This game was played on Skype over 2 sessions with Alan Sawyer. Continuing my battles of the Siegfried Line etc, I had started an AAR on this battle before we even began, setting the scene for a young Volksgrenadier under my command as the large force of Americans head for the attack on Lohn.

The aim for both sides is to gain (or hold if German) points for towns, the high-ground to the rear and inflicting casualties. My initial plan for the Germans was to have the Volksgrenadiers retire as they have to set up in the front lines (board 15) and by doing so, assist the smaller amount of regualr grenadiers defend the hill which at 2pts per hex, is worth 50pts. I set up 3 x VG platoons well-forward so as to have the Americans start as far back as possible (eating up 3 turns in movement). Also by mainly retiring, US MG's and MTR power would be rendered obsolete and relegated to rear-guard cleaning up and holding duties should any arise. Anyway, on to the curious case of Alois Pinger.

Alois Pinger was one of hundreds of thousands of young lads conscripted into the Volksgrenadier regiments. His regiment was part of the newly formed and inexperienced 246th Volksgrenadier Division and they found themselves manning the defences known as the ‘Westwall in front of Lohn. Here he sat in a dripping wet dug-out and watched ruefully as an earthworm escaped the flooding of its homestead, the creature manically burrowing out of the side of the stodgy clay walls of Pinger’s dug-out. The rain causing the earthworm so much trouble had been falling relentlessly for days, perhaps weeks ? Turning Pinger’s position and his local environs into nothing more than a viscous bog of sticky brown clinging toffee-like mud. November had turned into one of the wettest months for many a year that western Germany had endured. Ever since September, this ‘Westwall’ had been defended determinedly by Pinger’s compatriots and the slow meat-grinder killing continued as both the American war machine and German generals refused to give up their claims for the land. This was being paid for in thousands of mens lives and even more thousands maimed. Pinger and his comrades were wet, hungry and miserable. He asked himself “Why had they been placed in the front lines whilst the “Alte Hassen” (Old Hares) of the 3rd Gren Div had been positioned behind them”? It didn’t make sense to Pinger and the other young men and middle-aged citizens of his unit. Worse still, news had come that their Divisional comrades covering Merzenhausen had been under attack for the last hour by troops of the US 3rd Armoured Div.(see AAR Crocodile Rock Westwall # 6). Alois Pinger knew that this would mean a full American attack along the line. So when would those damn Amis come? The wait that past hour had been agonising, but just before 0800 hours the call went out along the fox-holes. “Der Fienden kommen” ! True enough, his leutnant, Rudy Walder confirmed, that through his binoculars, American infantry (from the 30th Hickory Division) had begun their approach. Walder was from the smattering of men assigned to the VG Divisions that would give a streak of experience through the units as these combat experienced (and possibly weary) ‘Hassen’ filled the NCO and junior officer positions. Walder had been part of the original 246th Infantry Division before its VG status was imbued upon it by Goebbels following its rebuild after being decimated by its 3 years of fighting on the East Front.

Half a kilometre away to the west, the ‘Tar-Heels’ were on the move. An ironically suited nomenclature as instead of tar, they would be sloshing their way through the farmlands that had been turned into the hideous mud plains.(see google images of this open farmed area). These units were the three battalions of the 120th Regiment (see Yeide’s “The Longest Battle’ which has a paragraph on this action p.158). They were to attack Lohn whilst the 104th would attack neighbouring Putzlohn (not this scenario). They had planned their main route of attack up along the main highway and Pinger’s platoon were right smack in their path ! Unknown to Pinger, the company officers of Volksgrenadiers vanguarding the forward area had been given orders to bug-out once they had communicated the early warning. Despite the back breaking and arduous travail of digging his ‘foxhole’ and the incessant battle that had followed of bailing out the ubiquitous rainwater that had continued to fill it, Pinger felt no remorse about leaving his previous ‘labour of love’ just where it was and empty. His platoon was ordered by Walder (turn.1), as were the two other platoons along the line to retreat towards Lohn “Sofort” ! As soon as the Volksgrenadiers were spotted by the 120th OBA observers, they were harangued continuously by a frightening amount of artillery. One platoon were hit in the first 45 minutes of retreat and took casualties (1 step), but mercifully, Pinger’s platoon, plus a platoon in the far north had made it relatively unscathed back to the safer outlying settlements (turn 10). Pinger’s platoon were targeted, but Lt.Walder had maintained cohesion of the men all the way back. Just as they were entering the settlements, Pinger looked behind and saw the ‘Doughboys’ following about 600m further down the road. He was going to be in for a fight pretty soon. Unknown to Pinger, on the other side of the settlement (lone town hex, board 15 nearest board 21) and pretty central to the Old Hickory’s advance, more GI’s supported by M4’s had advanced to the outskirts. The GI’s were readying to engage at range, whilst the tanks had moved close in covered by woods and had laid down some fire on the German positions. Pinger’s platoon would have been joining an HMG platoon from the 246th, but they had bugged out demoralised after one initial bombardment. There were some hefty looking pill-box postions bristling with MMG’s and 37mm’s still in situ, and the guardians of these welcomed Pinger and the new arrivals.

Along the rest of the battle area, the poor 120th US Infantry regiment had been battling with mud. Moving very slowly, and suffering with dubious logistical direction in places (turns 1-10), the advance had been painfully slow. Their HMG units were nothing more than rear-area clean-up and position protectors. Any forward fighting was going to have to be carried through by the carbine and rifle-armed infantrymen. It had taken them near two and a half hours to reach the first Germans ready to make a stand near Lohn, and now the GI’s would have to try and array themselves into a cogent battle line first. As this deployment took place around 1000 hours, an M10 & M4 platoon had pushed northwards to scout out the seemingly undefended farms and town in that area. At 1015 hours, whilst carrying out this patrol, German 75’s opened up from a town just 1km away to the east. Half the M4’s were hit by some accurate fire and were stupefied into inertia (1 step and DEM) whilst the M10’s scrambled to the cover and invisibility of the farmland. The battle finally had now started to be fought ! Of the other two platoons of Pinger’s company, one had reached the north most settlement outside Lohn in good order. The other, that had taken the casualties from the bombardment had taken refuge in the centre of the massive forested area in front of Lohn. Some GI’s had followed that platoon into the forest, but Pinger had not heard any sounds of battle during his platoon’s retirement. Trying to catch his breath, he managed to find two minutes to sit on the door-step of a damaged and deserted building. Pinger looked upwards above the glass-front of the building. “ BACKEREI – Familie Vogel” it advertised proudly. He imagined what sweet-tasting delights might have been concocted there perhaps just a week or two before. He felt a warm aurora envelop him believing it to be the effect of ‘good pastry thoughts’, yet at the same time, he now felt invigoured and unstoppable. “How dare these Amis destroy the backerei ! Huh, Ok, to battle !” He thought.

Pinger’s hamlet was practically surrounded now. An American company and a platoon of tanks were in position outside, with another company heading right at them along the highway. Once more in came the enemy OBA, shaking the defenders and causing some of the troops in the pill-boxes to consider running. As the shells rained in, the enemy troops outside loosed off round after round at the press-ganged but intrepid defenders. And yet, Pinger was feeling no fear. Their position was being held and the pill-box men didn’t run after all. Walder ran around trying to keep the mens elan up, whilst whatever defender was brave enough to peer towards the enemy also in turn fired at the Americans. It seemed as if they were holding out ? Elsewhere on the battlefield, the Americans were methodically making their approach on Lohn. From their angle of advance, they would need to get through this if they had any plans to attempt to take the high-ground. There was also a possible slower route through a wood below the heights. At 1100 hours, to the north, a reinforcing company of grenadiers from the 3rd Panzer-Grenadier Division entered the fray accompanied by a platoon of the frightening Jagdpanthers. They immediately began to push southwards to lend support to the defence. Meanwhile, deep in the aforementioned forest, the damaged platoon of Volksgrenadiers there were attacked by GI’s. The officer in charge tried to rally the now demoralised remnants, but most of them just meekly surrendered as he tried to get them to break out (1 step loss and Captain lost). American command though, despite a full hour of heavy bombardment (30col OBA and 16col Mortar fire), and concentrated close in direct fire (22col) just couldn’t get the hamlet where Alois Pinger was defending to break substantially nor indeed inflict telling casualties. This delayed any assault attempts as the commander refused to do so against the miraculously good order defenders. Likewise, Pinger and the other troops holding out also managed to dish-out paltry effects on their close range fire (30col) and as a result the hamlet continued to hold firm, but completely surrounded. Pinger’s warm glow appeared to be keeping him alive !

The main section of the attack was finally closing on Lohn town though. At least one whole battalion from Old Hickory with some engineer support struggled through the mud to close in on defending troops here. These guys were the veteran troops of the 3rd PG Div. As the Tar-heel infantry closed, the inevitable crackle of fire, followed by the all too familiar bass sound of the ‘burp-guns (German MG’s) unleashed their messages of death. The sight was loathsome for any commander to witness. GI after GI collapsed in a motionless heap in front of the town not unlike scenes from the Meuse-Argonne in 1918. Those not falling ‘hit’ into the quaggy morass either turned to run, or themselves dived to the ground trying to get as deep into the mud as they possibly could, away from the fizzing and zipping metal flying inches above their heads. Familiar cries of “Oh my God” and “mother” were being yelled as the wounded or the dying always do. It was simply a massacre as around a third of the troops became casualties (6 steps). One whole company sized group of GI’s did make it to the northern edge of Lohn. They launched an assault on defending units here supported by engineers. But the Germans seemed ready for them. Entering the town, they saw little of the enemy before they too were hit by pill-box fire and enemy engineers. Losing a number of men (2 steps) and their officer, the GI’s were hurled back completely demoralised. The American command had seen enough. They would need more troops to dig-out this enemy. The attack was called off as midday approached. Pinger could not believe his luck. He thought today was his last on earth or at best, he’d end up in a miserable enemy POW camp. But no, the Americans were retiring and he had survived the day. Some people have their cake and eat it. Pinger got neither from the backerei that day, but instead had been gifted his life. A most curious case indeed. Maybe the owner of the backerei might return to open up shop !

Footnote - Alois saw out the war and re-settled in his Rheinland home thereafter. Having got married and raised children, his wife and he ran the Pinger Hotel in Remagen (http://www.pingerhotels.de/html/frontend.php). Along with the normal day-to-day of running a hotel, he was in later years known to run small Westwall tours around the area. Not only Remagen but including of course, up and around the Lohn area. Now, 87 years old, those have stopped and Alois is simply an everyday Grandad to his childrens’ children. (why is Tom Cruise on that web-link ??)

The American advance proved something of a logistical nightmare in the mud and I think they got a little too caught up in the battles for the towns. The main body of points is for the high-ground, and a grinding straight advance would have got them there, in range by turn 10. I discussed this with Alan post-game and he stated he did not wish to try this and wanted to see how the road advance would do. Had he been Soviet .... he'd have been shot ! :-)

Final casualty tally was German: 3 GREN steps and a Captain. American: 7 INF steps, 1 ENG, 1 M4 and a LT

I rate this a '3' as standard Westwall fare. I enjoyed it and if the Americans do or are allowed to apply enough pressure on the thin crust of Germans, then it will be tough for the defenders. A series of poor shooting in parts by both sides and surprisingly tame OBA, left us both pretty casualty light until turn 15 of 20. Try this one, it'll be intriguing to see how others do, but as the US, concentrate on your rifle-infantry.