Camden
Tactical
3-4 November 2006
This years Camden tactical was a little different from previous battles. Start time was noon and the day battle ran till 5:00 pm and the night engagement started at 7:00 pm and ran till midnight. Everyone really liked the start time on Sat. This gave us more time to share in some great camaraderie, enjoy the camp and not be in such a rush first thing in the morning. Of course our unit was the first ones there Fri. around noon, which gave us a full 24 hrs before the first battle. Friday was a very nice day but cold and Fri. night was really cold down in the low to mid 20’s. Trying to stay warm while sleeping in a tent was on every ones mind. So I suggested that we do what people use to do before there were heaters and heat up some rocks in the campfire and place them in your bedding. Most of us did and when we hit the sack had nice toasty beds. It’s just too bad they didn’t stay warm all night. But all too soon our thoughts went from staying warm to staying alive. The time for defending the Fatherland has come. This is the fall of 1944 and allied forces have launched a major offensive. Airborne troops have landed in several areas and armored and mechanized troops are advancing along several roads, Our time for rest is over. Our first orders were to patrol along a major road and prepare an ambush, which we did and soon after encountered leading elements of the allied assault. We bloodied their nose and fearing encirclement we moved our positions about a hundred meters away and lay in wait. After an hour of hit and run tactics we were able to delay the allied forces while not suffering any casualties ourselves. At 1300 hrs we received orders to proceed to a bridge crossing a deep creek bed and set up a defense to stop any allies from out flanking our front lines. Rather then trying to defend the bridge itself we took positions on the high ground overlooking the bridge, which gave us a tactical advantage. Much to our surprise the enemy never reared its ugly head and we were able to get in some much needed rest. By 1500 hrs we received new orders to proceed to a road junction about one kilometer away. It was way to dangerous to take the road, so we stuck to the high ground making our way towards the crossroads, keeping an eye on the road below. Sure enough we spotted a small unit of British Para’s guarding a bridge, so we maneuvered ourselves into position and opened up on them wiping out their entire unit. Soon we were back on the move, working our way along the high ground overlooking the road. In the distance we could here firefights braking out near the crossroads. As we neared the road we spotted a squad of GI’s heading toward the crossroads. While maneuvering the squad into position to ambush we spotted a US jeep with two GI’s in it sitting just off the road, so I took Friedrich and Johann to try and capture the jeep. We creep up from behind and took them prisoner. Come to find out it was part of the allied HQ and the allied advance soon fell apart. Upon arriving at the crossroads we found it be deserted. The fighting had all but dyed down and everyone headed back to camp. Once back at camp we receive orders to move out again at 1900 hrs, this gave us two hours to rest, fill our bellies and prepare for a night engagement. Night battles are completely different from day battles; they are much more exciting and challenging, while at the same time many times more dangerous. Our orders were to link up with two other units and defend an airstrip and ammo dump. Fortunately there was a full moon shinning through a thin layer of clouds, which gave everything an eerie glow. We set up our defensive positions at the end of the runway and waited, straining to see through the darkness. Suddenly flares lit up the sky and we all hunkered down on the ground so as not to be seen. Then grenades started to go off near our positions but we held our fire so as not to give up our positions. As the GI’s started to come into view which was only a few meters away we opened up with all we had and beat them off. They tried to out flank us but we foiled that attempt also. All became quiet at our end but a firefight erupted at the other end of the airstrip so we decided to try and out flank the GI’s. We worked our way through some thick underbrush out into a field of tall grass. Following along the woods line I was at point and spotted what looked like a person lying in the grass. Not knowing if it was friend or foe or even a person at all I hesitated and was shot! The rest of the squad took the GI out and continued toward the ammo dump where a firefight had broken out. By the sound of weapons firing it sounded as though the allies had taken our ammo dump, so we pressed home an attack to take it back. Confusion was starting to take hold of the battle and we found GI’s among us. Nobody was sure who was firing at whom but there were only two left in our squad at the end of the assault. Come to find out it was a bunch of trigger happy SS that held the ammo dump and our unit was wiped out by our own side. Never did like those SS troopers! The allies never did take the airfield or ammo dump.
We had a great event, lots of fun and a good turnout fielding a full squad. The night engagement was a very exciting time. Can’t wait now for the next tactical.
Reickert, Oberjäger und Gruppenführer
2./GJR 100