German Counter Attack at Woensdrecht

October 16, 1944

Canadians vs. Germans

Woensdrecht was the major battle the Canadians faced when fighting in the Schedlt in 1944. The Scheldt is the river that connected Antwerp to the sea and the liberation of the Sheldt towns was crucial to advancement of the campaign post D Day.

Initial attempts on October 13 by the Black Watch to take Woensdrecht had resulted in a bloody repulse. On the night of the 15th and 16th the artillery of 2nd Canadian division shelled the German positions in Woesndrecht in preparation for an assault by the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry supported by the tanks of the 10th Armoured Regiment. When the attack came the Germans had already vacated the town.

German counterattack continued for 5 days but in the end the Canadians inflicted enough casualties to force a German withdrawal. The Germans consisted of the 6th Fallschirmjaeger supported by Stugs and some Tigers. There was also a batteryof artillery but many of the spotters had been captured earlier in the week by Canadian patrols.

This scenario is somewhat speculative and involves an attack by the 6th Fallschirmjaeger with support from thier Stugs and some Tigers against the Royal Hamiltons supported by their artillery and the tanks of 10th Armoured.

The orders of battle I give are really the maximum values for any given scenario - as there were a series of attacks over 5 days you can easily scale this down to fit in a game small enough to run with your collection and time constraints.

Order of Battle

Canadians

10th Armoured Regiment

Headquarters element

• Command Sherman V 75mm Cruiser Tank
• 2IC Sherman V 75mm Cruiser Tank
• 2 Fire Support Shermans
• 3 Fire Support Crusaders

Sherman Squadron A

• Command Sherman V 75mm
• 6 Sherman V 75mm
• 2 Sherman Firefly 17 lbers

Sherman Squadron B

• Command Sherman V 75mm
• 6 Sherman V 75mm
• 2 Sherman Firefly 17 lbers

Sherman Squadron C

• Command Sherman V 75mm
• 6 Sherman V 75mm
• 2 Sherman Firefly 17 lbers

Armoured Recee Troop

• 1 Stuart V Command
• 2 Stuart Vs

Flame Tank Troop

• 1 Command Badger Ram Tank
• 1 Badger Ram Tank

Royal Hamilton Light Infantry

Headquarters

• 1 Commander w/ Universal Carrier

Company A

• 1 Commander
• 8 Infantry
• 1 Infantry w/ PIAT
• 1 2in mortar

Company B

• 1 Commander
• 8 Infantry
• 1 Infantry w/ PIAT
• 1 2in mortar

Company C

• 1 Commander
• 8 Infantry
• 1 Infantry w/ PIAT
• 1 2in mortar

Company D

• 1 Commander
• 8 Infantry
• 1 Infantry w/ PIAT
• 1 2in mortar

Attachments

• 2 Assault Pioneerss w/ Morris 15 cwt truck (1 w/ flame)
• 3 6lb antitank gun w/ Lloyd carrier
• 3 3inch mortar w/ Universal Carrier

Off board fire support

• 2 FOO in Universal Carriers
• 4 25lb Field Artillery

Germans

Elements of 6th Fallschirmjaeger

Fallschirmjaeger battalion

Headquarters

• 1 Commander

Attachments

• 3 Heavy Machine Guns
• 2 80mm Mortars
• 1 75mm Infantry Gun

Fallschirmjaeger Company A

• 1 Commander
• 6 Fallschirmjaeger (3 with panzerfaust)
• 3 Light Machine Guns
• 1 80 mm Mortar

Fallschirmjaeger Company B

• 1 Commander
• 6 Fallschirmjaeger (3 with panzerfaust)
• 3 Light Machine Guns
• 1 80 mm Mortar

Fallschirmjaeger Company C

• 1 Commander
• 6 Fallschirmjaeger (3 with panzerfaust)
• 3 Light Machine Guns
• 1 80 mm Mortar

Off board Support

• 105 mm Leichgeschutze battery (only one due to the capture of German spotters)
• 1 FOO

Assault Gun Company

• 1 Stug III G Command
• 6 Stug III G

Heavy Panzer Company

• 1 Command Panzer VI Tiger I
• 6 Panzer VI Tiger I

References

Ernst Kolles memoir: http://members.shaw.ca/calgaryhighlanders/knolle.htm

http://users.pandora.be/dave.depickere/

http://www.junobeach.org/e/2/can-eve-rod-sch-e.htm

http://www.wargamer.com/archive/results.asp?GameName=Combat+Mission

http://members.shaw.ca/calgaryhighlanders/beveland.htm

http://www.wlu.ca/~wwwmsds/341spwoensdrecht.jpg

http://members.shaw.ca/calgaryhighlanders/hoogerheide.htm