Grudge Match at Kapelsche Veer*
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Date: January 26, 1945*
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Battle Type: Canadian Assault vs German Defend*
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Design: Bill Wilson*
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In December 1944, German forces north of the Mass River established a
bridgehead on the south bank of the river.  The German High Command
hoped to eventually use this bridgehead to launch a secondary attack in
support of the Ardennes Offensive.*
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Initially, units of the 712th Infantry Division established the
bridgehead at Kapelsche Veer, a small fishing base with a silted-up
harbour.  Later, these troops were replaced with new paratroopers of
the 6th Fallschirmjaeger Division who General Student wanted to blood
in combat.*
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The Canadian First Army recognized the danger posed by the bridgehead.
Assaults by the Polish 1st Armoured Division and by the Royal Marine
Commandos had already failed.  It was now recognized the bridgehead
would only be eliminated by a deliberate assault.  The unit chosen for
this assault was the Lincoln and Welland Regiment of the 4th Canadian
Armoured Division.*
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Companies "A" and "C" will assault Kapelsche Veer from the east; "B"
and "D" companies will assault from the west.  Support in the form of
armour from the South Alberta Regiment will be provided, as will mortar
and artillery support.*
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Your mission is to eliminate the enemy bridgehead at Kapelsche Veer.
In particular, there are three objectives:  Two houses, codenamed "Grapes" and "Raspberry", in addition to the harbour itself.*
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It is estimated there is no more than a company of German paras defending Kapelsche Veer.  Your infantry battalion with tank and artillery support should be quite equal to the mission.*
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Unit Abbreviations:*
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Elm - Elements*
FJD - German airborne division*
FsPJA - Airborne anti-tank battalion*
Lincolns - The Lincoln and Welland Regiment*
South Albertas - The South Alberta Regiment*
Tor Scots - The Toronto Scottish Regiment*
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Source:  "The Victory Campaign", by Colonel C. P. Stacey*
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