The Central Front D+22 (31 July 1987) Part II (Bravo)

1200-1800 Hours, NORTHAG Sector

1230– As most the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment halts near Gifhorn, air and armored cavalry reconnaissance patrols push ahead. They discover Soviet units dug in on the eastern side of the Elbe Lateral Canal. The regiment is awaiting the arrival of 2^nd Brigade, 2^nd Armored Division and a British Regiment promised to arrive by dusk before resuming the advance.

1310– 20^th Guards Army has slowed the Dutch attacks south of Hamburg. 5^th NL Division’s push northeast along the B-191 roadway is contending with heavily forested territory as well as stubborn and skilled Soviet rear guard units. A similar situation plagues the 11^th and 12^th Pantserinfanterie brigades on their approach to Amelinghausen.

1345– CINC-Western TVD General Boris Snetkov arrives in Moscow

1400-2/5 Cavalry reaches Objective LASORDA 30 minutes ahead of the remainder of 1^st Brigade/1^st Cavalry Division.

1415– 58^th Guards Tank Regiment receives orders to attack. The regiment’s motor rifle and tank battalions move from their forward staging areas south of Königslutter.

1530– The Battle of Objective LASORDA (aka Battle of the Intersection) officially commences.

Author’s Note: This particular battle will be the subject of a detailed narrative I expect to present over the summer. As a result, details of the battle will be somewhat light in Central Front entries.

1650– Colonel-General Ivan Korbutov is contacted by General Snetkov personally and is ordered to meet him at the Group Soviet Forces Germany headquarters in Wunsdorf at 2000 hours.

1740– Fighting at and near Objective LASORDA is transforming into a meeting engagement as a second American brigade is moving to make contact with the 58^th Guards Tank Regiment. A report is set up the line and the regiment commander requests reinforcements.

1800– Korbutov receives a message directly from STAVKA to withdraw all army group-level artillery and ballistic missile assets from West German territory by midnight. No reason is provided for this confusing order, but in his own mind, Korbutov is beginning to draw some worrisome conclusions.