The Battle Of Fontana Alba

NORTHERN BUKOVINA On the 22nd June 1941 the Rumanian Army advanced across the enforced and scurrilous political frontier into Northern Bukovina. On the same day, the so far, invincible German Army launched, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers and Panzers the greatest ever invasion that was to begin the mightiest human struggle in the history of the World. At last, the tyranny that was Communism was about to be smashed and Rumania would play her rightful and glorious part in its downfall.

Though there had been no declaration of war, the Rumanian 3rd Army pressed forward into Bukovina. Facing our hero soldiers was the much numerically stronger Soviet 12th Army. Russian Commander, Gen.Ponedelin responded sharply, pushing forward at our forces. The Germans may have looked down at us with some scorn, but on this day forward, we were going to show our commitment to the cause of freedom and Rumanian emancipation.

FONTANA ALBA (Eastern Front Scenario No.3)

One of the first towns on the path of our journey of liberation was that of Fontana Alba. Lightly garrisoned by troops from the Soviet 164th Rifle Division, the capture of the town was given over to the elite 2nd Calarasi Regiment. Upon inspection of the terrain and approach area, the 2nd Calarasi’s commanding officer decided on a feint attack. Rather than deploy in an obvious assault position, he bivouacked his troopers in a forested area some 2.5km south-west of the town in the hope of drawing the defending enemy out towards him in fear of a flanking crossing of the Prut, and then to use the speed of his cavalrymen to outpace the defenders in a dash for the town. Initially, the ruse appeared to work. Without a shot fired, only two Soviet platoons remained in the town, with all others of the 500 man garrison taking up positions on the main approach road and dug-in areas behind the Prut opposite the 2nd Calarasi.

The next phase of the attack began at 0600 hours. This was the opening of an artillery shelling from the not too numerous Rumanian artillery support batteries placed a good few km’s to the rear. Soviet mortar platoons were the first target, and these would be followed by their forward infantry positions. Whilst the artillery concentrated on their missions, the 2nd Calarasi regiment began its advance for Fontana Alba. One quarter of its strength was detached to flank around the south end of the battlefield, whilst the rest of the regiment advanced to the front of the enemy forces facing them across the river. When the enemy mortars were finally accounted for at 0645, the rest of the regiment made a dash for the town in a bid to outpace the enemy infantry assigned to protect it. The whole ruse was generally successful as the town was entered by our gallant horsemen though a fight would soon envelop them in the town as the Soviet enemy would put a determined defence in to hold it.

Up till 0945, our cavalry put in a fearful and determined attack on the invaders, inflicting some 250 infantry casualties upon them with just 26 of our own! Over the course of 3 hours, three quarters of the town fell to the Rumanian heroes as even town folk themselves, lifted by their salvation, assisted their liberators in levering out the Russian infantry by pointing out vantage point buildings to use. Only at a bridge across the river was any determined Russian defence put in. A lone MG platoon held out for 3 hours before succumbing to the Calarasi and their MG platoons putting in a withering fire.

But cruel fate and treachery seemed to afflict the brave effort for the town. For at 1015am another full strength enemy battalion and its support arrived on the battlefield from the east. Even useful artillery support appeared to have been assigned to them. Suddenly, rather than an attack of élan, our troops had to switch skillfully to a defensive posture in order to beat off the Asiatic hordes now descending upon them. The Soviet artillery rained down an intense fire on our advanced MG’s, halving their number over a period of an hour and reducing their effective support to the cavalry men. By 1130am, our own casualties numbered 81 troopers and the mission had changed to a plan to hold ground east of the river.

The Soviet infantry were now massing round the town of Fontana Alba and placing tremendous pressure on the Rumanian cavalry holding out there. Despite their weight of numbers, they had failed to dislodge them. Casualties on both sides were surprisingly light, though the disorder amongst both forces was very much prevalent. Over the hour and a half that the battle raged there, Rumanian forces suffered another 50 casualties. At the same time, a couple of troops of cavalry were gathered for one last attempt at the remaining unoccupied section of the town. The Soviet infantry placed there were meanwhile engaging our troopers already in the town. Whilst they did this, the two troops of reinforcing cavalrymen entered that sector of the town. Despite a furious close quarter’s battle, the cavalrymen were able to hold out in their town positions.

By 1.15pm, the area had been secured enough by the Rumanian cavalrymen to secure a useful tactical victory. As the day drew on thousands more Rumanian soldiers would flood into the region. From here, our glorious advance through Bukovina would continue as the Soviet invaders had been tossed out of the Fontana Alba in one of our army’s first engagements in this important crusade. The casualty tally read as follows. Rumanian casualties were 96, Soviet losses came to 356.