HV-Lucky Seventh Over There - Combat Mission: Afrika Korps

Title: Lucky Seventh Over There... Type: Allied attack Date: 30 September 1944 Location: Near Overloon, Netherlands Weather: Overcast Terrain: Mud Turns: 60 Author: Huib Versloot Best played: H2H, or as Allied "Over there, over there" Send the word, send the word over there, That the Yanks are coming, The drums rum-tumming everywhere." -George M. Cohan (1917) Background: "Where there's trouble... the 7th Armored went". When it became clear that Market Garden had failed, Montgomery immediately shifted his attention towards the eastward axis Gennep-Kleve -Emmerich. He believed that with the gains of Market Garden, an attack directly into Germany was still possible. First the Germans would have to be driven from the west bank of the Maas river in Holland. The nature of the terrain with large areas of swamps and uncultivated terrain of the Peel marshes ruled out an attack from the west. A possible attack from the south was also considered undesirable as the Allies would have to cross two major canals in the process. Therefore it was decided to attack the Germans from the north. As the British forces were now too thinly spread for such a large operation, Eisenhower ordered US XIX Corps to take over the "Peel" front. The US 7th Armored, already in transit from Metz was assigned the task of clearing the Germans from the westbank of the Maas. In an air of mindless optimism, that was typical for US 1st Army command during September 1944, Hodges ordered the 7th AD to continue the drive over the Maas to Cologne, once the Germans on the westbank were defeated. For this purpose 7th AD commander Sylvester developed a simple plan. CCA would attack from the village of Stevensbeek, while CCB would make a southward attack from Sambeek. Recon prior to the operation was deemed unnecessary as it was believed there were only few Germans opposing the division. Thus the Americans ran straight into the focal point of the German defenses. In a series of battles the 7th Armored lost 35 tanks, 43 other vehicles and 452 men. Sources: J. Didden & M. Swarts, Brabant Bevrijd. A. Korthals Altes & N.K.C.A. In't Veld, The forgotten battle. Overloon and the Maas Salient 1944-45.