Cutting The Corridor - The Matrix Games version of West Front

[version 2.1, 07-01-2005] 24 september 1944 was to be the day of the truth for both sides in operation Market Garden. The Allies wanted to make a full attempt to relieve the forces at Oosterbeek. No further setbacks could be afforded. German feeling was also growing pessimistic. With the additional Allied airdrops on 22 and 23 september and the severe losses suffered the past days, Model realized there would be only one chance left to deal the final blow to Market Garden, a combined attack in the area of Veghel. Goal of the Germans was the bridge over the Willems canal at Veghel. If it could be destroyed, the Allied supply route would be fatally delayed. The German plan was to attack from the west towards the corridor. On the left flank batallion Finzel would advance to the Willems canal and then follow the canal in a southerly direction. The main attack, straight through Eerde towards the bridge would be carried out by Von der Heydtes 6th Fallschirmjaeger regiment. On the right, bataillon Jungwirth would advance over the moors of the Schijndelse Heide to provide flank protection. As the battle unfolded, it became apparent that Von der Heydtes Fallschirmjaeger were not able to break through the positions of the 501st Airborne Regiment. After a heavy battle in the sand dunes of the Eerdsche Bergen, the Germans of Von der Heydtes group were driven back to the railway line. As the paratroopers of the 501st prepared to drive the Germans further back in the direction of Wijbosch, the word spread that there were Germans east of them. Batallion Jungwirth had in fact succeeded in reaching the corridor near the hamlet of Koevering and had started to destroy the still passing supply trucks on their way to Nijmegen. To exploit the succes German command decided to attach the four Jagdpanthers of the 559th Heavy Tankdestroyer Battalion to Jungwirth. During the night more German troops joined Jungwirth who had meanwhile dug in ithe patch of woods at Logtenburg. The next day would see furious Allied attempts to throw back the Germans. Eventually they succeeded, but in all the Germans had cut the corridor for over 40 hours. If Market Garden wasn't doomed from the start, now it was.