The Blue Effect (Cold War) (23 page)

Once the offloading of the new tanks was complete, Lieutenant Barrett gathered his men around his troop tank. “Well, first of all, welcome to the new members of our troop. Have the crews been assigned, Sarn’t Glover?”

The troop sergeant had been injured during their last fight at Ditterke, west of Pattensen, after they had escaped a trap forming in between the enemy crossing the Leine and airborne troops to their rear. Although his shoulder was still painful and there was a slight limp when he walked, he had insisted on remaining with the unit. They were so short of experienced tank crews, it was difficult for higher command not to approve it. “Yes, sir. Your crew will remain as is, with Corporal Farre as your gunner, Lance Corporal Coleman loader, and Trooper Field as your driver.”

Barrett nodded, pleased that his crew had survived the battle with him.

“I will keep Four-Bravo with Lance Corporal Tompkins and Trooper Woodford, but I’ve transferred Lance Corporal Frith to Four-Charlie and taken one of the new boys, Trooper Lockhart. Corporal Mason not only has a new tank but needs to replace Trooper Mann and Trooper Deacon, who has been promoted and transferred to C-Squadron.”

“They’re welcome to him, Sarge,” broke in Corporal Mason, jokingly.

“Deacon a Lance Corporal? God help us, Sarge,” added Lance Corporal Frith.

“Belt up, you two, or I’ll have you both transferred to the cookhouse.”

“Sarge.”

“Sarn’t.”

“Sorry about that, sir. We’re obviously not working them hard enough.”

“We could always make good on that, Sergeant Glover,” responded Lieutenant Barrett, smiling.

“If I can be allowed to finish. So, I’ve got Trooper Bellamy as my new loader.”

“Thank you, Sarn’t Glover. Welcome to the troop, you two,” the lieutenant said, referring to Lockhart and Bellamy. “We know we’ve got a tough fight ahead. I won’t run through the plans again. We all know our jobs. I suggest you get as much rest a possible. Just make sure everything is up to scratch. You will need to have a thorough check of Four-Charlie, Corporal Mason.”

“Looks fine, sir, but I’ll run through some checks.”

“I’ll give him a hand,” volunteered Farre.

“Cheers, mate.”

“Questions?”

“Trooper Mann, sir. Any news?” Woodford asked after their friend who was hit when the enemy near Ditterke bounced them, the same time as the sergeant received his injuries.

“Nothing new, Woodford. But the OC has told me that he’s well on his way back to the coast. He’ll soon be on a boat for home, I’m sure.” He looked around at his men. They looked tired, but in good spirits. “Nothing? Right. We move out at 0200. Dismissed.”

C
hapter 27

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930, 10 JULY 1984. 4TH ARMOURED DIVISION. AREA OF KALLETAL, WEST GERMANY.

THE BLUE EFFECT +1.5 HOURS

The REME LAD section lowered the replacement power pack into the main battle tank’s engine compartment. A few hours’ work would see the engine connected and the tank belonging to the commander of C-Squadron, 3rd Royal Tank Regiment, 3RTR, ready for combat again. Although they had been badly mauled during their role as part of 1 British Corps’ covering force, delaying the Soviet advance until the 1st and 3rd Armoured Divisions were in position to take the brunt of the attack, the regiment, along with the rest of the 4th Armoured Division, were preparing to go into the fray yet again.

The strongest of the brigades in the division, 33rd Armoured, with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Tank Regiment, the 1st Battalion Royal Highland Fusiliers and the 1st Battalion the Black Watch, were preparing for the planned counter attack. They had also been allocated a new battalion, the 1st Battalion, the 52nd Lowland Volunteers, a Territorial Army battalion fresh from Britain. The 11th and 20th Brigades had suffered the most in their role as a covering force, having to hold at bay two of the Group of Soviet Forces Germany, most powerful divisions: the 10th Guards Tank Division and the 7th.

They too had been reinforced. 20th Brigade had been allocated the 5th Battalion, the Queen’s Regiment along with the 3rd Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. The 1st Battalion, 51st Highland Volunteers, had reinforced 11th Armoured Brigade. The 11th Brigade, consisting of 3RTR, the 2nd Battalion RGJ and the 1st Battalion RRF, was also preparing to go into battle again. 1RRF, reinforced with troops from Britain, now stood at about seventy per cent strength; but still down to less than 400 men. 3RTR and 2RGJ were in a slightly better position. 3RTR had received nine replacement Chieftains. The regiment’s strength now consisting of four squadrons with A and B Squadrons fielding ten main battle tanks each, and C and D Squadrons with eleven each. Including all headquarters Chieftains that gave the unit forty-two tanks. 2RGJ, also reinforced, could now put 480 men into the fight. They had received their initial orders. 33rd Armoured Brigade would lead the attack in the south, followed closely by 11th Armoured, ready to exploit any breakthrough. The RRF and Highland Volunteers would follow on, ready to deploy and hold ground should the forward brigades be pushed back and have to withdraw. It was now a case of just standing by, waiting for the Soviet army to cross the Weser to the north, and attempt to break through and race for the Rhine. Then, it would be time to counter-attack from the south.

1930, 10 JULY 1984. 2ND BATTALION, ROYAL GREEN JACKETS, 11TH ARMOURED BRIGADE, 4TH ARMOURED DIVISION. AREA OF ALMENA, WEST GERMANY.

THE BLUE EFFECT +1.5 HOURS

Major Andy Phillips, the commander of A Company, the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Green Jackets, chatted to his Company Sergeant Major, CSM Tobi Saunders. The CSM wore a patch over his left eye, the consequence of hot splinters from a grenade burning the surrounding area of his eye socket. He was a lucky man: partially sheltered by a building, squinting to peer into the twilight, his eye had been missed. But now he had to protect the lacerations from infection, and it had earned him the nickname of Bluebeard, behind his back, naturally. Even the OC had found it difficult to stifle a smile when he overheard the soldiers, thinking no one was within earshot, refer to his new nickname.

“Let’s get the show on the road, CSM.”

Although a senior non-commissioned officer, a SNCO, the CSM carried a tremendous amount of authority within the organisation of the Company unit. To the soldiers within the unit, he was next to God, the OC being the top man. Even the young lieutenants deferred to him on a regular basis. Having served sixteen years with the Battalion, it was expected that he would assume the mantle of Regimental Sergeant Major, RSM, when the current incumbent retired in a year’s time. If the CSM was God, the RSM was a deity in his own right.

“Let’s be having you,” the CSM bellowed, bringing the gathering to order.

The three-metre by three-metre tent, erected alongside the OCs command 432, was tight for space, and warm. But the flaps had to remain secure for fear of light escaping and flagging to any Soviet recce planes overhead that 2RGJ were in the vicinity. The soldiers moved themselves until they formed a semi-circle around a board that had been hung from the frame of the tent. On it was a map of the area of Lauenau, east of the A2 Autobahn, and two photographs. In the semi-circle was Lieutenant Dean Russell, commander of One-Platoon. It was far from his original unit. With the death of both Lieutenant Ward and Sergeant Holland at the outset of the war, killed by the Soviet initial artillery and missile barrage, Three-Platoon had not only been left leaderless but had also suffered other casualties, as had One-Platoon. So the OC had amalgamated the two platoons into one, commanded by Dean. The young lieutenant, only fifteen months out of the RMA Sandhurst officer academy, had then found himself embroiled in a second battle around Coppenbrugge, where he and his men had excelled, earning themselves a reputation throughout the battalion. Standing next to him was Colour Sergeant Rose, his platoon sergeant and second-in-command. Also in the group was Lieutenant Dunmore, commander of Two-Platoon, and his platoon sergeant, Robert Macintyre. In addition, there was Captain Lucas Banks, responsible for the Battalion’s Anti-Tank Platoon, Corporal Bernard ‘Bernie’ Cooke, commander of the mobile anti-tank section, and Corporal Len Ward, commander of a second anti-tank section, this one not mobile. On the far left, seconded specifically for this operation, was Sergeant Dave Kirby who would command the three Scimitars from the Recce-Platoon, allocated to A-Company and, finally, Corporal Burford who would command the mobile mortar teams. It would have been a full house except they were missing a platoon. Three-Platoon was being reformed, with reserves brought in from the UK, using experienced soldiers to supplement the recruits. The OC, in agreement with the commanding officer, had decided to leave the platoon out of the initial phase of the forthcoming action. They would reinforce A-Company twenty-four hours after the main bulk of the unit were in position.

Captain Brian Haworth, the Adjutant, started the brief. “You all know that the big show is to kick off tomorrow, so this is the final briefing. Just to reiterate, I will go over the big picture, before the OC goes over your individual missions.”

He ran his pointer along the A2 that ran northwest from Rinteln to Bad Nenndorf, in between the 300-metre-high Buckeberge to the west, and the Suntel and the Deister to the east. “This is the route 33rd Armoured Brigade will take. Their primary objective is Bad Nenndorf. Along the route, Special Forces and volunteers from 24th Airborne Brigade, will carry out sabotage missions and act as blocking forces. We have a Bundeswehr territorial battalion, attached to the Division that will dig in around Hessisch Oldendorf to protect the Brigade’s right flank. For the left flank, the 4th Parachute Battalion has been attached to 4 Div and will secure Rinteln and Buchholz. The Brigade, once they make their way across the Weser, using two crossing points west and east of Rinteln, will charge up the A2 at speed. The Royal Highland Fusiliers will hold Apelern and Lauenau while the 1st Battalion Black Watch secure Bad Nenndorf. As for the Royal Scots, what they do will be very dependent on the enemy reaction and the success of the attack.”

“They will have the option of pushing through to Wunstorf, attacking the Soviet units withdrawing from the area of Petershagen, or even head for Hanover, coming up against 20th Guards Army forces,” added the OC.

The adjutant continued. “Now, closer to our sector of interest. 11th Brigade will cross here.” He pointed to two crossing points, one in between Hameln and Fischbeck, the second near Tundern. “Once across, 1st Battalion Royal Regiment Fusiliers (1RRF) will pass through Fischbeck, then swing east, skirting the high ground, passing through Hofingen and Potzen, travelling south-east until they reach the 217 before going north towards Bad Munder. The 3rd Royal Tank Regiment (3RTR) will head at all speed for Springe. Sir?” The Adjutant looked at the OC who took over the briefing.

“Our battalion’s role, although piecemeal, is critical to the success of the mission. B-Company will seize and hold Coppenbrugge, C-Company, with Support-Company and the Battalion HQ, will hold the crossroads at Hachmuhlen, while we have been given Bisperode. We can’t work on the assumption that the Soviets will just roll over and die,” he admitted with a smile. “We first have to push through; then be prepared for any counter-attack. Our Brigade has been reinforced by the 4th (V) Battalion, The Royal Irish Rangers. They will be our reserve. Depending on the success of the initial attacks, 20th Armoured Brigade will be committed along whichever axis is proving to be the most productive, the idea being to cut deep into the enemy forces and disrupt their formations. If we can confuse them enough, we may be able to build on that attack. Another Brigade is being formed as we speak, using Territorial units from the UK. The 8th Queen’s Fusiliers, 5th Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment, from 49th Brigade, who now have the 6th Battalion as a replacement. 4th Battalion, The Queen’s Lancashire Regiment and the 3rd (V) Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Wales.” He paused for a moment.

“A bit of a mouthful, I know,” he smiled. “They will help shore up 3 Div, which will allow them to release 4th Armoured Brigade should an opportunity to press further attacks arise. The 5th Airborne Brigade is also on standby. The situation is not as dire as it was yesterday.”

He moved aside slightly so he wasn’t obscuring the two photographs pinned on the board.

“I managed to acquire these from the PI boys, taken by a flight of our Harriers yesterday. You can spend some time familiarising yourself with them later, but for now come in as close as you can.”

The soldiers shuffled as close they could, some peering between the heads of others. Two large black and white aerial photographs showed the village of Bisperode and the surrounding area.

“Bisperode. Sounds like it’s right out of a spaghetti western.”

The assembled group laughed at the OC’s joke.

“There aren’t many of us,” he continued. “So how we allocate our forces is crucial to defending our sector. We’ll have the Hasselburg to our right. It’s—”

“Two hundred and ninety metres, sir.”

“Thank you, Brian. On our left, we have another piece of high ground, nearer 400 metres in some areas. Between the village and the high ground, on both sides, it’s open space, agricultural fields – a gap of about 1,500 metres to the west and 750 to the east. About two kilometres to the south, there’s a crossroads. The 425, west to east, crosses the two sections of high ground, and the 588 passes through Bisperode, south to Halle. I want eyes on that crossroads, not only to give us a warning if the enemy is on its way, but we can also warn the rest of the Division if the enemy moves south-west. Then there are tracks over the high ground each side of us.”

He turned and locked eyes with Sergeant Kirby. “I will use your three Scimitars for that. Any problems with that, Sarn’t Kirby?”

“None, sir, my boys are ready,” responded the tall SNCO, his hair giving the impression it had a life of its own.

“Don’t they have barbers in the recce platoon, Sergeant?” Asked the CSM, but he was smiling as he said it.

“The Russians kind of cancelled my appointment, sir.”

The group laughed.

“I’m sure we can find you a pair of scissors when this is over,” added the CSM.

“Sir.”

“I’ll leave the deployment of the units to you, but if the enemy head north or south, you need to cover our right and left flanks and cover the Milan units deployed there. I know you’re used to your vehicles working in pairs, but we’re all spread pretty thin. We may get two 438s in support. To be confirmed.”

“Understood, sir. What if we spot the enemy using the heights?”

“Good question Sarn’t Kirby. I will have a Two-Platoon dug in and One-Platoon acting as a QRF.”

“That will leave only one Scimitar to cover the Milan’s, sir.”

“Yes, I know. Well, that gives you a clue as to where I want one of your anti-tank sections, Captain Banks.”

The captain moved closer to the larger of the two photographs. “There’s a ditch here, sir, fed by water that flows off the Hasselburg. It runs right across the gap on our right flank. We’re not sure of its depth or width, but if it causes the enemy a delay, my mobile team can take advantage of that and pick off any armour.”

“Why the mobile section, Captain?”

“If they’re in danger of being overrun, they can at least reposition themselves quickly. Corporal Ward’s section, sir, I suggest, is deployed close to and around the village.”

“That makes sense,” responded the major. “Lieutenant Russell.”

“Sir.”

“You will be our Quick Reaction Force. In fact, I want one of your sections at the southern crossroads, with the other two in the village on five minutes notice to move.”

“They’ll be ready, sir.”

“The new men settling in OK?” asked the CSM.

“Yes, Sarn’t Major. I’ve put the new ones with Corporal Stubbings. He’s my most experienced section commander.”

The OC turned to Lieutenant Dunmore. “We’ll go through the deployments in detail when we’re in position, but I want one section at the southern edge of the village, one section covering the mobile Milan section, and a third along the strip of forest that links the east of the village with the forest. That will protect our left flank and cover any infiltration along the edge of the forest. We’re thin on the ground, but once Three-Section get here, we can double up on the defence of the village. In the meantime, we’ll have to make do. Questions?”

Dean was in first. “We’re not a big force if we have to fight our way there, sir.”

“We’re not. We are very much dependent on 1RRF and 3RTR to smash any enemy forces aside. That’s not to say our passage will be easy.”

“What is the Intel on the Soviet forces in the area, sir?” Captain Banks asked.