It was a teary goodbye for James and his wife, it took a lot of convincing and promising to Sarah before she'd finally relented. With that in mind, James had promised to come back home safe and alive to her and the baby that's on the way.
It was the last time Jack had seen James for a few months before he enlisted himself in pursuit of his older brother to fight side by side with him.
*
Arnhem, 1944
"The order just came down from high command, commence your attack! Take this city back and crush all resistance that you meet and if the civilians take up arms, then you know what to do!" Pyritz yelled out as he spun around from the radioman that had relayed the orders to him.
Ragnarök was already lined up at the bridge and ready as Marcus wanted to make sure his tank was in front of the charge in order to protect the grunts outside.
He planned to use his tank as a mobile shield to protect the infantry with when they come under small arms fire. It was a standard combined arms tactic and it tends to work quite exceptionally well with little to no casualties in most cases.
"Okay Frost, bring us into the city and keep in mind we're spear heading this assault." Marcus said as he sat down in his commanders seat while he secured the hatch in the commander's cupola.
"Jawohl Herr Hauptmann, I'll keep our horse at pace mit unsere Infantrie." Torsten replied while he began to ease the tank forward causing the engines to rev up and grow louder.
Behind Ragnarök and the four accompanying Panzers was the first platoon of the 15th P.G. lining up to take their positions behind lead tanks. Then behind the forty five man strong platoon is the next squad of Panzers and so forth.
"Kittel you're taking command of squads two through seven, I'll obviously be taking squad one, and eight through nine with me. Take care to remember, follow the tanks into battle and stick close to die Oberfeldwebel!" Rauscher commanded as the platoon split up to gather around their respective commanders.
More and more tank engines were being revved up from behind before everyone, including the infantry began their advance into Arnhem.
Once the advance into Arnhem was ordered, similar instructions were sent to the remaining 9th Panzer division all across the new front that was created at the border of the Netherlands and Germany.
The counter attack by Generalmajor Karl Kriesser's 9th Panzer division is in full swing as both armor and infantry regiments are surging forth into the Netherlands.
"Yes, sir! I'll relay the news to the Captain at once," Kepler answered over his radio before he twisted his upper body at the hips to face Marcus.
"Herr, orders were just updated, they want the 1st Asgard to push through the city and set up a defensive position to prevent any and all enemy reinforcements coming our way to Arnhem." He said as he watched Marcus straighten up in his seat.
"Understood Kepler, update the Company and have them follow after us. Also do update the infantry so they know what the hell's going on here." Marcus had ordered as he adjusted his hat to fit more snugly on his head.
Once Kepler began transmitting his message out to the Company, he turned the knobs that was on the radio to change frequencies for the infantry radios. Then he proceeded from there to fill them in with the order adjustments as Torsten increased speed of the Tiger.
"Everyone get off the road and let our tanks through!" Rauscher had ordered his men and everyone was hurrying to get out of the way of their departing armor support.
"What the hell's going on sir?!" Someone had asked as the tanks formed a column and began to roar past the infantry that had gotten out of the way.
"Orders were just updated, we'll be assaulting the town with out armor support everyone!" Rauscher replied which caused a few complaints amongst the men.
"There isn't any time for complaining, continue on as ordered everyone we got a fucking city to take!" Kristin said which stopped a majority of the complaints.
Once the final Panzer in the column had passed the company on the bridge, the men collected themselves before they started to race across the open. No one wanted to stay out there due to the threats of a possible sniper.
So far the assault squads under Rauscher have managed to push deep into the city without meeting any sort of resistance thanks to the garrison here.
The men that were here did an exemplary job in defending the city and even pushing the British back to the point of encircling them. However, that wasn't going to stop the enemy from slugging it out.
With the way that Rauscher had split the platoon up, he had given Kittel the core of the platoon which was the weapons section, the HMG team, and main assault squads.
Down the street though, Kristin was first spot the fighting that was ongoing between fixed British positions and the Germans that had taken cover in the streets. Using rubble, cars, shops, buildings, anything really to return fire.
When Kittel had ordered the section forward, there was distant explosions before a sudden shrill started to descend from the heavens and it made everyone stiffen in their uniforms.
(If there isn't a video above this text, do let me know please)
"INCOMING! LOS LOS LOS!" Kristin had yelled which caused everyone to scatter like cockroaches in search of shelter from the descending ordinance.
Kittel didn't have time to react, before he even knew what was going on, something that felt like a freight train rammed him with an overpowering force that swept him off his feet.
It was too sudden and out of no where, and when Kittel gasped for air from the sharp pain that was radiating from the back of his head he had waken up on the cold hard street.
He felt like he couldn't move, his frame was shaking and he could feel his heart thrashing against his chest, threatening to burst.
All he could do was lay where he had fallen and listen to Kristin issuing orders and it was there that return fire was finally being returned on the fixed enemy positions.
The artillery shells were still firing and each explosion shook the earth and everyone in their boots as well.
Adding to the chaos was the ear ringing gun fire that started to become too overbearing as it had brought the full reality of war crashing down on the ignorant Second Lieutenant.
Suddenly Kittel could feel some pressure being removed from his torso and he felt like he could breath again as he sucked in a huge gulp of air while a pair of sweaty hands grabbed hold of him.
Oslo and Otto along with a few others had made the rescue once they pulled the heavy wooden door that was sent flying from the artillery shell when it landed inside of the nearby building.
It was a midair collision and everyone watched that heavy oak door slam into Kittel's back as debris was sent outward.
"The guns are firing too fucking short! Wo ist unsere Funker gott verdammt es!!!" Kristin raged as he watched the two drag Kittel into the protection that the alley was providing them from the incoming British fire.
"Damn it, I don't care who but someone find the-" There was a shell that was louder than the others were as it started to grow louder and louder like a loud whistle.
"Take cover!" Was all Kristin yelled out to his men as the friendly German shell came crashing down into the building directly behind everyone a few houses back.
Kristin had thrown himself on top of Kittel who was still quite out of it and in shock as the shell impacted the earth and there was a few screams that had fallen silent.
Hurrying, Kristin checked over Kittel before he scooped his helmet up that got knocked off and fashioned it to his head before turning around to check on his men.
"Is everyone alright!" Kristin called out above the raging firefight as he leaned against the wall, his own adrenaline was pumping through his veins and he was a little shook up too.
"No, sir we lost a squad to that last shell they got buried in the explosion!" A panicked reply had came from one of his men.
Everyone was holding firm, but the rookies that were here with them weren't fairing too well. And with Kittel out of the action for who knows how long, that leaves Kristin in charge and responsible for all thirty-eight men present and combat abled.
"Sanitäter, hilfe Herr Kittel and any other casualties... EVERYONE LISTEN UP, I am designating this alley as the temporary wounded and dead collection, bring our wounded here. Now with that taken care of." Kristin began as he held onto his MP40, he had gotten the section's attention, and they needed to stop those artillery shells from raining down.
"I, Oberfeldwebel Kristin Roper is taking temporary command of this section until I'm properly relieved of command by a superior officer. My first order for you all is simple, continue fighting from the safety of cover while I find a way to stop the barrage!" Kristin announced to everyone that was within earshot, and this brought some of the newer guys back since they were given a task to do instead of just sitting here.
"Way down some suppressing fire, get the HMG set up and pin them down, I think the radioman got buried underneath the rubble. You and you, with me!" Kristin had ordered the men while he pointed to two nearby privates to help him with digging out the three men.
With new energy and a given task, everyone jumped to it and did as they were ordered by returning fire in a greater volume as the MG42 team had set up and also increased their effect supporting fire.
*
Oberleutnant Baron Anton, German/Netherlands borders
Baron's mission was a simple one more or less, he's been given the task to strike out in full tactical gear along with the other sharpshooters to wreck chaos and disrupt ally operations in the area wherever possible.
With that in mind, Baron had volunteered to take up the most dangerous part of the operation which was eliminating a high valued target in the town of Son.
The closest town from where he crossed the border was Son too, so it made things easier. Plus, intelligence had reported that a high ranking U.S. Army officer was commanding a section of the attack there, but was stopped once the bridge was destroyed.
Such news brought a smile to his face when he heard first heard it, it even got him excited to the point were his pulse had quickened.
Because for Baron here, it's been way too long since he went on a proper 'Hunting trip' with his prey being that high ranking officer.
He wanted to be the one to claim that kill, to successfully hunt down and neutralize his given target.
**
That's it for this week's chapter update everyone, and I do apologize for the delay it took me longer than expected to get this final draft written up.
In any case though, school is starting up for me on the Seventh or eighth, thus my hectic schedule will calm down considerably enough to the point where I'll be making updates on time for once.
With that video above, I hope you all got a feel of what Kittel was going through once the first few shells came raining down.
I can only imagine how bloody scary that can be under artillery fire while in a full blown shootout with the enemy.
All in all, I hope to see everyone in next week's update, have a wonderful day ya'll!:)
P.s, don't forget to bayonet that vote button!