Welcome to Platoon Forward!

Welcome to the site where the story of the battle is as important as the battle itself. Here we will focus on men thrust into extraordinary situations of life and death. They must lead other men with duty and honor to meet their countries objectives. Some will be blessed with great skill, some will carry great shortcomings. No matter what nation, no matter what war, no matter what theater, they are all called to move their Platoon or Squadron forward!

These are their individual stories as played out using my various campaign rules . Hopefully these stories will entertain and inspire you to use your own troops, airmen and sailors to accomplish your own great heroics.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Brookfield Plantation 1941










British Platoon Singapore 1941 ( this is my 3rd battle with this platoon)
Lt Whitherspoon Gr II leader studious
Sgt "Slim Jim" Hall Gr II leader cocky, disliked currently wounded/missed battle
Cpl Jake Drifmore Gr III leader Cheery brilliant tactician though cautious acting Sgt for the platoon
Cpl "Posh" Harding Gr II leader indecisive
Pvt Longshare acting Cpl, mentioned in dispatches for heroics during 1st battle. Leading 1st section as company did not give us a Sgt to replace Slim Jim. Gr I leader mecurical

Lt Whitherspoon called his leaders together. Looks like the Japs are moving down the pennisula. We are to move up to Brookfield plantation and block the road. There should be a 2pdr there and some engineering lads have had a go at some defenses.
The lorry ride was interrupted by japanese aircraft once and when we got to the plantation little engineering work was done. The road started from the north and was a lazy "S". In the middle of the "S" was a nice house with rubber trees towards the left. Jungle with some high grass was north of the road, rubber trees to the left and jungle to the south. There were a couple of logs across the road and the start of a trench in the rubber trees that paralled the middle of the "S". We had a whole day to improve the trenchs. Japanese patrols snooped around that night and we knew they would hit us in the morning.
The Lt put me on the far left of the trench with 2nd section. Posh had 3rd section on the right of the trench with the ATG in the middle to fire down the road. The junlge was so thick we knew the Japs would have to stick to the road. He kept 1st section with Pvt Longshore under his personal eye in the house. We had an extra bren gun and 2 inch mortar postioned to fire along the middle part of the road.




Sure enough the Japs came down both sides of the road with a tank down the middle. The 2 pdr drove the tank back but the infantry kept coming. They were 20 yards in front of my position when out of no where a squad of nips appeared from BEHIND our trenches. (NOTE the squad came in as a reinforcement for the japanese from the side of the board as this envelopment was a favorite tactic that the british were slow to catch onto) Surrounded by 20 yelling yellowmen was tough on my boys. We fought hard but when we pulled down the trenchline I was slightly wounded and I left 5 of my lads dead there. Posh faired no better and we ran into the Lt at the far end of the trench. He told us englishmen are not routed by savages! He ordered me back to the plantation with my bren team to organize Longshore into a defnese of the house. He and Posh would hold the trenchline to give us time. The Lt was kind of stuffy but he was smart and a brave man! The Japs come roaring down the trenchline as I hightail it to the house. No Longshore. He had decided to launch his own enveloping attack against the Japanese around the right flank! I couldn't find him so hoped I could defend the house with my bren team.
5 minutes later the survivors of the trenches run back to the house with horrible stories. Lt Whitherspoon and Cpl Posh are dead; we have to run! I sez "Englishmen don't run from savages! Get that bren gun upstairs and start firing on the trenches." That fire coupled with the 2 inch mortar held them in check. Then on our right we see 1st section charge a jap MMG and take it! At that point they had had enough and withdrew. Somehow we had held! Lt Whitherspoon would be proud!

Will try to figure out how to post a map and pictures. British forces as above. Japanese forces were 3 squads of infantry, 1 squad of knee mortars, 1 MMG and 1 medium tank. 1 Japanese squad was allowed to come in from the side of the board on turn 3.
After the battle Pvt Longshare was mentioned in dispaches, promoted to Cpl and given 3rd section. A new Lt arrived from battalion; "Timbo" Rodgers Gr III leader who is condesending. In addition, the battallion S-1 "Pippy" Jones has asked Timbo if he can dispatch 2 sections and secure some missionaries who are in danger of being overun by the rapidly advancing japanese. Should be a blast.

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