Misunderstood MTO (id:#66675)

(Bloody December-The Gully ASL Team Tournament 2023 ID: B2)   [next]   [previous]

North of San Leonardo, Italy 1943-12-10 (1 other)

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Overview:

The Loyal Edmonton Regiment, with a squadron of tanks from the 14th Armoured Regiment (The Calgary Regiment) and a platoon of medium machine-guns from the Saskatoon Light Infantry, began the push north that morning. The battle group included two FOOs from 3rd Field Regiment and one from the corps medium regiment. Their goal was Cider Crossroads, the point where the San Leonardo-Tollo road met the Ortona-Orsogna highway. If all went well the 2nd Brigade would turn east towards Ortona to outflank the defenders south of the city while 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade would join an Indian brigade in the advance north to Tollo. The occupation of the village, with its network of minor roads to the north and east, would force the enemy to abandon Ortona, leaving it intact for the Allies to utilize as a base. The road the Loyal Eddies followed skirts a creek defile before turning east. The narrow road ran through an apparently empty countryside. The Canadians’ advance was met with concentrated machine-gun and mortar fire which neither the artillery nor the mortars could suppress. A vague message sent to brigade at 1330 reported “three companies on objective are consolidating.” This signal must have been intended to refer to the first-stage objective, not Cider Crossroads. But Brigadier Bert Hoffmeister misunderstood and ordered the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry to join the advance; securing the high ground the Patricias would call Vino Ridge. They came under heavy, observed fire and were forced to stop and dig in just east of San Leonardo.

Defender: German (361.Panzergrenadierregiment, 90.Panzergrenadierdivision)  

Errata (source)