A rustle of a uniform behind them turned out to be Sergeant Rose.
“Good to see you, Sergeant Rose.”
Sergeant Rose saluted. “Likewise, sir. We were starting to feel a bit isolated up here.”
“You’ll be joined by the rest of the unit shortly. Got your map?”
“Sir.” Rose pulled out his map and laid it on the front next to his platoon commander’s.
“I’ll need to be quick. We effectively have a heliborne assault here and here. East of Eime, south-west of Elze, and east of Sehlde. The first wave is down, and we believe it to be the elements of two battalions. One targeting north-west of Gronau, the other the south-west.”
“This side of the river, sir?” Sergeant Rose asked.
“Yes. We expect a second wave as soon as their heli-force can do a turnaround. 22nd Brigade have two combat teams centred on Elze and Banteln, and a reserve combat team in the area of Eime.”
“They should already be hitting the enemy from all sides then, sir,” suggested Dean.
“Yes, they seem to have responded quickly. The issue is they are cutting off elements of Combat Team Bravo on the other side of the river. Combat Teams Alpha and Delta have been hitting the enemy on the other side of the river as they’ve tried to flank left and right around Gronau. They have had to reduce this to deal with the more immediate threat.”
“Can’t they pull them back?”
“Blow the bridge, sir?” added Rose.
“If they pull them back, the enemy will have Gronau and will be threatening the bridge. We may well have to blow it up and leave our men behind, but at the moment Brigadier Stewart is holding firm. His intention is to push Combat Team Charlie straight down the middle, splitting the enemy forces on the ground and actually reinforcing Bravo. Elements of Bravo this side of the river will then cross to support the troops on the eastern bank.”
“Who’s defending Gronau itself then, sir?”
“Elements of Bravo and a local Bundeswehr unit, a company of about 100 men, maybe more. They’ll put up a fight, but can’t be expected to hold out for long.”
“The RAF?”
“They’re in a pitched battle with the Soviet air force at the moment. This area is clearly getting a great deal of attention, Sergeant. Both sides are throwing aircraft into the battle, and until that resolves itself, we can’t expect too much help.”
“What about us then, sir?” questioned Rose.
“The Soviet airborne west of Benstort and east of Benstort clearly have a purpose. We think it is to hold the gap open between the high ground of Thuster to the south and Osterwald to the north. We expect the westernmost unit, probably in battalion strength when it gets here, to send a large force towards Coppenbrugge, extending their coverage of the gap.”
Dean tapped the map in three places. “Push through Gronau, pass around Benstort, and up through Coppenbrugge.”
“Exactly. Your task, Dean, and I’m giving you three-platoon in addition, is to hold Marienau. It straddles the road here. Keep that valley open, but watch out as they will no doubt try to flank you.”
“Understood, sir.”
“What’s left of three-platoon, sir? Like us, they’re pretty beat up,” Rose enquired.
“I have amalgamated their three surviving sections into two. You can use their third 432 for the Milan firing posts, and you have your mortar team.”
“Milan won’t be much use, sir.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Dean. The heliborne assaults are landing BMDs, and at least one ASU-85 has been seen with the southern parachute force. I will take two-platoon and Company HQ south-east, towards Hemmendorf. The rest of the Battlegroup will be deploying here at Mehle. Combat Team Charlie and Combat Team Delta will move towards Benstort, and Combat Team Bravo will go south, then swing north-east through Salzhemmendorf.”
“Christ, we’ll be all over the place. Sorry, sir,” apologised Rose.
“I wish I could disagree with you, Sarn’t Rose, but you’re right. But, we have to contain them. If this is a full brigade assault, then we’ll have over 2,000 heavily armed troops right in our backyard. We have to contain them.”
They looked up and to the south as the drone of low-flying aircraft broke into their briefing, all suddenly aware of the chatter of small-arms fire in the distance. Before anyone could comment, the sound of the aircraft, no doubt bringing in more Soviet paratroopers, was blocked out by the roar of 432 engines as the remnants of three-platoon ground their way along the forest track just north-west of Osterwald.
“Your reinforcements, Dean. Both Lieutenant Ward and Sergeant Holland have been killed, so you two are the senior. Congratulations on your promotion, Colour Sergeant Rose.”
“Th-thank you, sir,” responded a flustered Colour Sergeant Rose. “Although, I wish the circumstances were different.”
“Yes, Colour, don’t we all. Right, I’ll leave you to it.” With that, the OC climbed back into the Ferret scout car, and it roared off to take him back to the Company HQ, which was co-located with the Royal Green Jackets Battalion and Battlegroup headquarters.
The three 432s of three-platoon rocked to a halt after they pulled over onto the side of the track, getting as far beneath the trees as possible. Some soldiers immediately started to drag camouflage netting over the roof, to hide the vehicles from above.
“Leave that,” shouted Lieutenant Russell.
The soldiers looked across, bewildered. Their Corporal confirmed the order to them.
“Corporal, here,” called Colour Sergeant Rose.
The Corporal trotted over. “Sarge?”
“Corporal Jenkinson, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Sarge.”
“Tell your boys to be ready to move out in five; then get back here.”
“What’s happening?”
“Just do it, and quick.”
The Corporal sped off to instruct his men, and Rose joined his platoon commander by the rear of the platoon commander’s 432.
“Congratulations Colour Sergeant Rose.”
“Thank you sir, come as a bit of a surprise.”
“Not to me. Well deserved. But I think we are both going to have a lot on our plate these coming days. I’m glad I’ve got you backing me up.”
Before they could continue, the NCOs of the platoon congregated around the rear of the 432. The Lieutenant took a deep breath as he looked over the command element of his platoon: his platoon sergeant, now Colour Sergeant Rose; Lance Corporal Burford in command of the mortar team; Lance Corporal Reid had two-section, now with only two men to command; and Corporal Stubbings with five soldiers and the two Milan firing posts. But now he had two additional sections: one of six men commanded by Corporal Jenkinson, and a second one of five men, commanded by Lance Corporal Coles.
“Right, listen in. First, command. We will have five sections in the platoon. One-section will consist of Lance Corporal Reid’s and Corporal Stubbings’ men under the command of now Acting Corporal Reid. Call sign One-One-Bravo. It will also be the Platoon HQ. I will be One-One-Alpha. Corporal Stubbings, I want you to take command of the two Milan firing posts. They are all the anti-tank weapons we have, so they need to be positioned appropriately and well protected. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” responded the young but most experienced Junior NCO in his platoon.
“You’ll be One-One-Charlie. Corporal Jenkinson.”
“Sir.”
“Welcome to the platoon. Your section is to take control of our three Blowpipe SAMs. One-One-Delta. Got that?”
“Sir.”
“You will be our air defence. I doubt we’ll have much more help in that quarter.”
“Lance Corporal Coles, welcome to you too.”
“Sir.”
“Yours and Corporal Reid’s sections will be our main fire teams. You are One-One-Echo. But, you won’t be on your own. We have two mobile mortar teams under the command of Lance Corporal Burford. One-One-Foxtrot. Our air defence and mortar teams will come under overall command of the platoon 2iC, Colour Sergeant Rose, One-one-Golf.”