New "Polar Bears" Operation at Scenario Depot and Der Kessel

[Mark Gallear]

Just submitted a revised version of my Polars Bears operation to the Scenario Depot and Der Kessel. (No guarantee they will have it yet or ever).

I have strengthened the Germans after I was told it was to easy for British.

Many thanks to everybody who showed interest to my original posts on this site.

[Admiral Keth]

Uploaded, linked, and ready for download. Enjoy!

[Mark Gallear]

OK its ready for download on Scenario Depot.

Thanks Mark.

Heres the Brief.

Title: Polar Bears

Type: Assault Operation: British must cross 80% of map (Historical)

Date: June/July 1944

Location: Area around Fontenay Le Pesnel, Normandy, France

Weather: Good

Length: 10 battles of 20 turns each

The 49th Infantry Division, the Polar Bears in June 1944 was tasked with crossing a short stretch of Normandy Bocage countryside and it would take them almost two months to do it. The Division was formed from such diverse regiments as the Lincolns, Royal Scots Fusiliers, Tyneside Scottish, the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 6th Duke of Wellingtons Regiment and the Kent Yeomanry to name but a few. They would face the fanatical 12 SS (Hitler Jugend) Panzer Division and the well equipped Panzer Lehr Division.

The village of Audrieu was captured without a shot on June 14th and Cristot after a heavy artillery bocage on June 16. These two villages would be the stepping stones for a campaign that would take them through a number of fortified villages and farmhouses.

On June 17th the 7th Duke of Wellingtons attacked Le Parc de Boislande, a thick wood surrounding a chateaux overlooking the Fontenay. This was taken but Hitler Jugend launched a counterattack the next day causing heavy casualties and forcing them back to their start lines. A supporting gunner regiment with 25pdrs, helped stop the German advance when it fired over open sights at 800 yards.

During the 19-22 of June heavy storms destroyed a Mulberry harbour and prevented plans for a major offensive to break out of Normandy. Fighting in this period was light but for Operation Martlet, the rest of the 8th Armoured Division was added to the attack in support of the 24th Lancers, which had supported the original attack. The attack began on June 25 with the objective of taking Fontenay and the higher ground to the south. After bitter hand-to hand fighting the town was taken and the reserve battalion took Tessel Wood

On June 26, the second stage of Martlet began with a triple pronged attack towards the village of Rauray and the storming of three fortified farmsteads. The tanks of 4/7th Dragoon Guards were forced to withdraw with heavy casualties, when they encountered Tiger and Panther tanks. However, a second attempt to take Rauray was launched the next day. Despite a heavy artillery barrage the supporting tanks met 88mm AT gunfire and suffered heavy casualties. B Company of the 11th Durham Light Infantry finally reached their objective with only 50 men left. The Hallams were now launched into the attack to take Juvingy, which was fanatically defended by the SS Panzer Grenadiers. However a German counter attack took back most of the area between Rauray and Brettevillete on June 30.

The heavy causalities from fighting the fanatical Hitler Jugend took its toll on the British. The new Commanding Officer of the 6th Battalion Duke of Wales reported to high command that although he knew that his report would end his military career. He had to report that discipline and moral was now so bad that he had to recommend the unit be withdrawn for retraining or broken up and placed with other units. He said that if this was not done the lives of his officers would continue to be needlessly lost trying to stop men running away during artillery attacks. (I found his full report to be very moving - Monty was apparently less than pleased with him).

The Germans were also feeling the strain after the battle for Rauray on July 1 in which the Division made a massed attack. German armoured reinforcements from the 2nd SS and 9th SS Divisions ran into the tanks of 70 brigade in camouflaged positions and using new tungsten rounds, who destroyed 31 of 34 Panthers. In the three days of fighting the Hohen Staufen Division lost 1145 men, battle group Weider 636 and Hitler Jugend 1240. None of which could easily be replaced. The Polar Bears were amused to later here the German Forces radio broadcaster called "Lord Haw Haw" say that any troops caught with the Polar Bear flash would be shot without trial for massacring SS tank crews who had tried to surrender. A special "Butcher" Polar Bears Christmas Card was later produced

During, the next few weeks only minor skirmishes were fought. On July 14 an attack was launched to take the Vendes and Barbee farms. The Division was withdrawn on July 21 to new positions South-East of Caen to join a new operation to breakout from the Caen sector.

Design Notes

* The whole action has been greatly scaled down.

* I have including night attacks because replacements only happen after this event, even though each game represents a day of combat spread over 1 and a half months and few attacks were made at night.

* I have included the Achilles and Archer in the game. Both were used in the later part of the Normandy campaign, although Battlefront's timeline has both vehicles appearing many months later. At the time they were both referred to as SP 17pdrs and not these names.

Author: Mark Gallear mgallear@hotmail.com

Based on the accounts, sketch map and photographs in: The Polar Bears, Monty's Left Flank. Patrick Delaforce (1995)