He moved the pointer.
“Royal Marine Commandos landed here… at Harpelunde, and are being reinforced as we speak.”
He flexed the wooden pole between both hands, like a headmaster emphasising a point.
“The Soviet forces on the Danish islands are expected to either surrender or be overcome within the next twenty-four hours.”
He let the murmur die down of its own accord.
“Now, here, our pals in the 7th Armoured have broken through the enemy front and are on the outskirts of Bordesholm… ahead of schedule I might add.”
He flicked at a hair that had dropped across his eyes.
“Now, the 11th, with the Fifes leading the way, as you know, have bypassed Itzehoe, leaving some of the Rifle Brigade to mop up the blighters who have dug in there. 55th Division have put some men on the road to relieve them immediately. Rifle Brigade will then come back together and get back up to the Fifes.”
The annoying hair returned.
“Now, 3rd Tanks,” he referred to the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment who, with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, joined with Prentiss’ 23rd Hussars to complete 29th Armoured Brigade, 11th Armoured Division, “Will move in front of the Fifes to continue the drive at first light, heading, as planned, towards Hamburg.”
He drew their attention to a different route.
“This is our new route of advance, gentlemen.”
They all strained to understand the map.
“We will move up shortly, moving around Itzehoe, and driving up Route 206 here… all the way to Bimöhlen, cutting the north-south road and, as the General expects, cutting off the retreat of some of Uncle Joe’s units that are presently holding up Guards Division’s move south down the Reichsbahn.”
A number of the men in front of him looked a little wary of such a task.
Not without reason.
Prentiss soothed them immediately.
“Now the General understands this could become a bit dicey, so he’s given me command of some extra stuff, which should all come in handy.”
He consulted his notebook quickly.
“118 battery from 75th Anti-tank, 1st Cheshires as infantry support, two recce squadrons from 15th/19th Hussars, and first call of some Army Artillery assets.”
That removed a few of the worried looks.
“I believe we’ll cope with that, don’t you think?”
Major Merton, B Squadron’s commander half rose from his seat,
“Any air, Sir?”
“Actually, the General specifically said you’re not to be involved with the usage of any complicated machinery, especially the likes of warplanes, Freddie.”
Raucous laughter drowned out Merton’s attempted riposte.
“Seriously gentlemen, we will have first call on air support from our naval brethren who, whilst we eat the mud and dust of European roads, are safely ensconced in their warm boats, just off shore. From what I’ve heard, they’re rather good at their job too, so we should treat them nicely, which,” he looked steadfastly at Merton, “Was probably what the General meant regarding your involvement, Freddie.”
The knockabout continued for a few minutes, something Prentiss actively encouraged as, in his view, it made for better teamwork.
Checking his watch, he tapped the floor with the butt of his pointer, calling a halt to the exchanges that had suddenly become a good-humoured attack on Emerson, the C Squadron 2IC, whose brother served with the RN on aircraft carriers.
“Gentlemen, gentlemen, listen in now. D Squadron will remain here until the fuel situation is sorted.”
A supply of contaminated fuel had been used to fill each of D Squadron’s tanks, much to the chagrin of Major Thomas Fanshaw, its commander.
A quick investigation had discovered nothing of note, but security was tightened on all storage facilities.
“I want you back with your boys and set ready to move off on my order. Timing will depend on the arrival of our support elements and,” he tapped the map again, “How long it takes the Rifle Brigade to sort out Itzehoe.”
He pointed at Woods.
“For your sins and poor taste, A Squadron will lead, Algie.”
“My pleasure, Sir,” words his face denied, despite the smile.
“Rightho. If there’s no more questions, let’s get our innings underway.”
Itzehoe had fallen by the time Prentiss returned to his tent, or rather, the Soviet defenders withdrew in the face of building pressure.
23rd Hussars and their additions were on the road and passing Itzehoe as the sun started to descend on yet another bloody day.
15th/19th Hussars led the way, backed up by the Cheshire Battalion in its half-tracks.
The decision to push on at night was not an easy one, but melting Soviet resistance emboldened the British.
Expecting to find defences in Kellinghausen, Prentiss urged caution on his recon element, intending to avoid any meaningful engagement until the sun returned.
However, troops approaching Kellinghausen found only relieved German civilians celebrating their liberation. He was persuaded to continue by the enthusiastic 15th/19th Major, setting the railway line at Wrist as the furthest point of advance for the opening day of the Allied offensive.
The railway line at Wrist, running across the front of the advancing Hussars, and set between two watercourses, also coincided with the only Soviet point of resistance on the road to Bimöhlen, an overenthusiastic interpretation of a withdrawal order removing Soviet units from Prentiss’ axis of advance.
The lead Staghound armoured car set off a hastily laid mine, drawing defensive fire upon itself, a brief encounter that cost the lives of four of the crew and saw the vehicle provide a flaming beacon by which the Soviets brought the following troops under fire.
After a quick briefing from the Recon commander, and consultation with the last set of reconnaissance photographs, Prentiss was reasonably satisfied that nothing substantive lay ahead.
However, attacking such a position at night was not an undertaking for the faint-hearted, even with some of the new German design twin binoculars, one side normal, the other side infra-red, such as equipped each of his recon vehicles and his command tanks.
His orders on avoiding risk to his valuable heavy tanks were quite explicit, and a night attack into probable infantry positions with the lumbering Black Prince tanks was a risk too far
His orders on achieving Bimöhlen as soon as possible, and no later than midday on the 27th, left little room for manoeuvre.
A quick orders group committed the Cheshires into a hasty attack, supported by the Comets from A Squadron, 15th/19th Hussars, the FOO close by, ready to bring down the artillery, and with the engineers in tow, in case mines should prove a problem.
The engineer commander’s comments about the issues of night mine detection were acknowledged, but politely disregarded, as nothing in the venture was without risk, the need to advance reinforced by a curt message from Brigadier Roscoe Harvey, the 29th Armoured Brigade’s commander.
The assault moved in carefully, one mine causing two injuries amongst the Cheshire soldiers, but the enemy was gone, using the advantages of night to fall back under orders.
Prentiss Force pushed slowly forward, moving steadily eastwards.
To their north-east, the sky flashed and thundered as the Guards Division put in a night assault.
“He did what?”
“He pulled back beyond point dvadtsat' sem'… and we’ve only just found out, Comrade Polkovnik General.”