An Improvised Crossing ETO (id:#61701)

(Franc-Tireur#13 ID: FT192)   [next]   [previous]

Southern Bug River, near Alexandrovka, Russia 1944-03-22 (6 others)

Overview:

From February through March. the German Sixth Army conducted a fighting retreat from the Dnepr to the Southern Bug River Heavy lighting reduced the 46th Infantry, Division to a Kampfgruppe. While lead elements of the battlegroup found safe paths west, flank and rear guards fought off Soviet attacks that threatened to cut them off from the rest of the army. Upon reaching the Bug. the 46th conducted a passage of lines through the 15th Infantry Division that protected the crossing site. The Kampfgruppe marched up to their positions opposite Aleksandrovka on the west bank. On the night of the 22nd, they saw their neighboring unit, the 15th Infantry Division, retreat from the shore opposite them and move to cross the river to their right. Soviet troops occupied their old positions on the eastern shore. Until the 15th could reinforce them, the 16th's troops at the bow-shaped shoreline, which the Germans referred to as a "knee", would be vulnerable to attack from three directions. When the night fell, defenders fired flares periodically, to spot any Soviet attempts to cross the river. Carefully positioned machineguns and artillery supported the thin defensive line. Suddenly, the Germans saw the flooded river filled with Soviets clinging to logs while others rowed large rafts. Could the defenders hold out while reinforcements marched to their rescue?

Defender: German (Kampfgruppe 46, 57.Korps, 6.Armee)  

Errata (source)