East.. as seen.. most of his troops are spooted arranging there..
So to big consideration had to be taken a matter of withrawal the troops at early morning, after getting them the night in Town..
Theyv made their job.. Well..
