Crossing Chaos ETO (id:#67234)

(ASL Action Pack #21 Blitzkrieg to Paris ID: AP231)   [next]   [previous]

South of Yvoir, Belgium 1940-05-12 (32 others)

Overview:

As the blitzkrieg began, Allied headquarters across the Low Countries and France scrambled to understand and react to the situation. After two days of combat, cavalry forces of 2e Armèe withdrew from the Ardennes region in a rout. 9e Armèe's 1e Division Légère de Cavalerie and 4e Division Légère de Cavalerie were ordered to move to cover the Meuse crossings. In conjunction, Belgian engineers were ordered to destroy all bridges across the Meuse. The 4e DLC crossed over the Meuse bridges, leaving the regiment's d'Autos-Mitrailleuse as covering forces for the withdrawal. The crossing at Yvoir was wired for demolition and the last few Allies remaining on the opposite bank in the area were preparing to traverse the bridge. As the retreating rearguard approached the bridge, they were overtaken by the lead German vehicles. Belgian Lieutenant René de Wispelaere was in charge of demolishing the bridge in the face of imminent capture.

Defender: French / Belgian (4e Escadron Divisionnaire de Antichar, 14e Régiment de Dragons Portés, 4e Division Légère de Cavalerie, 9e Armée)  

Errata (source)