Background
By 31 October 1944, all lands surrounding the Scheldt estuary had been cleared of German control, save for Walcheren Island, whose coastal batteries commanded the approaches to the waterway. These guns prevented the Allies from making use of the port facilities of Antwerp to alleviate their logistical concerns.
The island’s dykes had been breached by attacks from RAF Bomber Command: on 3 October at Westkapelle, with severe loss of civilian life; on 7 October at two places, west and east of Vlissingen; and on 11 October at Veere. This flooded the central part of the island, forcing the German defenders onto the high ground around the outside and in the towns.
The 2nd Canadian Infantry Division had marched west down the South Beveland isthmus and by the 31st had cleared all German opposition from South Beveland. Walcheren Island was connected to South Beveland by a narrow causeway, 40 metres wide and 1600 metres long.
Plans to employ assault boats over the Sloe Channel were thwarted by muddy conditions unsuitable for water craft. The Calgary Highlanders had been selected for this amphibious operation, as they had received stormboat training in the UK in anticipation of an opposed water crossing of the Seine River, which invasion planners had predicted would be necessary approximately 90 days after the landings in Normandy. In the event, the ground was too boggy to employ the boats, and the Highlanders were utilized as conventional infantry in a landward attack directly over the causeway.
Landings by British Commandos of the 4th Commando Brigade eventually sealed the fate of the German defenders on Walcheren Island, attacking from seaward at Flushing and Westkapelle. The battle for the causeway itself had been a costly, and ultimately unnecessary, diversion.
The 2nd Canadian Infantry Division went into reserve in the first week of November, moving into the Nijmegen Salient for the winter. The Calgary Highlanders suffered 64 casualties in the 3 days of fighting at Walcheren Causeway. Le Régiment de Maisonneuve had one man killed and 10 wounded. The Black Watch suffered 85 casualties in the period 14 October to 1 November 1944, the bulk of them suffered on the causeway.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Walcheren_Causeway
The Game
Continuing on our Walcheren theme, we decided to do a quick pick up game around the British assault on Walcheren Island. The game was set up as a straight up meeting engagement using Flames of War scenario rules. The terrain was set up to reflect the general area (and available options from of FLGS!). With that, we went at it! Apologizing in advance, we did not have a lot of time, so I am going to be a little light on pictures
German Forces: The Germans had two equal sized infantry companies of three infantry platoons, one machine gun platoon, one mortar platoon and an AOP. All core units were Confident Trained. The support for the two companies was a Stug III platoon (Confident Veteran), a two 20mm AA batteries, a 37mm AA battery and two off board (guns over the Volga) 105mm artillery batteries (all Confident Trained).
British Forces: A Canadian Infantry Company of three infantry platoons and one mortar platoon. All infantry was being transported in Ran Kangaroos. All units were Confident Veteran. The second company was two Commando platoons and Two Sherman platoons. The Commandos were transported in LVTs. Support units were a flight of Dedicated Typhoons.
Set up: The Germans deployed their forces around their two objectives. On the right, the German player stretched out their forces to give the British the most terrain to fight over so to attrit the attacking forces with artillery. On the left, the German player formed hedge hog in the hope of repelling any assault. The supporting AA and Stugs were deployed across the rear of the table to provide support. The British set up their two companies facing the two German players. The Canadians on the left and the Commandos and armor on the right. The attack plan was t use the armor and superior range to remove the German supporting units and then assault the infantry once they were thinned out.
Game: The Canadians surged forward to take on the forward exposed German infantry. This resulted in intense fire fights. Some assaults went in, others were repelled by heavy fire. The exposed Canadians were then hit by long range infantry, AA and concentrated mortar and artillery fire. These attacks thinned out the Germans, but resulted in the Canadians taking 50% casualties in all their platoons. the Kangaroos enabled the Canadians to keep up the pressure throughout the game however.
On the British right flank, the Commandos and tank engaged in long range fire with the German Stugs and guns, slowing destroying each battery. This was successful with the help of the Typhoons. With a gap forming, a Sherman platoon was sent into the center to clear out the mortar and AA batteries, with the hope of then turning to the rear of the Germans on the left to support the suffering Canadians. At the same time, the Commandos with a tank platoon and the help of the Typhoons began trying to thin out the German hedge hog position, so they could launch their assaults successfully.
The center Sherman platoon successfully cleared the German center and all supporting AA and began its sweep into the rear of the Germans. To the front of the Commandos, the fire from the APCs, other tank platoon and Typhoons was slowly thinning out the German defense. However, do to a misunderstanding in communications (the Canadians must have been using French!), the Canadians left their objective in German hands resulting in a German victory!
– Manteuffel
The Battle of “Walcheren Causeway”.
In 1944, the Causeway, that linked the peninsular of South beverland with the island of Walcheren, spanned a muddy tidal creek. The part of the creek that ran southward to the Scheldt estuary was known as the”Sloe Channel”. The Causeway was about 1.200 mtrs. long with a width of 40 mtrs. at the top of the embankment. On this platform there was a railway track, a foot & cycle path and a road & telegraph poles.
When the attack over the Causeway was at its height – first launched by the gallant canadians, and then by the Scottish 52nd Lowlanders – observers on the higher ground at the western end of South Beveland were appalled to think that infantrymen must and could, fight in such circumstances. So heavy thick and continuous was the barrage the Germans could lay down on that narrow strip of artificially raised ground.
When the 1st Battalion Glasgow Highlanders (52nd Lowland Div.) made to cross the Causeway on the 1st November, they could do nothing, but relieve the Canadians, and hang on like grim death to that part of the Causeway that had been captured.
Highland Divisions of the Canadian Army did contrive to get some two-thirds of the way across the dam in these murderous conditions, but with heavy casualties. The Germans launched vicious counter attacks.
This grim situation was relieved by two events. Firstly, rocket attacks by RAF Typhoon aircraft on the concrete emplacements at the end of the Causeway which shook the enemy and vastly encouraged the H.L.I. (Glasgow Highlanders). Secondly, a successful crossing of the Sloe Channel some two miles south of the Causeway distracted the German defenders of Walcheren.
The crossing of the Sloe Channel by the 6th Btn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) 52nd Lowland Division (Mountain)
Where the crossing was made the Sloe Channel was just a muddy & ambiguous creek. When the tide was in, the actual channel of salt water was about 300 mtrs. wide. At low tide, however, this contracted to less than half, leaving on both sides stretches of gray and glutinous mud.
Above the high water mark on the Wacheren side a salt march, green, but treacherous, stretched more than 1.000 mtrs. before firm ground could be reached.
Only foot soldiers without heavy equipment and personally conducted by Sappers ( pioneer or combat engineers) could ever hope to get across the channel.
In a night time attack, elements of the 6th Btn. Cameronians (S.R.) were soon across the channel in assault boats to then follow the taped ground across the marches. Thereafter, folding boats were launched and chestnut fencing laid across the mud flats to allow reinforcements and equipment over to secure the Bridgehead.
Another early attempt to cross by the Canadians had failed.
Although the initial assault had taken the Germans completely by surprise they reacted very quickly and by day break strong opposition was encountered.
By the evening of the 3rd November a good Bridgehead had been secured, which had a marked effect on the battle for the Causeway, enemy resistance begane to flag and early on the 4th November the 6th Cameronians joined up with the (H.L.I.).
Large amounts of Germans were killed and huge amounts of prisoners were taken these were marched to the rear to enable the 52nd Lowland Division to continue with the liberation of Walcheren.
Thanks for the in depth background! I will pass it on to the GM.