The fight for the Hedgerows

Synopsis: Castle and his company along with the men of the 12th Infantry Regiment and Fourth Infantry Division are battling the German forces inside hedgerow country

A/N: Takes place during Embark upon the Great Crusade Universe

July 7th, 1944

Northwest of St. Lo, France

Captain Castle waited with the other company commanders and 1st Sergeants, as Major Meyers was receiving the orders for the battalion. The entire division had been sent down into the area of St. Lo to help the US forces there breakout of the lodgment area and advance across France. Yet the resistance they had encountered proved tougher than they were expecting, so now they were taking their turn in area known as the bocage, but to the soldiers that Castle and the Company had run into, they had called it hedgerows. Or as one US soldier had put it hell on earth.

"All right gentlemen gather around." Major Meyers called to the assembled officers and first sergeants. He laid out a map on the hood of the jeep. The men gathered around. "Here we are, position about 20 miles northwest of St. Lo with the 83rd to our right and the 90th Division on the other side of this marshy area. In front of us are the 37th SS Panzergrenider regiment."

"Only a regiment and the 101st couldn't over take them?" The 1st Sergeant from Able Company asked the battalion commander.

Major Meyers didn't flinch. "The Krauts are dug in pretty good in these fields that are surrounded by earthen walls and hedges at the top. The French call them bocage, but the proper name is hedgerows. You break through and next thing you know you are pinned down by cross sighted machine guns and mortar fire."

The murmuring began but Castle decided to ask the question. "Artillery sir?"

"Ineffective in other areas, mainly due to the weather, and I suspect the inability to find the krauts proper." Major Meyers replied to Castle's question. He checked his watch. "Yet I hope we can change that. Now here is the plan. Able you will take this series of hedgerows to your front with Charlie Company swinging to the right to secure this crossroads that has hedgerows on all sides of it. Baker Company you will move forward to take this series of Hedgerows to Able's left flank to prevent the Krauts from hitting them in the rear. Field phones won't do us much good, so everything has to be over radio so remember your communications codes. Each company is getting a platoon of tanks for support. Launch time is two hours from now Questions?

"Sir with us separated like this, no company can mutually support each other." Able's Company Commander said. He pointed to the map. "Why not have Charlie advance in these hedgerows to our right to prevent…."

"I understand your concern Captain Thompson." Major Meyers replied cutting off his company commander. He pointed at the map. "We need to secure that crossroads to prevent the Germans from moving in to the area with more men and tanks, and as a way to maneuver ourselves. If we don't secure it we will be fighting the Germans from every direction."

Captain Thompson nodded at the small rebuke, so Castle decided to take a shot. "Artillery preparation sir?"

"None." Major Meyers answered Castle's question. He sighed and looked at the group. "Since we can't properly identify the German positions, regiment feels like it would be a waste of ammunition. Anyone else?"

There were no further questions so the command group broke up and headed back to their companies. Castle and 1st Sgt. Joseph walked quietly each thinking the same thing. It was going to be a tough fight without proper intelligence or artillery support. Ten minutes later, they arrived back at the company position where the platoon sergeants and leaders were waiting for them.

"Alright here it is." Castle said to his company leaders. He laid out the plan for the battalion. He saw the faces knowing they had the same thought he and 1st Sgt. Joseph did. "We do have tank support, but I want 1st and 3rd Platoons on a line of advance with 2nd Platoon in support. Heavy weapons platoon will follow along behind the tanks and set up once we make contact. Since there is no artillery preparation, and no hard intelligence we don't know what we will run into so be prepared. Questions?"

"Tanks sir?" Lt. Baxter asked for the command staff. He looked around before continuing. "We've seen some of the terrain already…."

"They have to go down this track, but will support when we take contact." Castle replied. He looked around. "Any other questions?"

There were none, so Castle consulted his watch. "We launch in 90 minutes. So prepare your men."

The company leadership nodded and left the company command post essentially a jeep behind a stack of trees to head back to their platoon's. Castle took the time to oil and clean his rifle as they sat waiting. 85 minutes later, Castle joined his men as they prepared to move off.

He checked his watch a moment later then raised his hands. "All platoons advance."

The company broke from their covered positions and started to head towards their objectives. Yet immediately they ran into problems. The sunken lanes and the hedgerows made it impossible for the platoons to keep track with one another as they moved. On top of that the hedgerows were taller than their supporting tanks so the tanks couldn't support the company. The sound of heavy gunfire to their left indicated one of their sister companys had engaged the Germans. Yet before Castle could get some information, the sound that everyone that wasn't new to the company knew all too well came screaming in.

"INCOMING!" Castle called out as the men of the 1st Platoon and their company commander hit the deck as the mortar round exploded to their front. Then the sound of MG-42 erupted to their right where third platoon was and the sound of another German machine gun erupted to their front. "MG-42. Get the tanks up here."

The runner from the platoon made a quick dash to the hedgerow as a loud explosion came from their right where second platoon was trying to breech with one of the tanks that tried to run up and over the hedgerow before a panzerfaust destroyed it. As the runner came up over the top of the hedgerow he was cut down by the machine gun.

"Redwing 6 this is Baker 6 we have engage heavy Germans resistance 100 meters south of our line of departure." Castle called over the radio. He looked around and heard the screams from the other hedgerow as his third platoon tried to battle the Germans. "Request immediate artillery support over?"

"Negative Baker 6." Major Meyers replied over the radio. He was frustrated Castle could tell because the other companies were screaming for support. "Regiment has denied our request because of the closeness of our lead units to the Germans. Able and Charlie are both in heavy contact. Pull back and….."

Castle didn't hear the rest as a panzerfaust flew over his head as one of the supporting tanks had tried the same thing its brothers had tried and failed at. The explosion deafens everyone in the hedgerow. The remaining two tanks saw what had happen and beat a hasty retreat back up the sunken lane.

"Sir the tanks had beat it." 1st Sgt. Joseph said to Castle who was trying to get the message from Major Meyers again. "What are your orders sir?"

Castle looked around and had to make a decision. He slammed his fist into the ground and had his radio operator switch to the company frequency. "All Baker elements this is Baker 6, pull back to the sunken lane. I say again pull back to the sunken lane. Baker 6 out. Lt. Nielson pull your platoon back."

The company and platoon leaders began to organize a fighting withdraw as the company mortars laid smoke as riflemen peppered the German machine guns to try and pin them down as their comrade fell back. Thirty minutes later Castle moved down the lane taking stock. 15 men were dead, another twenty or so wounded with two tanks and their crews destroyed. Castle shook his head as Major Meyers walked up in a low crouch.

"Just got the word. Able never made it past the first hedgerow, and Charlie got decimated as well." Major Meyers told Castle as he watched the wounded being carried to the rear. "Regiment has lifted its restrictions. Starting in an hour we'll be blasting the positions in front of us with artillery. Once the air….."

"Sir no offense I don't care." Castle said cutting off the battalion commander. He looked at him and pointed at the men being carried away and then to the hedgerow beyond. "If fucking regiment would have lifted the restrictions when we were in the middle of that fucking hellstorm, I wouldn't have to reshuffle men around to fill in badly needed vacancies."

Major Meyers looked at Castle and nodded knowing he wasn't pissed at him. "I'll pass that along to regiment. Let me guess squad leaders?"

Castle nodded. "I also lost two platoon sergeants as well. Tell that to regiment sir. Those men are not fucking easy to replace."

Major Meyers nodded and left the area as Castle looked and cursed the plan. Major Meyers probably begged regiment for a artillery barrage and the CO said no. Now with the casualties of the first day in hedgerow country the regiment will try to blast the Germans out of the hedgerows though the American infantry will still have to go and dig out the remnants.

The fight for the hedgerows was just really starting to begin.