Battle V

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The U.S forces were commanded by Paul Rickards, Martin Knight and Paul Broadhurst. I commanded the German forces, assisted by Martins partner Nina. 10am the battle begins with allied naval bombardment of the German Costal defences which continue before and during the approach of the first wave of U.S landing craft, true to history most of it overshoots the main defences and what lands in the correct area has little effect on the German defensives.

As the landing craft moved towards the beach a battery of German 105mm guns in concealed positions opened fire, their rounds straddled the incoming craft, In the supplement rules the landing craft must take a directional dice test, As the fire intensified the landing craft bunched into two tight groups on the extreme left and right of the beach. No one knew at the time but this was to have far reaching effect on the outcome of the battle.

Mid morning, saw the arrival of the U.S second wave which, crucially bunched into the same two area’s. Although at first things went well as Martins second wave of G.I’s passed through the shattered remains of the first wave and pushed on to the shingle shelf. On their extreme left Paul Broadhursts men reached the barbed wire that ran beneath the start of the escarpment, and one of the main bunker complexes, so far-but no further! Two savage rounds of fire from the German troops positioned on the bluffs cut the attacking forces to shreds whole sections were swept away and even worse more poor morale dice ‘pinned’ what remained at the barb wire.

By the start of the afternoon the third and final wave of U.S troops arrived, this time more dispersed , the allies LAST HOPE ! the German fire seemed to stutter were they running low on ammo ? or was it my poor dice rolling, it was actually the latter, the third wave swept up the beach topping the shingle shelf taking few casualties and stormed towards the German bunker line with small arms and flame throwers at the ready.

They were supported by two DD Sherman tanks that had managed to make it to the beach, these were hardly likely to inflict much damage on the German concrete bunkers with their 75mm main gun but, one lucky shell might find its way in through a gun opening, but more importantly for the G.I’s they would draw critical German fire away from the infantry.

Paul Rickards Rangers had now landed and they were beginning to press home their attack on the bluffs. By Mid afternoon the U.S forces seemed to be winning, this marked the high water mark of their attack. On the Right the G.I`s under Martin looked ready to assault the bunkers, although one of the supporting Sherman’s had been knocked out and was on fire.

Pauls Rangers had taken heavy casualties but had pressed home their attack on the bluffs, and had wiped out an MG 42 machine gun position, and pushed a section of German troops defending the first trench line back in disorder. WAS THIS GOING TO BE A U.S DAY AFTER ALL !

Sadly no ! The Germans manning the bluffs reacted quickly to the threatened break through by the Rangers, and in typical German fashion launched a well co-ordinated counter attack pushing the Rangers back off the bluffs. Meanwhile Martins G.I`s had hesitated in front of the German bunkers allowing them to bring down withering mortar and machine gun fire, this in turned had been followed by extremely poor morale dice thrown by Martin which saw the G.I`s being forced back to the shingle shelf.

It was Late afternoon and time to end the game. It had been an atrocious day for the U.S forces. They had sustained appalling casualties, comparable to those actually suffered on D Day, unlike history though they had failed to achieve any break throughs. Unquestionably a German victory.

Oh well, the battle was played again at the show the following day, this time with a very different result ! That however is another story !

Historical out come and actual time line

Small penetrations were eventually achieved by groups of survivors making improvised assaults, scaling the bluffs between the most heavily defended points. By the end of the day two small isolated footholds had been won and which, against weaker defences further inland, were subsequently exploited to achieve the original D-Day objectives over the following days.

This beach is now known as “Bloody Omaha” because of the 2,200 casualties suffered by the American troops who landed here on D-Day. High cliffs and strong German defences made this a formidable objective. Despite heavy losses, by the end of 6 June the US 1st and 29th Divisions, and the 2nd and 5th Ranger Battalions, had gained a foothold at Omaha.

Actual time line

Objective: The only breaks in the 100-foot high cliffs running between UTAH and GOLD Beaches were at OMAHA Beach. The landings at OMAHA were therefore vital to connect the US troops at UTAH Beach with the British and Canadian beaches to the east.

Landing craft are loaded 11 miles from beach, leading to problems with rough seas. Ten landing craft sink.
05.35 – 27 DD (swimming) tanks sink on launching in rough seas.
05.55 – The Allied naval barrage and bombing raids on the German defences are ineffective.
06.35 – The first units try to land, but are cut down in the surf by defenders' fire. There is terrible carnage.
07.00 – Chaotic situation on the beach, as troops are pinned down and take cover behind mined beach defences. Engineers are unable to clear obstacles.
07.08 – 2nd Ranger Battalion Lands and assaults Pointe du Hoc, the site of a battery of German long-range guns (to the west of the main landings on Omaha Beach.
07.30 – The second wave of troops adds to the confusion and over-crowding on Omaha Beach.
07.40 – 5th Ranger Battalion lands on beach.
08.00 – The attack up the cliffs begins, assisted by tanks and destroyers firing from close inshore.
08.30 – Rangers and 116th Infantry reach top of the cliffs at Les Moulins.
09.15 – After scaling 80-100 foot cliffs at Pointe du Hoc, the US Rangers find the battery empty, but discover the guns further inland and destroy them.
10.00 - 11.00 – The advance on Vierville and St Laurent gradually begins. The beach is very congested.
11.00 – Vierville is captured.
12.00 – German defences are penetrated in four places. US troops begin to move inland, although the beach is still under heavy fire.
14.00 – The first beach exit is cleared.
16.00 – Tanks and vehicles begin to move off the beach.
20.00 – St Laurent and Colleville are captured.
24.00 – A tiny, precarious beachhead has been established. There are pockets of US forces over an area approximately five miles wide by 1.5 miles deep.
OMAHA Beach was the worst of all the Allied beaches on D-Day. By midnight, 34,250 troops had been landed, with around 2,000 casualties. Three men won the Congressional Medal of Honor