Fused At Zero ETO (id:#66932)

(Rally Point #21 ID: RPT210)   [next]   [previous]

Otterlo, The Netherlands 1945-04-17 (8 others)

Overview:

In Operation CLEANSER, Major General Bertram's 5th Canadian Armoured Division attacked north to prevent the Germans from withdrawing to the Grebbe line. His main spearhead bypassed German units that offered resistance, leaving them for the trailing infantry to eliminate. On 16 April, Generalmajor Alfred Philppi's 361st Volksgrenadier Division launched a night attack against the Canadians at Otterlo to avoid Hoffmeister's encircling maneuver. Acting on limited intelligence, Philippi was unaware that the Canadian 5th Armoured Division Headquarters, long with several batteries of artillery had occupied the village. Confused heavy fighting lasted all night and as dawn broke, the battle raged on. After sunrise, German Infantry guns and mortars moved forward to plaster the Canadian battle positions with more fire. Canadian gunners fired desperately over open sights with fuses set at zero so their rounds would burst at close range and inflict maximum casualties.

Defender: Canadian (Irish Regiment of Canada, 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 5th Canadian Armoured Division and 3 Troop, 617 Assault Squadron, 42nd Assault Regiment, 1st Assault Brigade, Royal Engineers, 79th Armoured Division)  

Errata (source)