Battle of Neufchatel en Bray (14 – 31 March)
With the end of Paulus’ offensive, a period of reconstruction began. The frontline was a disorganized mess, and infantry were needed for the Italian front. While troops started to be redeployed and shifted around, Franco-American attacks were launched to the south of Paris and at the southern end of the line. In Denmark, partisans – a long time thorn in our northern flank, and supported by British commandos – launched a major coordinated effort that overran most of Funen and Zealand. While the Allied attacks were beaten off with only minor losses on both sides, the Danish captured the occupation headquarter staff and destroyed an entire Luftwaffe division. Only static divisions, protecting vital ports and manning the costal guns needed to keep the Baltic Sea off limited to the navies of the United Nations, were left in the country. If the partisans could seize either, the opportunity for the United Nations to strike deep into the Reich would come about. The only nearby reserve was the 52.Infantrie-Division. It was ordered into Denmark with the objective of destroying the resistance. Over the course of February and March, it kept the Danes from advancing onto Jutland but was unable to deal a death blow required to secure the country and our northern flank.
In France, it took until 14 March for the reconstruction of the Western Front to take place. The men and machines of the panzer army were withdrawn into reserve alongside the Seventeenth Army (this reserve, consisting of just under half a million men was placed under the command of Army Group D). The Twelfth Army (minus two divisions protecting northern Germany and the 52nd division now in Denmark) along with the Mountain Corps (with numerous regiments sent back to Germany to be fully reorganized and trained in a mountain role, rather than being just the infantry they were with special titles) were dispatched to the Italian front to relieve the Third Panzer Army currently based there. This left just over half a million troops of Army Group B (First, Seventh, Eleventh, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth armies) manning the frontline, guarding the Channel Ports, and positioned on the West Wall. Forty-eight first-class infantry divisions were assigned to the frontline, with each division covering roughly six miles of the line.
It was at this point that the Americans decided to strike. American troops pushed out of their bridgeheads over the Seine, near Rouen, and struck towards the small town of Neufchatel en Bray – to the north of Paris. Their intention seemed clear. There had been recent murmurs of the Belgians willing to defect to the United Nation cause. If the Americans could break through to the Pas de Calais, they would have a clear path across the open northern French plains to the Belgian border. From there, a new ally and a route that would circumnavigate the West Wall and allow United Nations troops into the Netherlands and onto the North German Plain.
Under the cover of bombers and heavy artillery fire, American infantry and tanks moved forward. Our troops were only able to mount a short fight, but it bought enough time to move the First Panzer Army into position behind the besieged troops. Just as the first reserves moved into place, poised read to counterattack, the American troops smashed through the frontline and captured Neufchatel en Bray. From here, the Americans pushed forward only to be countered by panzer wedges and our own mobile troops who surged forward on the counterattack. The initial American troops were taken by surprise and routed, but a quick victory was neither achieved nor possible as American troops poured into the area. A vicious back and forth battle erupted. Regiment after regiment, of American troops, were crushed by the weight of the attack. Yet after several days, they were able to stabilize their line and erect suitable defensive positions, around Neufchatel en Bray, from which they could blunt our attacks. As the month wore on, their defensive posture and positions sapped the offensive power of the First Panzer Army. With the cohesion and morale of the army dropping, not to mention their ineffectiveness to punch through the American lines, the men were ordered to stand down on 31 March. The next day, despite the heavy casualties already inflicted, fresh American troops attacked to renew their offensive to punch through into the Pas de Calais.
With the end of Paulus’ offensive, a period of reconstruction began. The frontline was a disorganized mess, and infantry were needed for the Italian front. While troops started to be redeployed and shifted around, Franco-American attacks were launched to the south of Paris and at the southern end of the line. In Denmark, partisans – a long time thorn in our northern flank, and supported by British commandos – launched a major coordinated effort that overran most of Funen and Zealand. While the Allied attacks were beaten off with only minor losses on both sides, the Danish captured the occupation headquarter staff and destroyed an entire Luftwaffe division. Only static divisions, protecting vital ports and manning the costal guns needed to keep the Baltic Sea off limited to the navies of the United Nations, were left in the country. If the partisans could seize either, the opportunity for the United Nations to strike deep into the Reich would come about. The only nearby reserve was the 52.Infantrie-Division. It was ordered into Denmark with the objective of destroying the resistance. Over the course of February and March, it kept the Danes from advancing onto Jutland but was unable to deal a death blow required to secure the country and our northern flank.
In France, it took until 14 March for the reconstruction of the Western Front to take place. The men and machines of the panzer army were withdrawn into reserve alongside the Seventeenth Army (this reserve, consisting of just under half a million men was placed under the command of Army Group D). The Twelfth Army (minus two divisions protecting northern Germany and the 52nd division now in Denmark) along with the Mountain Corps (with numerous regiments sent back to Germany to be fully reorganized and trained in a mountain role, rather than being just the infantry they were with special titles) were dispatched to the Italian front to relieve the Third Panzer Army currently based there. This left just over half a million troops of Army Group B (First, Seventh, Eleventh, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth armies) manning the frontline, guarding the Channel Ports, and positioned on the West Wall. Forty-eight first-class infantry divisions were assigned to the frontline, with each division covering roughly six miles of the line.
It was at this point that the Americans decided to strike. American troops pushed out of their bridgeheads over the Seine, near Rouen, and struck towards the small town of Neufchatel en Bray – to the north of Paris. Their intention seemed clear. There had been recent murmurs of the Belgians willing to defect to the United Nation cause. If the Americans could break through to the Pas de Calais, they would have a clear path across the open northern French plains to the Belgian border. From there, a new ally and a route that would circumnavigate the West Wall and allow United Nations troops into the Netherlands and onto the North German Plain.
Under the cover of bombers and heavy artillery fire, American infantry and tanks moved forward. Our troops were only able to mount a short fight, but it bought enough time to move the First Panzer Army into position behind the besieged troops. Just as the first reserves moved into place, poised read to counterattack, the American troops smashed through the frontline and captured Neufchatel en Bray. From here, the Americans pushed forward only to be countered by panzer wedges and our own mobile troops who surged forward on the counterattack. The initial American troops were taken by surprise and routed, but a quick victory was neither achieved nor possible as American troops poured into the area. A vicious back and forth battle erupted. Regiment after regiment, of American troops, were crushed by the weight of the attack. Yet after several days, they were able to stabilize their line and erect suitable defensive positions, around Neufchatel en Bray, from which they could blunt our attacks. As the month wore on, their defensive posture and positions sapped the offensive power of the First Panzer Army. With the cohesion and morale of the army dropping, not to mention their ineffectiveness to punch through the American lines, the men were ordered to stand down on 31 March. The next day, despite the heavy casualties already inflicted, fresh American troops attacked to renew their offensive to punch through into the Pas de Calais.