Stalemate (The Red Gambit Series) Read online

  0208hrs, Friday, 5th October 1945, Fischausen, Soviet Occupied Prussia.

  0210hrs, Friday, 5th October 1945, adjacent to Route 192, Fischausen, Soviet occupied Prussia.

  0437hrs, Friday, 5th October 1945, Swedish covert military installation, Gotland.

  0903hrs, Friday, 5th October 1945, Fischausen, Soviet occupied Prussia.

  Chapter 89 – THE WOUNDED

  1057hrs, Sunday, 7th October 1945, Legion Command Group ‘Normandie’ Headquarters, Hotel Stephanie, Baden-Baden, Germany.

  1127hrs, Sunday, 7th October 1945, Headquarters of US Third Army, Albert Ludwig University, Freiburg, Germany.

  1247hrs, Sunday, 7th October 1945, Legion Command Group ‘Normandie’ Headquarters, Hotel Stephanie, Baden-Baden, Germany.

  0953hrs, Tuesday, 9th October 1945, 20th US Field Hospital, Soissons, France.

  0802hrs, Wednesday, 10th October 1945, Headquarters of SHAEF, Trianon Palace Hotel, Versailles, France.

  1207hrs, Friday, 12th October 1945, Headquarters of SHAEF, Trianon Palace Hotel, Versailles, France.

  1210hrs, Friday, 12th October 1945, Headquarters, Red Banner Forces of Europe, Kohnstein, Nordhausen, Germany.

  2302hrs, Friday, 12th October 1945, Headquarters of SHAEF, Trianon Palace Hotel, Versailles, France.

  Chapter 90 - THE RAIDS

  0917hrs, Saturday, 13th October 1945, Headquarters, 2nd Red Banner Central European Front, Schloss Rauischholzhausen, Ebsdorfergrund, Germany.

  1702hrs, Saturday, 13th October 1945. Airborne over the Caspian Sea, approaching Baku, USSR.

  2309hrs, Saturday, 13th October 1945, Headquarters, Red Banner Forces of Europe, Kohnstein, Nordhausen, Germany.

  Author’s note on ‘Stalemate’ from this point forward.

  2ND RED BANNER ARMY OF SOVIET EUROPE - MARSHAL KONEV

  Chapter 91 - THE COLOSSUS

  0800hrs, Sunday, 14th October 1945, Western Germany.

  0812hrs, Sunday, 14th October 1945, Headquarters, 2nd Red Banner Central European Front, Schloss Rauischholzhausen, Ebsdorfergrund, Germany.

  2042hrs, Tuesday, 16th October 1945, Headquarters, 2nd Red Banner Central European Front, Schloss Rauischholzhausen, Ebsdorfergrund, Germany.

  0942hrs, Friday, 19th October 1945, Headquarters, 2nd Red Banner Central European Front, Schloss Rauischholzhausen, Ebsdorfergrund, Germany.

  0759hrs, Saturday, 20th October 1945, Headquarters, Special Grouping Kravchenko, Schloss Bedburg, Bedburg, Germany.

  0949hrs, Sunday, 21st October 1945, Mobile Headquarters, 5th Guards Army, Jackerath, Germany.

  0953hrs, Sunday, 21st October 1945, Station X, Bletchley Park, England.

  1002hrs, Monday, 22nd October 1945, Headquarters of SHAEF, Trianon Palace Hotel, Versailles, France.

  Chapter 92 - THE EAGLES

  1119hrs, Tuesday, 23rd October 1945, 18th US Airborne Corps Headquarters, Bree, Holland.

  1152hrs, Tuesday, 23rd October 1945, Oligstraβe, Broeksittard, Holland.

  1332hrs, Tuesday, 23rd October 1945, Sittard, Holland.

  1400hrs, Tuesday, 23rd October 1945, Hotel Limbourg, Markt, Sittard, Holland.

  1529hrs, Tuesday, 23rd October 1945, Allied frontline positions at Urmond, Holland.

  1703hrs, Tuesday, 23rd October 1945, Allied frontline positions at Guttecoven, Holland.

  1707hrs, Tuesday, 23rd October 1945, Soviet frontline positions north of Guttecoven, Holland.

  2010hrs, Tuesday, 23rd October 1945, Allied frontline positions at Geleen, Holland.

  2027hrs, Tuesday, 23rd October 1945, Limbricht, Holland.

  2303hrs, Tuesday, 23rd October 1945, Soviet breakthrough, Markt, Sittard, Holland.

  0047hrs, Wednesday, 24th October 1945, 18th US Airborne Corps Headquarters, Bree, Holland.

  0214hrs, Wednesday, 24th October 1945, Soviet positions, Markt, Sittard, Holland.

  0237hrs, Wednesday, 24th October 1945, Berg an der Maas, Holland.

  0256hrs, Wednesday, 24th October 1945, Allied breakout, Geleen, Holland.

  1100hrs, Wednesday, 24th October 1945, Stein, Holland.

  1145hrs, Wednesday, 24th October, 1945, Headquarters, 2nd Red Banner Central European Front, Schloss Rauischholzhausen,

  3RD RED BANNER CENTRAL EUROPEAN FRONT - MARSHAL ROKOSSOVSKY

  Chapter 93 - THE TURNCOAT

  1112hrs, Sunday, 14th October 1945, Headquarters, 1st Legion Chars D’Assault Brigade ‘Camerone’, Baden-Baden, Germany.

  1232hrs, Friday, 19th October, 1945, Headquarters, Command Group ‘Normandie’, 1st Legion Chars D’Assault Brigade ‘Camerone’, Railway Station, Lipsheim, Alsace.

  Chapter 94 - THE MEETINGS

  1112hrs, Sunday, 21st October 1945, Headquarters, Group ‘Normandie’, Unterlinden Museum Building, Colmar, Alsace.

  0817hrs, Monday, 22nd October 1945, USAAF temporary airfield, Bischoffsheim, Alsace.

  0847hrs, Monday, 22nd October 1945, Böblingen Airfield, Böblingen, Germany.

  1907hrs, Monday, 22nd October 1945, USAAF temporary airfield, Bischoffsheim, Alsace.

  1001hrs, Tuesday, 23rd October 1945, Headquarters, 3rd Red Banner Central European Front, Hotel Stephanie, Baden-Baden, Germany.

  Chapter 95 - THE FUNNEL

  2050hrs, Tuesday, 23rd October, 1945, Front line positions, Assault formation of 19th Army, 3rd Red Banner Central European Front, Lingolsheim, Alsace.

  2159hrs, Tuesday, 23rd October 1945, Overlooking Route 1420, Bruderthal, the Vosges, Alsace.

  0415hrs, Wednesday, 24th October 1945, Benfeld, Alsace.

  0701hrs, Thursday, 25th October, 1945, overlooking Legion frontline position on the Aubach River, Alsace.

  0711hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Ebersheim, Alsace.

  0712hrs, Thursday, 25th October, 1945, overlooking Legion frontline position on the Aubach River, Alsace.

  0715hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Ebersheim, Alsace.

  0720hrs, Thursday, 25th October, 1945, overlooking Legion frontline position on the Aubach River, Alsace.

  0724hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Ebersheim, Alsace.

  0742hrs, Thursday, 25th October, 1945, overlooking Legion secondary position ‘Bruno’, the Aubach River, Alsace.

  0744hrs, Thursday, 25th October, 1945, Route de Scherwiller, Ebersheim, Alsace.

  Chapter 96 - THE TIGERS

  1307hrs, Thursday, 25th October, 1945, Headquarters of Mobile Group Blagoslavov, Hotel le Manoir, Barr, Alsace.

  1332hrs, Thursday, 25th October, 1945, north of Guémar, Alsace.

  1425hrs, Thursday, 25th October, 1945, Headquarters of Mobile Group Blagoslavov, Hotel le Manoir, Barr, Alsace.

  1501hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, the Alsatian Plain.

  1501hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Mobile Group Blagoslavov, Barr, Alsace.

  1816hrs, Friday, 26th October 1945, on the banks of the Apfelbach, north of Heiligenstein, Alsace.

  1ST BALTIC FRONT - MARSHAL BAGRAMYAN

  Chapter 97 - THE DIVERSION

  1230hrs, Saturday, 20th October 1945, Headquarters of the 1st Baltic Front, Schloss Holdenstadt, near Uelzen, Germany.

  1450hrs, Sunday, 21st October 1945, Allied Holding Camp, Baggersee am Berg, south of Hagen, Germany.

  Chapter 98 - THE INTELLIGENCE

  1734hrs, Tuesday, 23rd October 1945, Headquarters of SHAEF, Trianon Palace Hotel, Versailles, France.

  Chapter 99 - THE CAMPFIRE

  2330hrs, Tuesday, 23rd October 1945, Headquarters of the 1st Baltic Front, Schloss Holdenstadt, near Uelzen, Germany.

  0057hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Barnstorf, Germany.

  0300hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Junction of Nagelskamp and Osnabrucker Straβe, Barnstorf.

  Chapter 100 - THE HELL

  [BLOODY BARNSTORF]

  0430hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, the Hunte River, Barnstorf.

  0620hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, the Hunte River, Barnstorf.

  0755hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, the Hunte River, Barnstorf.

  094
5hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Scharrel, Germany.

  0953hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, the Hunte River, Barnstorf.

  0955hrs, Thursday, 25th October, 1945, Main road bridge, the Hunte River, Barnstorf.

  0956hrs, Thursday, 25th October, 1945, Main rail bridge, the Hunte River, Barnstorf.

  1023hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, the Rail Bridge, Hunte River, Barnstorf.

  1029hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, The Hunte River rail bridge, Barnstorf.

  1042hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Hunte River rail bridge, Barnstorf.

  1051hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Command Post, 3rd Composite Battalion, on the Wagenfelder Aue River.

  1059hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Route 344, east of Rechtern.

  1104hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Wagenfelder Aue Bridge, southeast of Rechtern, Germany.

  1136hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Rechtern Bridge, Barnstorf, Germany.

  1140hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Allied defensive position on Barnstorf Rail Bridge, Germany.

  1145hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, The Rechtern Bridge area, Barnstorf, Germany.

  1145hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Soesterberg Airbase, Holland.

  1145hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, the Underpass, Barnstorf, Germany.

  1218hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, astride Route 48, Barnstorf.

  1237hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, the Rail Bridge defences, Barnstorf.

  1239hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, astride Route 48, Barnstorf.

  Chapter 101 - THE AFTERMATH

  2207hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Headquarters of SHAEF, Trianon Palace Hotel, Versailles, France.

  2208hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Office of the General Secretary of the Communist Party, the Kremlin, Moscow, USSR.

  2216hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Office of Special Intelligence Projects, GRU Western Europe Headquarters, the Mühlberg, Germany.

  2258hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Headquarters of 1209th Grenadiere Regiment, 159th Infanterie Division, Neuwied, Germany.

  2302hrs, Thursday, 25th October 1945, Headquarters, Red Banner Forces of Europe, Kohnstein, Nordhausen, Germany.

  Chapter 102 - THE SILVERBIRDS

  2349hrs, Tuesday, 30th October 1945, Headquarters, Group ‘Normandie’, Unterlinden Museum Building, Colmar, Alsace.

  List of figures

  Bibliography

  Glossary

  Zhukov’s Army from a Hundred Lands

  About the Author.

  ‘Impasse’ - the story continues.

  Chapter 103 - THE SUNDERLAND

  1505hrs, Monday, 5th November 1945, the Western Approaches, approximately 45 miles north-west of St Kilda Island, The Atlantic.

  Fig #71 - Rear Cover of ‘Stalemate’

  My thanks to...

  The events that brought me to write the ‘Red Gambit’ series have been outlined previously, as have the major contributions of some of the more important characters.

  I have already offered up my thanks to a large number of helpers, but I must now include the following.

  The personal diaries and papers of Brigadier John Bracewell were invaluable, and helped me better understand the events at Barnstorf, as well as providing valuable insight into many of the subsequent Northern German operations. My thanks to his son, Major General Lawrence Bracewell MC OBE, and his granddaughter, Lieutenant Colonel Victoria Childs MBE, both for the access, and the additional knowledge they provided.

  Major Andrew Charles, Grenadier Guards, provided me with huge amounts of personal testimony and physical information, and I thank him and his wife Christine for their enthusiastic support.

  The memoirs of RSM Neville Griffiths CGM, MM and bar proved a mine of information. Alas Neville passed away the day before we were due to meet.

  Pieter de Villiers provided me with an array of details, by way of recollection or the written word, and I am indebted to him for providing me with insight into the Soviet POW camps, and some specific events at Sarov during September 1947.

  I am indebted to the guardians of the affairs of

  General Benoit Hugues Kelly Plummer, former French Defence Minister, who provided me with full access to the incredible private collection he established, the contents of which deal with so much more than just French affairs, and which provided me with a great deal of information not previously in the public domain.

  The granddaughter of Gisela Jourdan provided me with her personal diaries, and they have been of great assistance. At her own request, she wishes to remain anonymous.

  Generalleutnant Willibald Trannel provided me with insight into the operations of the Special Air Group that assisted with the Allies’ covert operations in Europe, and was particularly helpful in piecing together the details of the SAG during the last months of the war.

  I was privileged to meet with Marquis Ito Hirohata and receive, at first hand, the full story of the Rainbow Brigade. I am indebted to his son, Isoroku, for help with translations, on the occasions that my Japanese, or his father’s English, failed to measure up.

  Finally for this volume, I met with Egon Nakhimov, who was able to provide so many details on the Chateau assault, and the subsequent activities of Makarenko’s unit of survivors, one of the greatest untold stories of WW3.

  With the help of all these documents, the personal memories of the above, and others, I have been able to put together a story of the last two years of World War Two, or as they became known, World War Three, years which cost many lives, and which left such an indelible mark on those who fought on both sides.

  I have tried to combine the human stories with the historical facts, and to do so in an even and unbiased manner. In my humble opinion, the heroes wear different uniforms and only in one specific area are they on common ground.

  They are all ordinary human beings.

  The story so far.....

  As this book forms part of a series, I would recommend that you read all books in sequence.

  ‘Opening Moves’ deals with the political decision making behind the Soviet attack, and the first assaults into Allied occupied Europe.

  ‘Breakthrough’ deals with the development of the second phase of the Soviet plan.

  This is the story so far.

  The Soviets have been presented with reasons, seemingly substantial, to suspect treachery from the Allies.

  Stalin and his cronies harness the indignation of the Soviet Officer Corps for their own Imperial intentions, and plan a lightning attack on the Western Allies in Germany.

  Elsewhere, the US Atomic Bomb test was a failure, and Soviet intelligence secures American information that permits their own Atomic project to advance.

  Rumours of a Soviet attack do not arrive in time, despite the best efforts of some German POW’s, who work out what is happening, and make a daring bid to get to the Allied forces in Austria.

  The war starts, commando attacks and assassination squads preceding the ground forces, Soviet air force missions reaping huge benefits and reducing the Allied air superiority to parity at best. Initial Soviet advances are made, but the resilience of the Allies is unexpected, and the Soviet leadership develops a sudden respect for the ‘soft’ capitalist troops. The war descends into a gutter fight, not the free flowing fight that the Soviet High Command had envisaged would take place, once they broke through the front lines.

  The USSR’s new ally, Imperial Japan, rearmed with captured German weapons, starts making inroads in China, as well as taking advantage of subterfuge to deal heavy blows to the US Pacific Fleet and Pacific ground forces.

  The casualties are horrendous on both sides, and Allied commanders find themselves unable to regain the initiative, constantly responding to the Soviet assaults.

  The German Army, displaying incredible resilience, commences reforming, promising to commit substantial numbers to the Allied forces.

  The Soviet Navy plays its part, its submarines, many of which are former U-Boats, wreaking
havoc on the Atlantic reinforcement programme.

  However, the American war machine begins to whirr again, once more underestimated by an enemy.

  Men and weapons, slowly at first, begin to flow from the camps and factories.

  Also, the Allied Air forces recover, showing great resilience and taking the Air War back to the Soviets.

  In particular, the Soviets have failed to appreciate the heavy bomber force, a mistake of immense proportions, but perhaps understandable, given their own bomber force’s capabilities and the rushed nature of their strategic planning.

  None the less, the Red Army continues to make inroads into the Allied defences, and the rate of attrition is awful.

  Whole divisions can be swallowed up in the smallest of battles for the most insignificant of locations.

  The Soviet plan has allowed for a number of phases of attack, with substantial reinforcements under central command, ready to be fed in when needed.

  Despite some serious setbacks, the Red Army launches its second phase on 13th August 1945.

  The assaults reap good rewards, and Allied divisions are ravaged from the Danish Border to the Alps.

  The Allies plan to withdraw, fighting all the way, intent on standing in defensive positions established on the Rhine.

  Amid rumours of Soviet supply issues, the Allied units bleed the assault formations at every opportunity, but constantly lose ground.

  The Allies fight a number of encirclement battles, breaking out valuable troops, but at a cost in men and equipment.

  An unwise decision by the British Prime Minister Attlee brings a crisis to the Allied cause, and encourages the Red Army to concentrate its efforts against the British and Dominion forces in Northern Germany.

  Attlee is ousted and replaced by Churchill.

  The Red Army renews its efforts.

  Fig #51 - European locations of ‘Stalemate’.

  I appreciate that Kindle readers have had difficulty with the maps. I trust that the technology will one day catch up, as existing users have complained that they are difficult to display.

  I can only apologise for that, but they do work within the paper version, so they must remain.