The early morning mist clung to the streets of Nijmegen as the American paratroopers moved into position. High above the city, an American machine gun team had set up in the bell tower of an ancient church, its Gothic spires giving them a clear line of sight over the city. The team knew that this position was vital; they could see the entire German advance from here. |
Paratroopers overlooking the city streets
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As the German forces moved into position, setting up in the abandoned houses which now lay bombed out on rubble filled streets. A German sniper, expertly hidden in the bombed-out remains of a nearby building, began picking off the gunners. The Americans tried to return fire, but each time the gunner popped up to fire a burst, the sniper’s shots forced them to duck back down. The Germans then brought in a mortar, sending shells crashing into the church tower. Each explosion shook the tower, raining dust and debris on the beleaguered Americans, who found themselves trapped and unable to move.
On the ground, the fighting was equally intense. A squad of German mortar men had taken up position in the hedges on the outskirts of town, their shells falling with deadly precision on the advancing Americans.
The sounds of battle drew the attention of a group of Dutch partisans who had been waiting for their chance to strike back at the occupiers. In a dark, dank basement beneath a crumbling house, they had been listening to the battle above, waiting for the right moment. When they heard the sharp crack of a sniper’s rifle from the upper floors, they knew it was time to act. Armed with makeshift weapons – a mix of clubs, hammers, and a few old rifles – they quietly ascended the stairs. Bursting into the sniper's nest, they found a lone German soldier, his rifle trained on the church tower. The partisans overwhelmed him in seconds, clubbing him to death in a flurry of blows. The sniper’s body was dragged into the street, a grim symbol of the Dutch resistance’s determination to fight back.
Meanwhile, the battle for the bridge raged on. A Sherman tank from XXX corps arrived and began to lead the final assault, its massive turret swiveling to and fro as it pushed down the narrow streets. But lurking in the shadows was a lone German soldier armed with a Panzerfaust, determined to stop the |
None of the Panzershrek shots found their mark!
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Allied advance.
With a steely resolve, the German soldier took aim and fired his first rocket. It streaked toward the Sherman but missed, slamming into a nearby wall and sending a cloud of dust and debris into the air. The Sherman pressed on, its machine guns blazing, but the German soldier was not deterred. He reloaded and fired again, only for the second rocket to go wide and explode harmlessly in an open square. Undeterred, the German soldier prepared a third Panzerfaust. Just as he was about to fire, the Sherman’s main gun roared to life. The explosive shell hit the German’s position, sending a shower of rubble flying. When the smoke cleared, the Sherman was still moving forward, unscathed.
Meanwhile, in a rare lapse of tactical judgment, a group of German soilders charged from their position of a bomb crater into a unit of veteran paratroopers. The Americans raised their rifles and shot the advancing Germans to pieces before counter assaulting and occupying the same crater from whence they came.
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The paratroopers capture the crater
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As the battle seemed to reach a crescendo, the roar of engines echoed across the battlefield. It was the sound that the paratroopers had been waiting for – the tanks of XXX Corps had arrived. Led by the renowned Irish Guards, the British armored columns smashed through the German defenses on the outskirts of Nijmegen and pressed toward the city center. It was then that Corporal Hensley, spotting an opportunity and took matters
into his own hands. He revved up the engine of a nearby Jeep, its
machine gun mounted and ready. Without hesitation, he drove straight
into the crossfire, bullets whizzing past as he charged toward the
German mortar position. The Germans frantically tried to reload, but
they were too slow. The Jeep skidded to a halt just meters from their
position, and the .50 caliber machine gun roared to life. In a matter of
seconds, the German mortar crew was mowed down, silencing their deadly
fire.
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The Brits arrive at the city outskirts
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The sight of the British tanks rolling into Nijmegen bolstered the weary paratroopers. With renewed vigor, they coordinated their efforts with the advancing tanks, tightening the noose around the remaining German defenders. Kampfgruppe Henke, despite their best efforts, found themselves increasingly outmatched and outgunned.With the British armor providing overwhelming firepower and the American paratroopers pressing the attack, the German defense began to crumble. The streets of Nijmegen were filled with the sounds of battle – the rumble of tanks, the crack of rifles, and the thud of artillery. But the coordinated efforts of the Allies slowly but surely pushed the Germans back.
As the last remnants of Kampfgruppe Henke retreated across the bridge, the battle for Nijmegen came to a close. As the smoke began to clear, the paratroopers and British tank crews let out a cheer – a victory cry that echoed across the ruined city. They had won the day, but the road to Arnhem still lay ahead, and with it, more battles yet to come.
