ADVANCING INTO BESSARABIA With prisoners rounded up and the tension in the air now completely gone, I was able to share a morsel or two with the brave men of the 67th Reserve Regiment. I had been favoured to witness a great moment in our army’s history and in person too! But now it was time to move on. Yes, time to report on yet another fine unit. By evening tide, I would be in the company of the Royal Armoured Division. They were following across the just taken Prut that had been secured by the infantry, and from there would push on towards Brinzini. Morale could simply not be higher as the troops liberated town after Bessarabian town from the Soviets.

FIRST TANK BATTLE

(Eastern Front Deluxe Scenario No.25)

My journey with the Royal Armoured Division carried us along the main highway towards and just west of Brinzini. By the next day, the 4th July we were very much closing in on an area occupied by the enemy and as a result the CinC of the Division decided to send forward a company of motor-cycle recon troops supported by 20 R2’s, 2 companies of infantry in trucks and some AT gun support. I was able to guest as a passenger in a side-car of one of the motor cycles that sped eastwards along the Brinzini highway and was anticipating what battle I would be reporting on next.

Around 1000 hours, I had my answer. We spied the Soviet troops in the distance. These turned out to be from their 16th Tank Division. Around 2 companies of infantry and 28 tanks, made up of T28’s and T26’s were now closing towards us. Our 47mm AT guns unlimbered 100 yards behind us on the road and commanded a radial view of the flat land for a distance of 2km’s. Our R2 tanks were nearby for support both in front and behind us and the recon company dismounted ahead of the AT guns. For an hour both sides jostled around in attempts to gain the best ground and position. But a bolt from the blue came when some AP rounds from one of the Soviet devils split through two of our R2 tanks from a distance of 1200m and set both vehicles alight and killing both crews outright. If this was what they wanted, they were about to get a reply!

Our tanks had readied themselves to reply with a salvo or two of their own, as were the AT guns on the roadside. No sooner had our R2’s been hit, four Russian T28’s were ablaze much to the cheering of our own infantry. Battle had been joined. The recon units, MG platoon and eight R2’s made off to the south where a small hill area was located. From here, they were able to command a good sight of the Russian approaches. This approach included a wooded area and now, small amounts of artillery supported our machine guns and tanks on this hill as they set to repulse any incursion and sweep any movement the Soviets might take towards the highway.

By midday, two hours into the battle, Soviet losses had risen to 10 of their 28 tanks lost and around 75 infantrymen. Four Rumanian R2’s had been lost at this stage. The Soviets were now pressing at the highway and others of their numbers were trying to slip westwards without drawing too much fire. During this period, the AT guns managed to knock out 4 more Soviet tanks and their tankers morale and cohesion was beginning to suffer. What was more, in some violent close combat, many of their infantrymen suffered casualties for negligible losses of our own. That was not to say that the task was easy for our troops. On the contrary, the battle, at this time was still very much alive as the communist enemy refused to leave the field or give up their dug-in postions. But their impact was dwindling slowly.

It was only when many more of their soldiers and tanks had been cut down or blown away that in the end, any thoughts they had of advancing had finally subsided. They were also unable to cling to any toe-hold on this part of the Brinzini highway as well. Rumanian losses had totaled 6 R2 tanks lost and a handful of soldiers. Deservedly, the Soviet occupiers suffered 20 tanks knocked out and 276 infantry casualties. This had been a day of exultation for the Royal Armoured Division. The Division would now roll on to glory and the Dniester River.