* 5/16/1940 * Ardennes Forest

-- Ardenes Forest 1940 --
^ war horror ^
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* 5/16/1940 * Ardennes Forest

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--
--- Lt. Caldwell had heard enough, the 36mm shells from the Panzer llls were way too close.
Time to fall back again. His battalion was the first trenched unit not in the Ardennes Forest.
The forward men were smart enough to retreat when the shells made them bounce. Most of the
retreating soldiers were French. They had been blasted and bombed away from the Meuse River near Sedan.
From Nazi airbases near Namur, Belgium about 50 miles straight north. Lt. Caldwell's men needed to facilitate
the retreat without collateral damage. With 2 hours of daylight left, he needed to consolidate his defence.
The forest offered little resistance, since the Nazi's chose to Blitz 2 divisions through.
The French generals were wrong about the forest being a complete obstacle, it just slowed them.
Well of course they wouldn't try blasting their way through the Maginot Line, fortified howitzer
emplacements. But they didn't expect Holland and Belgium to fall like leaves either, for the second time.
--- And to think the Treaties of 1926 were to monitor the German industry of weaponry. [Turns out they parted out the work to Russia and Czechoslovakia]

---Now there was, first estimate, 1000 armored tractor and tire driven cannons blasting
through the rough terrain. (The trails are plentiful because very industrious people have been
living, breeding, mostly safely for 500 years. And maybe 2000 years before that. By way
of successful farming and hunting and metal working.)
--- Another 1000 mechanized cannons on the smooth lands near Brussels and Bruges. Not to forget
the air-superiority that could be at the front in 30 minutes.
Caldwell was pleased with one thing, the small arms repulse of a Stuka attack achieved by
800 entrenched soldiers. The bombs did plenty of damage but not accurate by Stuka measure.
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Re: * 5/16/1940 * Ardennes Forest

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-
--- Backing up, retreating or surrendering in mass wasn't winning soldiering.
Lt. Caldwell had a plan but he had to get command to listen. He could get in trouble for
leaving his post. The thought of losing his life in a repugnant battle hurt worse. Caldwell
told his First Sargent to take command until his return. He would need to take his plan
up command chain to get what he needed. Capt. O'Shaughnessy then Major Harris should get
him to command near Lille, France. That was 80-100 miles with lots of check-points to clear.
Morning, and his ranks had swell by 400. And maybe a hour before the Nazi's started up the
Panzers. The only transportation was motorcycle and sidecar.
O'Shaughnessy gave Caldwell a driver and sent him on his way. Major Harris was 10 miles away.
The morning fog was comforting, maybe they wouldn't be seen. Major Harris agreed with his
plan and felt he should go also. He was out of communication with command and needed answers.
He requisitioned another sidecar. First check-point was 5 miles along. A shot in the air
was all that was needed. Major Harris told the check-point to hold but not to worry about
falling back. Eventually they got within 10 miles of Lille but the check-point said Lille
had been over run and command was sliding toward St. Omen, maybe they could catch them
near Bethune or Lillers.
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Re: * 5/16/1940 * Ardennes Forest

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-
--- Major Harris understood now, the whole British Expedition Force, 400,000 soldiers, was a political assuage
to a war question. Not founded in military science. Harris pulled Caldwell aside. We have the
men but do we have the anti-armor to make it viable ? "So you're ready to get started, replied
Caldwell" ? " We are doing nothing entrenched, just waiting to be over-run. Those that don't
volunteer can head for Dunkirk. But I'll need to make some command decisions". Replied Harris.
I'll give you written orders for O'Shaughnessy. You arm your men and head back through the Ardennes.
I'll take a large group past Lille and north to Bruges. Is there any way we can promote these
men and make sure their insurance is validated ? Replied Caldwell. Give your dog-tags to
O'Shaugh. Hopefully he'll make it to St. Omen, was Harris's answer. Go now, there is no
time to lose.
--- Caldwell checked the fuel in the motorcycle and left. Today is May 17, 1940 and Lt. Caldwell
is kind of happy at the thought of going on the offensive.
--- The orders for O'Shaughnessy were simple: Separate the non-volunteers from both regiments and get
them to command, wherever that is. The rest was up to Caldwell. Get behind enemy lines and
threaten Nazi supply and command. Maybe just maybe command would think their tanks had over-shot logistics
and stall for consolidation.
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Re: * 5/16/1940 * Ardennes Forest

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5/18/1940
-
---
---- By the time Caldwell got back to his regiment the Panzers were at the edge of the forest.
Surmising the situation before committing the tanks.
--- Caldwell brought no men with him. It would've taken maybe 4 days to get them to his regiment.
He passed the word only volunteers would advance with him. Family men could retreat to Dunkirk.
Because the return was certainly - not certain. Many of the forward regiments came back with out weapons.
Now as volunteers they wanted weapons. Caldwell had them carry supplies of water, food and RPGs.
He told his First Sargent to take the first batch south then north and into the forest.
Caldwell explained to the non-volunteers they would need to empty the cannons before retreating.
This would give the volunteers the chaos needed to get into the forest. They would take all the ammo
they could carry yet avoid conflict until they found weak support troops. Smartly the batteries had been
lowered below eye level and wouldn't give the Panzers easy targets. The non-volunteers could escape
westward and hope the Panzers didn't follow.
--- Major Harris had an easier start. Sneaking almost 1000 armed men any distance is impossible.
They advanced 12 miles in 8 hours. From a slight hill Harris could see explosions coming from Lille.
It hadn't been overrun but encircled. Was there reason enough to commit men to maybe a lost cause ?
Harris studied his maps with officers, it showed a marsh south of Lille. The Nazis wouldn't go there.
He gave the command to Lt. Federov and 300 men. Sneak through the marsh and give assistance.
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Re: * 5/16/1940 * Ardennes Forest

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-
--- Harris had to keep moving, spies are everywhere and the radios were suspect to eavesdropping.
He would need to travel as much by night but that could be more dangerous. Mine fields are very
popular. The more Harris thought about the situation the more he knew he needed to cause damage.
He told his leaders Roubaix might be a smart destination. It's straight north of Lille and might
have shelter for battle. 5/19/1940 the men got a couple hours sleep but were virtually in the
open, they were sure to see flights overhead soon. Without eating Major Harris got his group moving.
Maintain silence unless you see trouble he repeated as 700 men when by. It was about an hour before
they saw airplanes.
--- Lt. Federov's group made it to the outskirt of Lille at break of day. It was mostly quiet as
they approached with occasional small arms pops. They paused long enough for a quick snack of rations
before spreading into the housing. With only several RPGs (bazooka) he had to make them count.
Even better if he could commandeer a Panzer and turn it on them ! He took 5 men and looked for a
Panzer facing the wrong way.
--- Sgt. Franks popped his head in a window and saw no one. He told 5 men to hold the house as a
safe place. If he could he would make more safe houses for retreat. The men continued into town and there
they were. Germans, relaxing behind a Panzer. One looked around and was so startled
his mouth went agape. Franks stood next to a house and let his VB burp the entire clip. When he
opened up so did several others. No more sneaking around. The Nazis would adjust.
Panzers were all over the place, when they weren't blasting through homes they were machine-gunning
Brits.
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Re: * 5/16/1940 * Ardennes Forest

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-
--- With a range of about 2 miles Caldwell had positioned 6 of the 12 cannons in the battery for retreat.
Now in position to enter the forest Caldwell signaled the battery to open up, using a mirror.
The cannons were pre-sighted and scored some minor hits. 8 Panzers advanced then 18 more and 80 more.
They could see the smoke from the guns and scatter blasted the area. Scatter blasts they were they
were close enough to force most the men to retreat. Dazed but not confused some the men recovered
to get off another salvo. The next salvo from the Panzers finished that battery. The retreat
battery opened up on the advancing Panzers. Scoring disruptive hits on the Panzers. The Panzers needed
another 100 yards to get in range, about 30 seconds. The battery let loose as fast as they could.
Men ran past the guns. The Panzers found the emplacements and one by one lifted the cannons skyward.
The men ran for their lives. Strangely only one Panzer gave chase. The others turned south for Paris.
The plan worked, Caldwell got his men hidden in the forest. As expected the fuel trucks and other
supply vehicles followed well behind the tanks. But there were 3, 20mm mobile-guns and 100s of support
troops. Caldwell wanted to hurt them. He waited until they passed. He snuck his men in close behind
and began machine-gunning the rear echelon. They even got off a few mortars. Not covered with armor,
the 20mm gun operators were easy targets for snipers. It had only been 30 minutes, sure enough the
Panzers stopped advancing.
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Re: * 5/16/1940 * Ardennes Forest

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-
--- The bomber shaped airplanes seemed no threat so Major Harris turned northwest to Roubaix.
He felt single file was least attractive and the farm fields offered some obfuscation. Harris let
Lt. Rodgers take the lead. Harris wanted to keep the rear tight and make sure they understood
this initiative. 5/20/1940 Harris's men reached the outskirts of Roubaix. He sent Lt. Roger and Sgt. Smith
to reconnoiter. The town had lots of civilians and a small detachment of Panzers. They could get
into town unnoticed. Harris took his men into town and told them, have a snack then attack. Get as
close as you can then shoot them. "You need to understand, -death- terminal and gruesome, will rule this
day. Take someone before you go" ! He looked in their young faces and saw that they knew.
--- Harris took a small detachment and went door to door looking for Germans mingling with Belgium's.
They were German now. Unless they helped. Most had a rifle, and they could be used as shields. Harris questioned
himself on whether he instructed his men enough on how to get the upper hand in door to door fighting.
--- Rodgers, now with a close detachment of 100 men came upon a casually busy group of tank maintenance
men. Just then the east flank erupted. The maintenance men turned just in time to see death. A British
soldier pointing a rifle and staring at them.( I understand the lead feels very hot to all the organs it hits.
The pain from a bullet to the heart must be most excruciating before your brain says - that's enough !)
--- That tank was his. He couldn't tell what the crew was working on but if it had shells in it he was going to
use them. Was there someone inside it ? He had to take a cautious look. It had about 80 shells in it !
He told his men he would try and start it up. He needed a loader and a driver now. He fired a round just
to make sure it worked. He lowered the barrel for point-blank. It wouldn't start. So they put in neutral
and pushed it into the street. They were coming from the left. So he turned the barrel left.
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Re: * 5/16/1940 * Ardennes Forest

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-
--- Caldwell pressed the attack and appeared to have more firepower. But the MP 38/40s were talking as
often now. Having blown up many of the fuel trucks that might be the best he could do. Both leaders
had big decisions to make. Caldwell, stay or run, he'd already seen a battalion blasted from the forest.
General Guderian, how much fuel could he spend cleaning up this mess ? General Guderian committed only
3 tanks. Caldwell chose to stay at least until ammo ran out. Then he would run. 5 minutes later he was
down to 1/2 a clip. He yelled retreat. As the last men flew by the Panzers became into range. They finished
off 90% of Caldwell's regiment.
-
--- With the commotion on the east flank Federov felt he alone could make it through the encirclement.
He told his men to take command the nearby buildings. Many tanks where moving east. He continued west
until he could turn north. Much of the center of town was burning or smoking, not many places to hide.
They may've gone underground. Dead British and French littered the streets. "English", he yelled in burnt
out buildings. He froze when he realized he was looking into a mans eyes. English, Parle vu Frances ?
The man slide downward. The basement was a mash unit. They wanted food. Federov gave what he had, and
insisted on tea. Tea, sir ? Someone asked. Federov, though Russian, was English through and through.
Me mum says. "It's not the tea, it's the friends you share it with. Who'll share a spot with me ?"
Lt., someone called out as Federov boiled water. "At your service." He replied. "Lt. Col. Terwilliger at
your service. Though I can't move. I'd love to share a spot.'" Federov explained his situation and learned
the history here. Command here, barely escaped. They bombed us then encircled us. They've been cut off
for 3 days. Federov said there was no escape and his 300 men would fight to the last bullet.
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Re: * 5/16/1940 * Ardennes Forest

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-
--- The men pushed the tank too far out into the street and the front of the tank is exposed.
For the moment it looked like a tank entering duty. Enough pussyfooting, Rodgers fired point blank.
The shell did little to no damage ! Stunned the opposing Panzers fired back point blank. The shells
didn't penetrate. Rodgers got off one more shell that jammed the turret on the first tank. A lot of
good this was doing. The second tank rocked Rodgers tank as they made for the bottom hatch. The men
scattered, as following tanks started going around the building. The blast that hit Rodgers turret blasted
a hot plasma greater than a concave arc. The heat would scorch flesh instantly not to mention blast,
with sheer force of air, your head off. Oh, and not to mention if a piece of shrapnel connected with you.
The mash unit wouldn't even want you. The blood makes it look worse. See it just took his whole lower jaw
off cleanly. And they survive.
--- But this is why tank warfare is still successful, when there is no
threat from the sky, you can get as close as RPG range, 20-50 yards or with respect, howitzer range.
At this time is about 2 miles, about a mile range for a Panzer. But you would need a direct hit or flip the tank.
They can move much faster and be on top of you in minutes.
--- The east flank was having some success with support troops. All they could do was shoot and advance.
600 men spreading thin through the area had to watch out for each other. There is so much smoke it
is difficult to see. The Panzers having gotten around some blockades where closing in from the rear.
Since all German tanks came equipped with 2-way radios they could keep out of each others way. With
support troops behind them they could clean up anything to the sides. Though a Marksmen could shoot down
the barrel and do damage. But if you're that close you're not getting away.
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Re: * 5/16/1940 * Ardennes Forest

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-
--- When Maj. Harris's men came upon the town square a phalanx of Panzers awaited them. As soon as the Germans saw
their bright eyes the blasting started. Some tried to go around but Nazi command troops greeted them
from every floor. The tanks could see down every street. So men went in sewers. Pretty safe down there
for a while. Even though chemical warfare was extremely frowned upon, German soldiers didn't carry gas
masks for style. But if you could come up from the sewer and put a sticky bomb under a tank the enemy
would frown upon that !
--- Lt. Federov got sniped foraging for food. Lt. Rodgers was machine gunned from a tank.
Major Harris surrendered with about 25 men. Because they surrendered with an officer they weren't gunned
on sight. Lt. Caldwell's remnants hid for months before coming out of the Ardennes Forest. Sgt. Franks
affixed his bayonet before they got him. You better believe he wanted to make it personal, as to what he is.
The war validated his existence. To defend mother and country, to teach others how to also.
-
--- I've heard 68,000 men were killed before the Dunkirk exodus. And another 12,000 after D-day cleaning
the Nazi out of Belgium and Holland. So maybe 80,000 total. I think it was personal the second time around.
But the Allies had 330,000 men on the beach at Dunkirk from May 26, to June 4, 1940. The Nazi could've
annihilated them easy. But all of the Panzer Divisions stopped. No one for sure knows why. Many reasons
were aired like, Hitler wanted England to surrender or capitulate. But I think some of those 68,000 went
out as I imagined. Cut off the fuel and the tank isn't much more than a small cannon, (pill box, ok).
Can't advance without fuel.
-[b] Actually for the Germans to bring their Panzers within 1 mile and 1/2, of the beach would've been a sucker play for the British
as their battleships could throw 2 thousand lb. shells 4 miles inland. And the channel was too shallow for U-boats.
That doesn't mean the Germans couldn't bomb that small area. My understanding now is the R.A.F. was keeping
the sky mostly clear over Dunkirk by engaging the Luftwaffe further inland. [/b] -4-9-2020-
-----------------------------10-9-2020------------------------------------
Now I see all the Dunkirk Youtube.com videos. Some have been there since 2014. So the Brits made a stand at Arrass France.
With only 15 Mathilda Tanks stopped Rommel's, under Guderian, spearhead for maybe a couple days. Rommel said he was
up against 5 divisions. It was less than one.
____________________11-8-2020_________________________
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPKp-GKgbl0 - Here is another update on the saving the B. E. F.
Apparently the Allies made stands at the French ports near Dunkirk. Mostly holding off the Blitz for a
couple days each. I don't think those port defenders made it to Dunkirk.
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Re: * 5/16/1940 * Ardennes Forest

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I just learned about Darwin, Australia and the Japanese assault there 2/9/1942.
240 airplanes just leveled the place. They say one rogue Zero shot down 4 , P40 War Hawks
before they new what hit them.
Only 3 months after Pearl Harbor 12/7/1941 !
And 2 months until the battle for Midway 4-7/6/1942
___________8-1-2020__________________________________
Find on YouTube:
The Sacrifice of Battery 155
___________10-9-2020_________________________________
There was a battle of "Arrass". Look for it by Lindybeige, Dunkirk on Youtube.com
It sounds like the Nazi, after cutting through the Ardennes meant to hook right
and push to the sea. But were met by Allied armor. And that suicide mission bought
time for the Dunkirk exodus. [color=#FF0050]_________update_________[/color]
--- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCwCPeUknd4&t=5360s --- this at about the 1:20:00
says more about the Arras battle.
___________9-29-2021_______________________________________
So the math didn't add up for complete evacuation from Dunkirk. Some ~100K French escaped
with the Brit. So where did the other ~>100k Brits go ? They were ferried back to England from a
river port in Southern France maybe Blaye. Some YouTube.com people enlightened me. :)
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