The 19th Hole : Battle for Hythe Golf Club : Operation Sealion

The Germans have gradually sought to get a foot hold on the morning of the 14th July 1940. Having secured much of Hythe the objective for the 55th Infantry Regiment is now to push inland and move East, towards Folkestone, to capture the harbour and then link up with troops who are currently fighting to take Dover.

In the early hours of the morning elements of the 20th Fallschirmjager regiment were dropped in and around the golf course. These elements only lightly armoured have met stiff opposition and have not been able to break through, they have dug in on the course and are exchanging fire with Infantry from the Shorncliffe Military camp who have also started to dig in to create an improvised defensive line. As further German reinforcements are landed at Sandgate they are being brought upto the front to force their way through. The Brits are also mobilising what local tank support they have.

The Committee at the club have also arrived at the course for the usual gentlemans sunday stableford pairs competition. Finding the course in some turmoil and the club house under attack they retire to the Committee room for an urgent discussion. After a short debate the Sunday competition is postponed to the following week and despite protestations by the green keeper the Committee vote by a clear majority to defend the course from the Hun. Dash it they are not even sure if the Germans play golf ! luckily in these uncertain times the members have come armed and they make their way to the members bar for a swift whiskey before moving to the front of the clubhouse to await the battle.

Fallschirmjager dug in around the green keepers shed, pinned down they await support from the beaches

The Shorncliffe garrison have arrived and dig in around the 17th green, the Germans have started to lay down smoke closer to the clubhouse preparing for a full assault. 

The leading elements of the 55th Infantry Regiment arrive and are immediately pushed forward.....there is to be no delay the course must be taken to open the way to Folkestone. Armour support is also arriving but not the Panzer III's the Oberleutnant was hoping for (still on the shopping list😀)

The Germans have also managed to bring a 'liberated' polish armoured car now in the service of The Wehrmacht.

A smoke screen is being layed down whilst the infantry rushes into the open on the 18th fairway !

German support weapons laying down smoke and machine gun support fire from close to the 1st Green.

More infantry push towards the clubhouse, whilst Ursula moves up the B2065 to Newington

I just like some B and W shots 😀

The British reserves arrive....a light Vickers tank and slightly dated Matilda I but they provide much needed machine gun support and slow the advance.

Howls of anger from the clubhouse as the Matilda tank swings off the access road onto the putting green. But thanks god they are keeping off the 18th green. You can see in the distance the Head green keeper has actually prevented the infantry running bared wire across the green and the infantry have sought protection in the green side bunker instead.

Coming out of the woods A squad are forced to take up a position on the 17th green......green keeper will not be happy !

Move German infantry arrive....slightly seasick from the beach and are thrown straight into the battle

After harsh criticism the Fallschirmjager have finally charged out from their cover...but the open ground around the 18th Green is a killing zone and half way across the gap they dive for cover in the closest woods.

The attack on the clubhouse is faltering...infantry pinned down

Yes just another B and W shot 😀

The Matilda is joined on the putting green by the remaining infantry who set up a Lewis gun by the fence. The Committee are now so angry at this unnecessary and wanton damage to the course they come out of the club house to protest and come under attack from Ursula.

Some of the Fallschirmjager have made it to the wire !

But what is this .....veteran troops fail a leadership roll...(still not found the German for fubar) and turn and run !!

The Committee now also pour their fire into the Germans from the flagpole outside the clubhouse. The green keeper simple shakes his head in despair !

But all is not lost yet and a lucky shot from Ursula brews up the Vickers, the remaining paratroopers are pinned in the wood. (This moment did allow the German commander to utter the immortal words I'm going to stick one right up the Vickers backside......a phrase not often heard in this dungeon at least)

To the east things are going better for the Germans, overpowering numbers have allowed them to push round the wire onto the 17th green. The Morris AC races around avoiding in coming shots from the 35(t) tank but doesn't have the firepower to halt the infantry advance, and will have to withdraw soon.

A shout goes up in the clubhouse.......Germans on the 17th green ! The green keeper can only weep😢

Whilst the Vickers tank burns in the distance the Matilda pushes across the course, but in the distance they can see the Germans building up additional forces........whilst they have held the line so far it is clear that the Germans are intent on full scale invasion and the British will need more than a line of bared wire to stop them.

At this point we stopped the game 6 turns of tremendous fun the Brits had clearly won even though the Germans got to the 17th green. This would be the breach they could exploit to push through to Folkestone.....later in the day.

We adopted a couple of the new bolt action rules but other wise used my old set. The only thing we need to consider is how to balance the forces when the Germans are having to assault front on ? Perhaps a 10% extra although I didn't actually count up the points.....more Fallschirmjager to paint now.