Essex Regiment Campaign

[brucha]

Note: I had begun a Long Campaign back in the spring, but some inexplicable crash occurred with my SPWAW file, and was forced to delete the entire game from my laptop. So, unfortunately, I lost my saved game files that were useless. I now must restart the campaign from the start.

I am playing with all realistic preferences on, and giving the enemy at least 300 extra points each battle.

5th Battalion, Essex Regiment
Col Ainsworth

Catania, Sicily
1600 Hours
August 26, 1943

Following the disastrous airdrop at Catania and the subsequent Axis counter-attack, old Monty’s Eighth Army's drive toward Catania and Gerbini have begun to get bogged down in heavy fighting. The 5th Bn, Essex Regiment has been ordered forward to stop an Italian counter-attack in the sector. Expecting a number of enemy armour to participate in the attack, a squadron from the 44th Royal Tank Regiment is attached to the 5th Bn as armour support, consisting of 2 troops of Stuart I Light Tanks and a troop of Humber Armoured Cars.

Thankfully, the ground we are deployed on in a good bit of defensive ground. A long, narrow ridge runs perpendicular from the road, giving a good field of fire all along my front. A Company is positioned on the north flank, while B and C Companies lie flanking the road in the center. Lastly, D Company is guarding the south flank. The enemy build-up gives the chaps ample time to improve their positions somewhat, so that a steady line of foxholes are ready early that afternoon for the coming assault.

[brucha]

1600 Hours



Almost immediately, a number of CL-35’s recon tanks and SMV assault guns, supported by infantry and engineers are spotted some 600 meters out from my line. Not wanting to make the enemy’s advance an easy one, I begin plotting artillery fire to hamper the Italian advance.

Within minutes, the enemy attack develops along my center and southern flank - Captain Fenton of D Company and Captain Billings of B Company reports spotting the major force of attacking Italians positioned to attack my southern flank, with a weaker supporting attack driving along the road towards B and C Companies.

Right on schedule, my 75mm and 25 pounder howitzers begin shelling the advancing Italians north of the road quite effectively. Through the barrage, the Italian CL-35’s surge forward down the road, only to come under fire from 1Lt Ferris and his troop of Stuarts dug in along the road. One of the recon tanks is destroyed before it can get even a single shot off.

To the south, the advancing Italian armour runs directly into D Company dug in along the long, narrow ridge on my southern flank. The Italians are caught by heavy fire from the Humbers dug at my extreme flank in the south, taking out a CL-35, and another two destroyed by my men in surprise assaults from their fortified positions.



By 1625 hours, the armour attack along the road and on my southern flank has been completely stopped - the ground along the road and in front of D Company, and along the road in my center, is littered with 15 enemy vehicles. A single SMV was able to overrun D Company but ultimate was taken out by close assaults before the attack could have been exploited. The advancing Italian Line Infantry are severely hampered by my highly accurate artillery and mortar barrages, preventing them from supporting the armour attack at all.

However, the last remaining SMV advanced along the road, giving the haggard Italian infantry some well-needed support fire - a radio report from 1Lt Ferris frantically tells of 9 separate direct hits in only a few minutes on the SMV from his Stuarts and surviving, but not before destroying one of his fortified Stuarts.

With the enemy armour neutralized, the Italian infantry form up to advance on my position around 1635 hours. Unfortunately, without armour support and no artillery, the advance is slow going at best. I don't think I have much to worry about how this assault is developing thus far.

[brucha]

1700 Hours

By the end of the second hour, the plight of the Italian infantry advance is dire and all but stalled. The infantry would form up and advance along the road and towards D Company, only to be torn apart by my artillery and mortars and accurate rifle fire from my men. Three times the Italians regroup and advance to attack, only to end up being pushed back with losses. At no time can the enemy get within 100 meters of my position in force.

Despite the lack of armour and artillery support, the Italian commander seems determined to leave most of his men dead or dying on this battlefield, despite the fact that his infantry has little to no chance to sustaining any sort of attack on my postions at this point.

To accurately portray the devastation rained down on the Italians, most of my platoon mortar teams had ran out of ammo by 1720 hours, leaving only my 75mm and 25 pdrs left to continue the deadly barrage.

By the closing of the battle's second hour, the Italian attack is all but destroyed; every couple of minutes, a ragged group of infantry sections would try desperately to advance, only to be torn apart in turn. I am thankful that the Italian commander finally calls off the attack by 1810 hours, pulling back in total defeat.

In the end, 5th Bn lost 51 men and 3 vehicles, whereas the enemy suffered a staggering 260+ men lost and 16 vehicles destroyed. A decisive victory for Col. Ainsworth and the Essex Regiment.