The Battle for Lyminge : Operation Sealion

It has been far too long since we played a Sealion game, although the campaign is always at the back of my mind. Anyway the Germans are starting to break out S-day plus one, they plan a drive in multiple directions to prevent the British developing a fixed line of defence. Several routes lead North towards Canterbury an obvious political if not strategic objective. The drive north will also potentially allow the Germans to cut off the whole of Kent enabling a better and more secure build up of forces before the assault on London.

The beautiful Elham valley is a key route of advance an late on S-day a small group of paratroopers were sent to Lyminge to secure the village as a first step. They have now been isolated and the British after a bruising first day have mobilised what limited armour they have to counter the expected advance. Having been informed by the Local Home Guard that German Paratroopers are hold up in the village they prepare to assault.

Lyminge village the black line denotes the area currently occupied to the south by the Germans on day one. The village was much smaller back in 1940 than the sprawl of today.

Lyminge from the East, the B2065 to Elham running away up hill in the distance. Lyminge railway station, still in service then in the foreground. The Parattroopers are dug in in the small white house on the far side of the village.

The Home guard have been watching overnight and are keen to get stuck into the Germans. Several of them outraged by the Germans occupying the village

A view up the railway north, no trains running today

The Germans have set up an antitank gun close to the church.

Advancing down the road the German officer orders a Panzer III to probe into the village

This is supported by infantry

British infantry and the H9me guard come under fire from a machine gun in one of the red buildings 

The centre of the German advance

The British armour finally arrives a Mark II Cruiser tank and a Bren gun carrier 

It blasts away but then hits a mine in the road immobilising it in a vulnerable position on the road

Fierce fighting by the station

The Pak 40 has been taking a lot of fire but is unable to hit the British tank

The Germans have also advanced a T38 tank and this takes on the Mark II

Which eventually takes a hit and bursts into flames.

On the right the Germans are making slow progress, the British defenders are occupying both the Pub and the Post office.

And now a British unit has outflanked the. Along the railway !

But ominously more german infantry is advancing on the centre of the village

The paratroopers who have been hammered from every direction are finally forced to run out of the building (this was caused by a special event allowing the British to miss communicate a German order !)

The British also have an armadillo effective at pinning down infantry but having less luck knocking out the Pak 40

An overview of the battle at this stage

The Pak 40 finally scores a direct hit on the armadillo which also bursts into flames

All the Germans in this area are pretty pinned down

With time now short the Germans push to capture the objective (centre of the village) a second unit charges into the pub and after a fierce hand to hand combat the British occupiers are wiped out

Out of sight behind the pub the British have an oerlikon anti tank gun it can seem to destroy the Panzer III but it does manage to immobilise it knocking off a track

The British at the station are forced to pull back by a blunder

The battle is now drawing to a close the Germans are in a strong position

They are holding the centre of the village

Both British tanks and the armadillo are either burning or immobilised, time for the British to pull back

A splendid return to our Sealion games. The British deployed their antitank gun poorly which hardly managed to get of a shot the British infantry and home guard were brave but out numbered by the Germans. Eventually when time permits I plan some maps to show the current positions etc. I will also post a better picture of the two new British tanks.

Thanks as always for looking.

Matt