Chapter 215: Crimson Tide (11 to 25 October 1943)
Foreword
The month of September had been a bloody one for the UGNR: almost 24,700 battle and air raid casualties, exceeding the replacement rate. This rate had increased in the first ten days of October as unrelenting war was waged in Central Europe, with another 6,852 lost in ground combat and 11,550 from air attacks, for an unsustainable total of 18,402 men. The question now hung in the air (so to speak): would
anyone be left alive by the time the month ended? The next fortnight promised to be even more sanguinary than the last!
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11 Oct 43
No less than seven battles remained in progress as 11 October began: in Gänserndorf, Katowice, Rovigno, Vienna, Wiener Neustadt, Eisenstadt and Sopron. The manpower deficit stood at 11,100.
The first news of the morning was that Uhersje Hradiste (on the Slovakian border) had been retaken by the enemy at 2am.
Later that morning, the situation in Vienna was difficult, as it was pounded from the air while the Axis assaulted recklessly. As the battle in Eisenstadt worsened, 15 Inf Div could no longer sustain the spoiling attack on Wiener Neustadt, which was called off at 9am. At least that led to the enemy breaking off their attack on Eisenstadt an hour later.
Hodonin was the next border province to be retaken by the enemy just as victory was won in Eisenstadt.
Air Damage Report. Vienna (attack support) 519; Katowice (attack support) 412; Rovigno (attack support) 149; a total of 1,080 for the day across the front.
[Note all air raids this period are by the Axis, often alternating between Italian and German aircraft in each location. Given the intensity of raids and how long some missions extend for, I’ll just give the type of mission when it starts, sub-totals each day then the total killed when a mission finishes.]
OTL Event: Croatia. Ante Pavelić, leader of the Nazi controlled Independent State of Croatia, fled the puppet state's capital in Zagreb, as the partisan troops led by Josip Broz Tito closed in on the city. [Comment: we beat them to the punch in this ATL.]
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12 Oct 43
In the early hours of 12 October, the odds in Sopron were improved when two more Comintern divisions joined the battle in reserve. And by 4am in Gänserndorf, LTGEN Artunkal’s attack (lending his expertise and his reinforced HQ’s troops to the otherwise leaderless Turkish formations) had very nearly exhausted 7 Pz Div. But 2 Mot Div’s position in Vienna continued to deteriorate.
At 5am MAJGEN Devyatov reported triumphantly that he had retake Lussino. As he was trucked up to Ljubljana and the defensive battle in Rovigno moved towards victory, 1 and 2 Mtn Divs launched an attack on Kostel that got off to a promising start. In fact, the Italian defenders only waited three hours before ‘bugging out’ (Turkey 37, Italy 49 killed). 2 Mtn Div would hold in Ribnica, but Muzir’s Mountaineers pushed on to Kostel.
The fight to retake Gänserndorf had begun back on 7 October. At 7am it ended in Turkish victory – but at a terrible cost. 1 Mot Div had partly recovered in Bratislava and was called back up to help secure the gain and – unlike the reorganising 3 Mot – be ready to conduct a possible spoiling attack on Hollabrun (flagged in the map below) to help Vienna, where 2 Mot Div still battled away.
3 Mot Div marched back into the province at 8am. At that point, the thin defensive line had reformed to the north-east along the Slovakian border (marked in yellow above) as the remaining units retreated to its safety. It seemed the Axis were unwilling to attack across it (Slovakia still being neutral, though part of the Comintern). 3 Cav Div joined 3 Mot in Gänserndorf at 6pm, but they too had a long post-attack reorganisation (108 hours) to complete.
Another big but expensive victory came in Rovigno that night, even though 8 Mil Div had been forced to retreat before it was won.
Air Damage Report. Vienna 508; Katowice 451; Rovigno 326 (completed: 475 total over two days); total of 1,285 for the day.
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13 Oct 43
1 Mot Div pulled into Gänserndorf at 3am and immediately rolled into an attack on Hollabrun, which started promisingly. It was just as well, because Vienna’s isolated defenders had begun to falter.
The manpower deficit was reported as 13,300 at 5am (20,000/month gain).
With bitter fighting still going on in Katowice, at 7am the Germans opened up a new shock attack
[-25%] on Cieszyn, to its immediate south, with 2 Pz Div (LArm). Perhaps it was to ensure the two Turkish infantry divisions there could not attempt a spoiling attack to assist Katowice.
As that was happening, 11 Inf Div joined the Comintern attack on Sopron
[to 70%], though MAJGEN Hell’s masterful delaying tactics continued to slow progress and his own spoiling attack on 15 Inf Div in Eisenstadt continued. HQ 2nd Corps joined the defenders of Gänserndorf to boost both the troops on the ground and the leadership there.
But the heroic effort to retake Gänserndorf and push 1 Mot through to attack Hollabrun had come too late for Toüdemür’s gallant defenders in Vienna. His men could take no more by 8am and routed towards Eisenstadt, where 15 Inf Div still had 40 hours before they could attack again. The odds for the spoiling attack on Hollabrun, now redundant, suddenly dropped as the defenders fought on only one front. It was noticed the new German AT guns in their specialist AT brigades were now easily a match for Turkish medium armour and even the older IS-1s. The fight for Sopron continued.
And by 10am, the battle for Sopron was won. HQ 3rd Corps began moving to reinforce Eisenstadt while the rest of the attackers pushed up to occupy Sopron. This left only the two battles in southern Poland and the Turks hoped a period of relative calm might finally descend on their hectic front.
But this was significantly offset by news at 2pm that the despicable Germans had reoccupied Vienna: a galling loss after so much blood had been shed trying to hold it. Inönü was already planning on how he might be able to take it back – despite the mounting manpower deficit, which he knew was even worse for the Germans.
[While I hoped Vienna wouldn’t become my Stalingrad!]
1 Mtn Div retook Kostel at 6pm – and this time there was no immediate counter-attack.
An hour later, the update from Katowice was concerning: the situation there were slowly but steadily deteriorating and there were now fears they may not be able to hold as the heavy bombing also continued. This prompted orders for 177 SD to move up from Chrzanow to assist the Turkish defenders against the German panzers, SS fanatics and infantrymen attacking it so relentlessly from three directions. Turkey’s Comintern partners had still not begun to fill the gap between their two fronts east of Krakow (marked in yellow below).
Air Damage Report. Vienna 170 (completed that morning: 1,197 total over two and a bit days); Katowice 1,028; Gänserndorf 349 (completed, one day); total of 1,547 for the day.
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14 Oct 43
The manpower deficit was reported as only 12,100 at midnight (but reduced to a 18,400/month gain with the loss of Vienna). Inönü thought this supposed improvement was optimistic and there must be a lag in reporting. Leadership was also reduced.
Yet another German ‘shock’ attack hit 15 Inf Div in Eisenstadt at 4am
[-30%] as 2 Mot Div retreated towards them from Vienna. All this pressure prompted the recently arrived 2 Inf Div in Trencin (Slovak border) to be redeployed down to Eisenstadt by truck at 5am. At that time, the gap east of Krakow finally began to be filled in by the Romanians, sending a division into Rzeszow. And at 9am, 5 Inf Div de-trained in Trnava and began moving up towards Bratislava.
On the Adriatic, 14 Inf Div reinforced 1 Mtn Div in Kostel at 10am: this time they were determined to hold the gain. Another gain was made at 10am when 1 Mar Div was the first into Sopron. But they were being strongly attacked by the Germans at midday; the Turkish Marines needed to hold on until the rest of the advancing forces reached them from Tata and Györ.
The focus of action switched north again, with Inönü being disappointed to hear that 9 Inf Div had broken in Katowice, leaving MAJGEN Güzlin’s 7 Inf Div in a precarious position, with 177 SD still not arrived to assist them and heavy Axis air strikes killing a thousand men a day.
More forces were needed urgently from the east of the line in southern Poland: Kielce (north-east of Krakow) was added to the Comintern objective request list at 3pm. And the Soviets should be able to spare the forces to help, because SkitalecS3 advised things were going well in the reduction of the Karelian Pocket, Königsberg was almost surrounded and a Soviet mech division and the Polish Home Army were on the outskirts of Warsaw
[OOC Comment: watch out, you poor Poles; Uncle Joe will happily sell you down the river.]
This led Jedrzejow (north of Krakow) to be added to the Comintern objective list. And that night, the Romanians (own divisions and Soviet EFs) appeared to be taking heed. This was needed desperately, as the defence of Katowice faltered. At 8pm, 2 Armd Div was hastily pulled out of Kielce to head towards the fighting. There was then a little good news with victory in Cieszyn, which allowed a rather rash spoiling attack to be launched on Rybnik by 3 Inf Div (no leader), to try to disrupt the German attack on Katowice.
Air Damage Report. Katowice 1,017; Cieszyn (attack, then defensive support) 677; Eisenstadt (attack support) 456; total of 2,150 for the day.
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15 Oct 43
The manpower deficit was still reported as being only 12,100 at 2am: Inönü did not believe it.
At 10am the Romanians had filled in at Kielce, so the Comintern objective list had Chestchowa (north-east of Katowice) added as an optimistic attack objective, even though the Romanians were still some way off.
Things were progressing better in the Adriatic Sector, where MAJGEN Köldecan led a heavy attack on German mountain troops and Italian armour in Cerknica at 1pm. This came soon after 222 SD had finished its strategic redeployment from Lussino to Ljubljana, to allow the powerful 17 Inf Div to lend its weight to the limited offensive to gain the approaches to Trieste.
But Inönü was now deeply worried about Katowice, where 7 Inf Div was now fading rapidly under the concerted German assault that included Panther tanks and SS motorised troops. 177 SD was due to arrive in just three hours at 11pm and the Turks did not want them to be caught up in a general withdrawal before they could reinforce the battle.
So at 10pm, 7 Inf Div was ordered out of Katowice, supposedly to allow 177 SD a ‘clean’ entry to set up a hasty defence. But it was cut too close and confusion reigned: the battle (one of the bloodiest of the year so far) was lost just as 177 SD arrived and they were caught up in the rout after all. The Germans occupied Katowice at midnight while MAJGEN V.I. Kazakov retreated south to Bielsko Biala.
“Curses! Call off the attack on Rybnik before we lose any more men needlessly,” exclaimed Inönü as he heard of the debacle and loss of the key fortified town. “I blame the fog of war and the dastardly Germans, not our own valiant men nor our allies. May the fleas of a thousand camels infest Hitler’s underwear!”
Air Damage Report. Katowice 406 (completed that night: 3,314 total over five days); Cieszyn 583; Eisenstadt 588; Sopron 505 (attack support, completed in one day); a total of 2,082 for the day.
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16 Oct 43
As Katowice was lost, at midnight the attack on Cerknica was at least won handsomely (Turkey 90, Axis 847 killed). And the suspected lag in casualty reporting continued, with only a slight increase to a deficit of 12,500 (monthly recruiting down to 17,700 with the additional loss of Katowice).
The Germans seemed even more heedless of their severe manpower shortages than the Turks: at 1am they made a reckless assault on the strongly held Gänserndorf. The attack lasted for fifteen hours and in that time the German 22. Infanterie took horrible casualties, in part due to a very-effective counter attack by 3rd Corps Commander LTGEN Artunkal, who led the defence in person. But the Axis did begin pounding Gänserndorf from the air (which unbeknownst to the Turks would last for a terrible eight continuous days). The enemy also kept up their attacks on Eisenstadt and Sopron, where 1 Mar Div had been reinforced and was now holding more comfortably.
At 3am Chrzanow (west of Krakow) was added to the friendly objective list as Romanian-led Soviet troops were passing through Krakow to the south-west. Many more seemed to be joining the march further east. 2 Armd Div arrived in Chrzanow at 6am but held in place for now, as Katowice (level 3 forts, one level damaged) was considered too strongly defended to warrant a counter-attack.
But the Germans had more mischief on their minds. 6 Pz Div struck south at 4pm towards Bielsko Biala, where HQ 23rd Corps (A Soviet EF) was surprised and forced to retreat. A forlorn holding attack on Katowice was soon ordered and went in at 5pm, but was expertly counter-attacked by the Panzers and SS troops. So at 6pm, 13 Inf Div in Cieszyn was ordered in as well, even though they would have to cross the Vistula in doing so. And of course, Axis bombers were soon pounding Chrzanow. It would no doubt be an expensive exercise, but a Nazi breakout must be prevented, or so the Turks reasoned. Bielsko Biala was added as an objective a few hours later.
The Germans’ seemingly bottomless well of aggression brought yet another breakthrough attack on Gänserndorf at 10pm – this time by 11 Pz Div, whose Panthers outmatched the Turkish tank and anti-tank guns
[-13%]. The Germans may have only 4,537 men against 36,358 Turkish defenders but they lacked nothing in bravado and determination. At that time, 15 Inf Div was holding on grimly in Eisenstadt
[-42%], where 2 Mot Div had finished its retreat from Vienna but was unfit to fight yet.There were now four Comintern divisions massed to the immediate south in in Sopron, but they were still pinned down by a tenacious but failing German attack
[-8%].
Air Damage Report. Cieszyn 371; Eisenstadt 462; Ribnica 281 (defensive support for Cerknica, completed in one day); Kostel 569 (defensive support for Cerknica, completed in one day); Ljubljana 439 (defensive support for Cerknica, completed in one day); Gänserndorf 764 (attack support). These
seven separate all-day enemy missions killed a massive 2,886 defenders.
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17 Oct 43
The War Ministry reported that only 8,620 reinforcements were required for the army as at 6am that morning. Inönü stared in frank amazement and some contempt at this report. It just could not be right, surely, even though he wanted it to be. If it was right, things were going far better than he had expected, given the recent loss of Katowice and Vienna.
There was good news from the front, with a double victory in the Vienna Sector reported. Both saw the enemy take heavy losses, though at the cost of precious Turkish lives. This left just the enemy attack on Gänserndorf and the Turkish holding attack on Katowice in progress: maybe Turkey could
now start to rebuild its manpower reserves again?
Or maybe not: the Germans (78. Infanterie, led by the notorious MAGJEN Hell) attacked Sopron again just an hour later
[-21%]. At 11am, the broken 9 Inf Div arrived in Bielsko Biala from Katowice only to be attacked by the still-advancing 6 Pz Div (still near full strength – 7,399 men – and organisation) and continued their retreat south without a fight at 3pm.
A few hours later, the Romanians had relieved 97 SD ‘Shev’ in Jedrzedow, allowing them to shuffle south-west. The next Comintern objective was set on Cieszyn. The delaying attack on Katowice continued, but was costing precious lives.
The badly degraded 7 Inf Div (no organisation, strength only 7,775 of an 11,000 man establishment) limped into Chrzanow from Katowice at 9pm and was sent on to Krakow to recover as best it could.
Air Damage Report. Cieszyn 648; Eisenstadt 350 (completed that night: 1,856 total over four days); Gänserndorf 614; Chrzanow 698 (defensive support for Katowice); total of 2,310 for the day.
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18 Oct 43
Perhaps chastened by the reproving look he had received from the Milli Şef the day before, the War Ministry minion who submitted the manpower report that morning assured him the accounting was more up to date: but this also meant the news was bad. There were now 20,100 reinforcements required, by far the largest deficit so far in the war.
At 6am one of those sources of casualties was removed with a strong victory in Sopron. But this was balanced by news that 45. Infanterie had reinforced 11 Pz Div’s attack on Gänserndorf, shifting the odds slightly in the enemy’s favour as the aerial assault went into its third day.
The Romanian forces holding Kielce were pushed out by the Germans at 4pm, but the probe they launched soon afterwards on Jedrzedow was quickly brushed off. It illustrated the risks of leaving the eastern line to the care of Turkey’s Comintern allies, but had to be done.
Air Damage Report. Cieszyn 561; Gänserndorf 330; Chrzanow 773; Sopron 462 (attack support, completed in one day); total of 2,126 for the day.
Entertainment Report, US. Perry Mason, based on the novels of Erle Stanley Gardner, was first broadcast as a 15-minute-long daytime radio show on the CBS Radio Network. [The show would run on radio until December 20, 1955.]
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19 Oct 43
The manpower deficit increased to 22,800. And it was set to keep increasing, as 177 SD arrived in Bielsko Biala at midnight after its ‘confused retreat’ from Katowice. But they were near full strength and maximum organisation and even had enough time to dig ‘shell scrapes’ before 6 Pz Div renewed its attack. But this time Kazakov was able to show his mettle; he savagely counter-attacked the German panzers and his up to date Soviet AT guns were a match even for the German Panthers.
Aided by the Germans having to cross the Vistula, this time it looked like the defence would hold. And with 2 Armd Div losing organisation and the casualties mounting, the holding attack on Katowice could finally be halted. It has served its purpose, but at a very heavy cost.
And despite the rocketing manpower deficiency, the Turks were still ready to attack when the circumstances and potential gains justified it. So it was that LTGEN Yamut took 15 Inf Div in to a new blitzing attack on Vienna at 3am. This was designed to assist the difficult defence of Gänserndorf, but actually retaking the Austrian capital was also still firmly in Inönü’s sights.
The attack met with great initial success, with the Turkish IS-2’s outmatching the German Panthers of the under-strength 11 Pz Div as they crashed into their flank amid the rubble of the great city’s once beautiful streets and boulevards.
Two hours later, the first of the Turkish objectives was achieved when the German attack on Gänserndorf was finally defeated (Turkey 219; Germany 1,307 killed). The air raids did not let up – but nor did Yamut’s counter-attack on Vienna. The two least damaged formations in Gänserndorf then joined the attack on Vienna, even though they had to attack over the Danube (commonly thought of now as the Red Danube – not blue). Yamut needed the help now, as 11 Pz Div no longer fought on two fronts.
As the defence of Bielsko Biala continued all day, Krakow was added to the Comintern objective list at 8pm.
Air Damage Report. Cieszyn 646 (completed that night: 3,486 total over six days); Gänserndorf 446; Chrzanow 912 (completed that night: 2,383 total over three days); total of 2,004 for the day.
Medical News, US. The antibiotic Streptomycin was first isolated in a laboratory, by Albert Schatz, a 23-year-old student at Rutgers University. Schatz was working for Professor Selman Waksman. The new medicine was developed from a culture of the bacteria Actinomyces griseus, which was able to kill certain bacteria that could not be treated with penicillin. [Treatment for human patients would be approved in 1946.]
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20 Oct 43
Turkey now needed 30,400 reinforcements for its depleted front line units. A relative lull in fighting (and enemy bombing) was desperately needed, but seemed as far away as ever. Nevertheles, Inönü would stick to his guns with reduced manning if the Germans were determined to bleed themselves dry also:
damn those fanatical bratwurst-munchers to hell and back!
By 8am, the excellent news was that 1 Mot and 3 Cav Divs had managed to reinforce in the attack on Vienna – improved Turkish doctrine in this area had really been delivering in recent fighting. But as the odds improved there, so too did the enemy react: Italian mountain troops in Wiener Neustadt launched a reckless attack on Yamut’s force at midday – only to be met by another local vicious counter-attack, even as the assault on Vienna was maintained.
156 SD was due to arrive in Eisenstadt from Sopron early on the 22nd, while 2 Inf Div (relocated some days ago from the quiet Slovakian border), should make it there a day after that. Though two divisions of Panzers (the ones that were now no longer diverted by the earlier foray over the Slovakian border) were spotted in Hodonin heading south-west towards the Vienna sector.
Air Damage Report. Gänserndorf 254; Bielsko Biala (attack support) 715; Eisenstadt 300 (defensive and attack support); total of 1,269 for the day.
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21 Oct 43
By midnight, 11 Pz Div in Vienna was down to an estimated 36.5% strength and very low organisation
[3.6 remaining] as the Turkish attack
[91%] went on regardless of manpower losses – where the deficit had supposedly shrunk significantly to 24,600 in the morning report.
At 7am, the latest battle for Vienna ended in a moderately sanguinary Turkish victory. But the troops advancing from Eisenstadt were still under attack by the Italians from Wiener Neustadt. And at 10am one of those previously sighted German panzer divisions hit Gänserndorf in yet another strong and single-minded German attempt to take the key province back. The reoccupation of Vienna would be delayed until one or both of these attacks could be defeated.
2 Inf Div was halted in Bratislava for now as these latest developments played out, but 156 SD kept advancing to Eisenstadt to reinforce the hard-pressed Vienna salient.
By 1pm, the battle for Bielsko Biala still went on as von Mackensen switched to a standard assault that Kazakov simply sought to defend. Both sides were wearing, though the Germans seemingly a little more quickly than the Soviet EF.
In a big development, their compatriots to the north had just taken Königsberg: news SkitalecS3 was very keen to deliver. And a large Comintern force seemed to be massing to the east of Krakow – which Inönü desperately willed to crash into the Axis lines. The Romanians had meanwhile managed to retake Kielce.
That afternoon, at 4pm the busy 45. Infanterie joined in the now very dangerous attack on Gänserndorf, recently won back at such great cost. But the Italians were heavily defeated in Eisenstadt two hours later, allowing Yamut’s 3rd Corps HQ and 15 Inf Div to resume their advance on Vienna.
A new probe on Eisenstadt by 76. Infanterie in Wiener Neustadt at 10pm was driven off two hours later (Turkey four, Germany 77 killed) allowing the Turks to resume their advance to Vienna, albeit under continuing air attack.
Air Damage Report. Gänserndorf 343; Bielsko Biala 813; Eisenstadt 300; total of 1,456 for the day.
News Report: Japanese-Occupied India. "The Provisional Government of Azad Hind" (literally, "Free India") was proclaimed, with Subhas Chandra Bose as President, in those territories of British India that had been captured by Japan. At the same time, Bose announced that Azad Hind was joining Japan in the war against the UK. [An OTL news event - no game effect.]
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22 Oct 43
The manpower deficit had only marginally increased (by 200) to 24,800 that morning.
At 5am, some Italian Alipini and SS LSAH stragglers in Vienna were encountered by Yamut’s advance guard and brushed aside after a three-hour firefight (Turkey 10, Axis 31 killed). But the situation in Gänserndorf was worsening
[-83%]. By 1pm, it was only marginally better
[-77%], so 4 SD was ordered to reinforce it from Kuty, while 4 US Mar Div, MAJ ‘Wraith’ Loggins marching with the lead company, was redirected from Sopron to fill in at Kuty.
An hour later, LT Mehtin Sadik led his battle-worn platoon into the centre of Vienna as 15 Inf Div reclaimed it for the UGNR. A quick probe by 16. Infanterie, which had probably been trying to march in to mount a quick defence, was easily seen off (Turkey two, Germany 26 killed). No time was wasted beginning to dig in, as an enemy counter-attack was expected at any time.
In Bielsko Biala, things remained close as Kazakov tried to delay von Mackensen’s determined attempt to break through. Seeking to end this trial, yet another spoiling attack was launched on Katowice at 5pm, the fresh 97 SD joining in this time. It at least soon forced out a division of Italian Alpini, but 6 Pz Div did not immediately halt its own attack.
At 7pm, 76. Infanterie attacked Eisenstadt, where 156 SD had recently (and thankfully) arrived and 2 Mot Div (gradually recovering organisation, if not strength) added to HQ 3rd Corps’ defence. This probe lasted until early the following morning, but was again defeated (Comintern 26; Germany 95 killed).
Air Damage Report. Gänserndorf 209; Bielsko Biala 989; Eisenstadt 391; total of 1,589 for the day.
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23 Oct 43
The manpower deficit was reported to be a little lower again at 23,700 that morning. In better news, the monthly recruiting rate had risen back to 19,400 with the retaking of Vienna
[OOC Comment: it must be all those pro-UGNR, pro-Comintern Austrians there wanting to join up as their city was pounded into ruins by both sides!]
The battle for Bielsko Biala dragged on, despite the ongoing spoiling attack on Katowice. If anything, by 6am the odds were creeping more into the Germans’ favour as the Soviet defenders were slammed from the air
[-35%, 6 Pz Div down to 5.6 org, 177 SD to 5.9].
At 3am, Yamut’s HQ 3rd Corps arrived in Vienna to reinforce Gataly’s 15 Inf Div. He would continue to lead from the front. But that afternoon, at 2pm 3 Mot Div (no leader) broke in Gänserndorf (down to 8,856/11,000 strength), fleeing to Bratislava
[attack progress to -83%]. 3 Mot Div (also no leader) was not much better off and they were deliberately withdrawn at the same time to Kuty, to see if they could reorganise for future action. This left just 1 Mot Div and LTGEN Artunkal’s HQ 2nd Corps (Mech) to defend Gänserndorf – and they too were beginning to run out of organisation.
This gloom was relieved at 4pm with a report of the gallant victory of 177 SD in Bielsko Biala. This also meant the spoiling attack on Katowice could be halted. It would remain out of reach for now – it was simply too hard to retake without significant Comintern assistance, though that
might be on the way, if fairly slowly.
But by then, things were starting to get desperate in Gänserndorf: so much so that 15 Inf Div abandoned its trench-digging in Vienna and instead launched a cross-Danube spoiling attack on Hollabrun at 5pm, in the hope of disrupting the enemy’s attack. Coming under air attack for their trouble. And alas, the German AT guns were a match for even the IS-2s. Poor LT Sadik now got his feet wet as his battalion tried to slip across the river in small boats: he rated his chances of surviving this war as close to zero, having seen so many men around him mown down over the last few years.
Air Damage Report. Gänserndorf 283; Bielsko Biala 73 (completed that afternoon – 2,590 killed over four days); Eisenstadt 387 (completed that night – 1,378 killed over four days); Chrzanow 641 (defensive support for Katowice - completed in one day); total of 1,384 for the day.
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24 Oct 43
At midnight, another garrison brigade finished its conversion to motorised infantry. For now, they were left guarding Dubrovnik. Unfortunately, the bean-counters in the War Ministry had caught up with the recent losses and now estimated the manpower deficit as 33,600 men.
More grim news followed, with the battle for Gänserndorf lost at 6am with very heavy casualties on both sides, but this time worse for the Turkish defenders. The spoiling attack on Hollabrun – also a losing fight – was called off. But the withdrawal from Gänserndorf was partly tactical: 5 Inf Div had arrived in Bratislava at 1am and began marching straight for Gänserndorf, while 4 SD was already getting close. So the defenders had been pulled out to allow fresh troops to take up the fight.
The Germans took Gänserndorf at 8am, only to be immediately blitzed by Namut, with the Soviets in support from Kuty. 14 Pz Div’s von Sodenstern attempted to deflect this with a backhand blow, but this time the Comintern men had the jump on them. It would be yet another furious fight for the by-now ruined province. The fight was made yet harder when 45. Infanterie arrived to join 14 Pz Div at 10pm
[to 59% progress]. At that time, this remained the only ground battle continuing on the Turkish Front.
Air Damage Report. Gänserndorf 283 (completed that morning – 3,758 killed over eight and a bit days); Vienna 507 (defensive support for Hollabrun - completed in one day); total of ‘only’ 790 for the day.
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25 Oct 43
Op tempo may have eased off a bit the day before, but the casualty lists were still catching up – 38,400 reinforcements were now required.
The latest extension to the main Adriatic air base at Split were completed, taking it to level 7, with level 8 facilities immediately commenced. And a new air base was started in Ljubljana, giving another location to base air missions for current operations or a future offensive towards Venice.
SkitalecS3 advised the Axis had managed to make Warsaw a little more secure, though one Soviet mech division remained on its outskirts. Further south, Comintern forces did seem to be on the move as the German troops in Sandomiersz were now withdrawing as they risked being cut off by a Romanian envelopment.
And in a cable from Moscow, Turkish liaison Agent Boğafiltresi – recently returned there after a stint back in Ankara – sent a cable noting STAVKA reports that the Karelian Pocket had almost been closed off. One group of German units had surrendered in Sortavala, while the rest were now holed up in (or retreating to) a single province on the Finnish border. A comprehensive report on the number of prisoners taken could be anticipated when the operation ended – soon.
The 25th saw a solid victory in Gänserndorf at 1pm and it had been liberated – yet again – an hour later.
The day ended – of course – not in an extension of this brief respite across the front (amazingly, there were no Axis air strikes all day), but with a new German attack by a completely full strength 161. Infanterie on the tired but defiant defenders of Vienna. Their defence started strongly enough, but all were too wary from recent events to think it would be
that simple!
The last two weeks saw Turkey lose 9,438 men to ground combat and a horrendous 24,190 to air strikes – a total of 33,628; meaning battle casualties stood at 52,030 for the month-to-date – and still counting. The Axis had lost a massive 16,030 to ground combat in the last two weeks, 25,683 for the month so far (no air raid casualties, of course).
Entertainment News: US. Four years after being introduced as a superhero in Detective Comics issue #27 (May, 1939), Batman reached a larger audience with the debut of the newspaper comic strip "Batman and Robin", authored by Bob Kane.
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Coming Up: As the Soviets roll up the last of the Karelian Pocket and advanced into East Prussia, the Romanians are leading the back-fill of the Turkish line in southern Poland. Would this latter move turn into the long-awaited major new Comintern offensive into the centre of Poland, providing more relief for the hard-pressed Turks? Will the current slower op tempo on the Turkish Front continue, allowing some of the large manpower deficit to be rolled back, let alone forces husbanded for next years’ planned invasion of Italy?
Will Vienna hold this time? Can Germany and Turkey maintain the colossal effusion of blood that October 1943 has come to represent? Will either side blink, or are they locked in some kind of horrible death spiral?
[I’m minded here of Gandalf and the Balrog plunging down, fighting, locked together, into the fires of Khazad-dûm! Which sounds like it might be somewhere nearby, perhaps in Hungary.]
After a shocking three and a half weeks so far,
Red October still has some time to play out. And there will be the usual monthly summaries as well.
