A note on place names. As this action was very much 'inspired by' rather then 'a recreation of', except for the outer area of Antwerp I hadn't got round to naming the other towns and villages. Perhaps inevitably, the large town which ended up being heavily shelled and fought over became known during the game as Louvain. I hear they've had to close the library...
The peaceful citizens of 'Louvain' going about their business.
A particular book seemed to be selling well
The Belgian cavalry, inevitably referred to during the game
as the “cavalry mechanised group” started mostly in Louvain but swiftly
withdrew when the head of the German column drew near. They then took up positions near the eastern Canal
Crossing.
The cavalry leave town...
...and close in on the eastern canal crossing
An original* 1914 photo with the mighty Minerva armoured car detachment leading the way..
The Belgian infantry regiment deployed with two companies
and the machine gun company in Louvain and the remaining two companies
supported by both of the brigades artillery batteries in village A to the north
Northwest of the Canal.
The other two companies of 27 Rgt. The crafty Belgians had flooded the fields round this village. Note the Belgian artillery and German scouts.
Belgian Commander Martin set up his HQ in the Fort and
looked to have plans of spending a comfortable war therein.
The medical detachment having a nice lie down.
The German 6th Reserve Division advanced up the main
highway and soon engaged by Belgian infantry and machine gun fire.
The 5RD peeled off to the North and initially busied itself
desecrating a monastery.
German air reconnaissance (it’ll never catch on) found
the suburbs of Antwerp to be free of troops.
And just who was the intrepid aviator?
Why none other then your humble correspondent. Looking far too pleased for a supposedly grown man playing with a toy aeroplane.
After a costly struggle 6 division took Louvain and spent
some time re-organising and preparing to move on.
As they closed in and prepared to assault village A, the
Belgian artillery let rip with some (party popper) shrapnel which rather
discouraged the lead German battalion.
A further salvo or shrapnel discouraged a second German battalion at which point the attack on the village stalled.
Meanwhile, the Belgian cavalry and armoured cars made a
nuisance of themselves at the eastern Canal Crossing where the Minerva attachment held up a German division for around half a day.
While the Germans reorganised, the cavalry redeployed and soon arrived
north of Lovain. At this point - and in a shock development - they heroically charged a German battalion!
And....that seems like a good cliffhanger. The final part of this sorry tale will follow.
