Operation Hall Monitor

What proceeds is the third engagement in a larger flow-chart narrative where every strategic outcome of the forces involved will impact future battles. This will create a world within each battle that will impact the ways in which miniatures are utilized. Join me for this cinematic and emotionally charged experience. 

You won't read about Operation Hall Monitor in the history books... it never happened.

Normandy, June 1944

The spooks from D Company's intelligence element managed to get a location and some defensive positions out of those kraut prisoners 2nd platoon that indicate a high value target in the outskirts of Bayeux. 

"Willy says a certain Colonel Degenhardt of the 726 Infantry Regiment is holed out in a chateau in the village of Sully, just west of Bayeux" says Captain Morrisey. "He thinks there's a small garrison stationed there and identified a few of their MG placements."

His audience is 1st Platoon's Lt. Bill Parlay. 

"The old man wants a team to sneak into Sully and grab the good Colonel. The 726 is scattered across the region and knowing where they are before we step on them would be a big help for our boys trying to break out of the beach head."

"Understood, Captain. But we can't expect the man to just spill the beans, can we?" asks Parlay.

"We intend to compel the old chap's surrender" interjects Lt. H.E. Armstrong of No. 4 Section RMC 47. The dapper gentleman from Bina Gardens emerges from behind the startled Parlay.

"So, this is a joint operation?" asks Parlay.

"See, some of my men kicked this whole thing off. All started with a chance encounter in the woods outside Port-en-Bessin. No. 47 would quite like to see its conclusion. And I suppose we have the capabilities to help Oberst Degenhardt agree to our terms" replies Armstrong. 

Parlay lets out a small chuckle and claps Armstrong on his side. 

"Brief your men and rendezvous outside Sully at 2200 hours tonight. Codename is Hall Monitor. Good luck" says Morrisey.

Later that night

Parlay and Armstrong's men arrive at the woods on the outskirts of Sully. It is dark and the one road that cuts through the village is poorly lit.

Willy's interrogation rendered the locations of two machine gun nests: one located in the chateau housing Colonel Degenhardt and one inconveniently located on the bridge overlooking the raiding parties preferred route to their target. Willy's memory was hazy and he was certain that there was another MG team assembled, although he couldn't remember whether it was in the farmhouse near the insertion point or the church across from the chateau. 

The Brits and the Americans decided to split their forces:

Lt. Parlay leads the way for his Screaming Eagles 

While Lt. Armstrong directs his men towards the bridge

Almost immediately, Lt. Armstrong identifies the third machine gun emplacement inside the old farmhouse. 

"There's Jerry. Watch out" warns Armstrong

What happens next, many who know and understand the background of Operation Hall Monitor, define as the moment things went downhill for the Allies. The roaming soldat (pictured above) took a fateful left and turned towards the advancing Allies. 

Amerikana!

Within moments, the American machine gun team's position is given away. The German machine gunners react quickly, spraying the Americans, but failing to hit targets, likely due to the darkness and the gunner's, a certain Pvt. Butz from Cologne, shameful results during target practice. 

Meanwhile, Lt. Parlay has advanced through the southern woods and was able to sneak up on the roaming soldat. A quick smashing in of the face with the butt of his Thompson did the job and ended the war for that poor German. 

Smile, you kraut bastard!

At this point, the rest of the American element and 2/3 of No. 4 Section have converged on the German machine gun position in the old farm house. A barrage of fire from both parties result in the swift elimination of the team, but also an incredible amount of noise generated.

"If the krauts didn't know we were here already, they sure do now" warns Corporal Blanchard on the bazooka.

Things take a turn for the worse when an overzealous Oberfeldwebel, by the name of Horst, approaches the raiding parties. 

"Come out Amerikana! Don't you want to play?"

Wildman Horst begins spraying rounds from his MP-44 at anything speaking the English language. The Brits get a laugh out of the Hun's sporadic nature until a round lands on one of their own. The first casualty of Operation Hall Monitory is....Lt. H.E. Armstrong. The hero of Port-en-Bessin. A god amongst his men. 

H.E. Armstrong. Soldier. Hero. Corpse.

By this point, the jig is up for our American and British friends. Gunfire and intruder identification has turned this quiet operation into an all out firefight. At the chateau, Col. Degenhardt is roused by his subordinates.

"We have a small situation evolving outside the village, sir. Perhaps we should let our units on the other side of the river know" says radioman Goetz. He hands the colonel the receiver. 

"Steiner? This is Degenhardt. Send Bertha over. Now!"

While Horst was catching the attention of the Americans and Brits by the old farmhouse, Sgt. Farrington and Marines Aldwell and Capaldi staked out a route under the bridge, testing the aptitude of the German MG team positioned on the bridge. The MG team managed to spot the small group, but completely overshoot their targets. Farrington and his comrades, taking advantage of their foes' misjudgment, eliminated the MG team handedly. 

One less obstacle on the way to Degenhardt

Their glory is short lived, however. As Farrington, Aldwell, and Capaldi take to the bridge, big Bertha and her cohort arrives. Operation Hall Monitor just got a whole lot more difficult.

"Time to make hamburger out of these Americans!" cries Steiner from atop Bertha 

The valiant Commandos are cut down almost instantly

Back on the main road, Sgt. Walker of 2nd Platoon has downed the crazy man Horst, avenging the death of his transatlantic brother, H.E. Armstrong. When all seems safe to advance up the road towards the chateau, Bertha suddenly comes crashing down from the bridge, opening fire and forcing the Americans and Brits alike to take cover. 2nd Platoon takes casualties.

Bertha hungry...

"Blanchard! Knock their armor out. Yesterday!" orders Lt. Parlay. 

Blanchard complies and Pvt. Stupinski loads the shell into the weapon. Blanchard takes aim and fires, hitting the tank's tracks and temporarily immobilizing the vehicle. 

"Shit!" yell Blanchard.

"What? You hit him, Blanch!" replies Stupinski.

"A gimp dog still bites! Take cover!"

Lt. Parlay moves to hug the corner building, a move that will prove fatal. Bertha's infantry escort move quickly down the bridge, ready to take on the Allies. One rifleman charges around the corner, catching Lt. Parlay as he reaches for an extra clip. The two engage in close quarters combat for some time and in full view of Parlay's men. Just as Parlay believes himself to have the upper hand, the soldat draws his combat knife and guts Parlay. The 1st Lieutenant from South Boston is no longer of this world. 

RIP Lt. Parlay. Off to join Jack Kemp and the rest of D Company in the sky

Things have gone from bad to worse for the Allies. The majority of their men are stuck in the logjam at the bridge. Bertha's cannon and MG are still operational and ready to light up troops trying to make a break from cover. 

We have you surrounded Yankee...

Blanchard, Stupinski, Cpl Hayworth and Pvt. Cole are confined to the blown out home in the southwest quadrant of the crossroad. Sgt. Walker and Pvt. Biggs have managed to sneak through an alleyway leading to under the bridge. Here, they plan on taking the same route attempted by the late Farrington and his cadre. Three more Commandos from No. 4 Section manage to follow closely behind as the Germans remain distracted by the Americans in the ruins. 

"Biggs, we make it out of this one alive and the first round is on me back in London" promises Sgt. Walker

Meanwhile, the besieged Americans manage to get off another AT round at Bertha, further immobilizing her, but unable to fully destroy the armor. 

"Gunner, level that house now!" cries Commander Steiner. 

The order was all that was needed to put an end to the holed up Americans. 

Was their sacrifice, perhaps, a distraction?

The death of H.E. Armstrong early on left the Commandos severely disorganized. Marine McKay on No. 4 Section's Bren was trounced over by rampaging Germans without every firing a shot, while Jonesy the Marksman quickly fell to four blood thirsty krauts. 

"Tell mum, I'll see her again..." 

With Sgt. Walker, Pvt. Biggs and the three remaining Commandos attempting to circumvent the fighting along the main road, all that was left to challenge the main German element were Harris and Cooper on the .30 cal. When their bodies were discovered some days later by Allied forces, so too were those of the Germans they fell. 

Remember the Ala...Nay. Remember Harris and Cooper 

All that remains of the raiding party are the ragtag group of survivors attempting to reach their target from the north. 

Sgt. Walker and Pvt. Biggs are ambushed in close quarters by a roaming German MG team. While the Germans are vanquished, so too is young Pvt. Biggs of Youngstown, OH

At this point, Walker has had enough. Braving enemy fire that downs one of the Commandos, Walker charges towards an exposed Colonel Degenhardt

"Goetz, hold them off. I must warn the division at Bayeux of the impending assault" whines the petrified Colonel.

Goetz looks at the Colonel, wondering what kind of defense he can put up with his Walther.  He's already running for the hills. But it is too late.

The muzzle flashes of a Thompson light up the night and rip through Goetz and the Colonel. On the other end of the gun is a seriously pissed off Sgt. Walker, lone survivor of 2nd Platoon. 

"Mate, jerry's no good to us dead. The whole op is mucked up!" yells LCpl. Kannary

"Fuck the operation" whispers Walker. He looks back down the road towards where the bulk of the fighting occurred. "I can give you twenty-two reasons why."

With Bertha and the rest of the Germans are on the other side of the village looking for survivors, Walker and the two remaining Commandos have ample time to evacuate the village and return to a likely very disgruntled Capt. Morrisey. 

"Noise discipline till we reach the CP, copy?"

Operation Hall Monitor was a failure of the highest order. It cost the lives of many good Allied soldiers and did little to disrupt or limit the resistance that would be put up by the Germans in Normandy. It was almost as if the brains behind this operation had little to no military experience at all. 

Rules: Black Ops by Osprey 

Figures: Warlord 28mm