To the Victor the Spoils.........by ZOOM

An experimental game of VBCW by ZOOM, hosted by Roo. The account of the victor, Alan:

A Royalist column suppressing local rebels was opposed by an Anglican force defending crossings over Blackwood Brook at Roobridge. The brook could only be crossed  by the bridge, or by two fords, one in the centre wood and one on the far left away from the road.

The Anglicans (Blue) deployed a veteran unit (I2) in the wood across the river, and inexperienced units guarding the bridge which was barricaded (I1) and the other ford (I3). An HMG was positioned in a field in the gateway leading to a ploughed field, covering the ford, while an Anti-Tank gun was sited near the pig pen covering the bridge, but able to traverse to cover the far ford if necessary. The HQ (Officer and Medic) was nearby.

The Royalists (Red) advanced a tank (T1) and Infantry section (I1) along the road, stopping half way to the bridge with the infantry behind a roadside hedge facing the wood containing the ford. This unit was tasked with fixing the bridge defenders, and providing covering fire into the wood. The bulk of the Royalist forces deployed on the left, with two Infantry units (I2,I3) and two tanks (T2,T3), along with a Mortar, HMG, and HQ. I3 supported by the HMG was tasked with taking Roo’s Ford, while I2 supported by two tanks and the mortar attempted to nullify the Anglicans in the wood.

While T1 duelled with the Anglican AT gun and Anglican I1 fired on Royalist I1, the heavy volume of fire directed on the Anglican unit in the wood soon caused heavy casualties, causing them to be pinned.  Similarly the Royalist HMG pinned the inexperienced Anglicans defending the ford, enabling I1 to advance.

Despite their casualties the veteran Anglicans in the wood repelled an attempted assault by Royalist I2, but further concentrated fire finally reduced them to combat ineffectiveness as being unable to reform they remained permanently pinned and unable to act. Meanwhile Royalist I3 crossed the ford and assaulted the pinned Anglican I3 causing them to surrender.

The duel between Tank T1 and the Anglican Anti-Tank gun eventually resulted in the tank being immobilised, and when it was hit again the crew bailed out, but not before inflicting casualties on the gun crew.

Having cleared the ford I3 advanced towards the farm, killing the Anglican Medic, and was followed by the two tanks. Accurate mortar fire decimated the Anglican gun crew, pinning them, while the Anglican HMG was also pinned by machine gun fire from the two tanks.  Having silenced their enemies the two tanks charged forward, crushing both the A.T. gun and the HMG.  At this point Captain Verity, commanding the Anglicans, realised the hopelessness of his position and ordered ‘Sauve Qui Peut’, conceding the battle to the Royalists.

The Royalist battle plan worked pretty much to perfection. By concentrating overwhelming force on one portion of the enemy position a breakthrough was achieved. The fragility of inexperienced troops and the tenacity of veteran troops was reflected in the contrasting fortunes of Anglican infantry I2 and I3.  The Royalist mortar proved to be very effective, and despite having no H.E. the tanks were useful, with their longer move rate enabling them to take out the enemy HMG before it could inflict heavy casualties on infantry in the open.

[With many thanks to Alan for this battle report]

AN ACQUITTAL - AND AN APOLOGY

Long term followers of this Hereford1938 AVBCW Blog (who, it is speculated, can comfortably be accommodated in the back of armoured truck) may recall not only the travails of Sir Gilbert Hill after the Battle of Winforton Pontoons, but also the earlier Government sponsored arrest of Councillor Walter Cracknutt, Commander of the Wormelow Tump LDV, upon charges of "treating with the enemy"[note1].

Cracknutt, who had steadfastly maintained his innocence throughout Lord de Braose's proceedings against him, today declared himself "complete vindicated" upon learning that all charges had finally been discontinued. His contemporaneous dispatches proved, according to the Councillor's friends and colleagues, that his 'battlefield co-operation' with "Cousin Verity" of the Verity LDV was born of necessity only, and had the added virtue of anti-Communism. While those less charitably disposed towards Cracknutt whisper that the charges could no longer be maintained by reason of an unfortunate lack of witness evidence [note2], Councillor Cracknutt has now "returned in triumph to the Tump" and - without a stain on his reputation - resumed command of the Local Defence Volunteers.

The case of Sir Gilbert Hill proved more problematic. His own acquittal has taken place not before the bar of Lord de Braose's military tribunal, but "in the court of public opinion" within the County. Accused of 'over-celebrating" his victory at the Battle of Winforton Pontoons (or perhaps falling victim to his own 'ju-ju", or simply "going absolutely, completely nautical"), Sir Gilbert's anonymous accusers appeared to have solid photographic evidence:  

The photographic evidence against Sir Gilbert Hill.

Such was the outrage in the County that Sir Gilbert had to "confine himself to quarters" in Kentridge Court. But photographs circulated later began to sow doubt in the minds of Herefordians:

A later photograph as circulated - alleged to show Sir Gilbert conspiring with
Royalist and BUF officers.

It did not need Ludlow's famed Ecclesiastical Intelligence Service to pronounce the photographic evidence against Sir Gilbert as "obviously doctored" and "crude photo-manipulations", for the people of Hereford had already reached the same conclusions. But who could be responsible for such a dastardly smear on "the good Sir Gilbert"? Which faction had both the resources and the motivation? Step forward Comrade Colonel Professor Winter's own (Soviet trained) "Bureau Desinformatsiya": 

Beware the Soviet photograph manipulators! Comrade Nicolai Yezhov, Head of the NKVD, proudly accompanies Comrade Stalin (left), only to be subsequently "airbrushed out of history" (right).
 More on Yezhov can be found HERE.
More on Comrade Colonel Professor Winters in future blogposts....

Notes:

(1). after the Autumn 2017 Big Game, "The Last of the Summer Wye".

(2). the only possible witnesses in Councillor Cracknutt's case were the Anglican with whom the infamous "battlefield truce" was concluded, Cousin Verity, and the Councillor's immediate superior on the battlefield, Group Leader Giles of the BUF. Problems with providing Verity with a "pass of safe conduct" into Government lines were rendered academic upon his being 'terminally exploded' on the battlefield itself., leaving behind "only a pair of smoking suede loafers". Plans for the intended appearance of Group Leader Giles before the military tribunal were abandoned upon his being stood up against a wall and shot by a firing party organised by Captain Queeg, commander of HMG's notorious "WYRD Force". The "timely convenience" of Giles' death has provoked "dark mutterings" as to the possibility of conspiracy between Queeg and Councillor Cracknutt...