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Battle of Mill
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Battle of Mill
The Battle of Mill was a day long struggle in and around the Dutch village of Mill along the Peel-Raam line on the first day of the invasion of the Netherlands in 1940. Although the Germans broke through, they suffered heavy casualties and were delayed in their advance by one day.
German forces favoured an attack on Mill in North Brabant for several reasons. The eastern approach was covered by thick forest, there was no swampland in front, and once inside there would be a number of roads and nearby railway that could be used to push westward.
Covering the Peel-Raam Line in the area was an anti-tank ditch lined with barbed wire and 47 casemates. The line was manned by 2 battalions, equipped with four 57mm field guns. These were supported by an artillery battalion station west of Mill, armed with twelve antique 8 cm staal field guns. A company of engineers was also stationed in the area, responsible for barricading roads and prepping bridges for demolition. They were equipped with a special railway barricade referred to as "asparagus". During the battle smaller units would be ordered to reinforce the position at Mill. It was planned that they be backed up by the Dutch 3rd Army Corps, but this was not to be. Overall, the Dutch would utilise approximately 2,000 men.
The Germans planned to spearhead the assault with two trains carrying the 3rd battalion of the 481st regiment. They were to be shortly thereafter joined by the rest of the 256th Infantry Division. However, issues with transportation over the Maas river would mean that the whole division wouldn't reach Mill until noon. They would be without their heavy artillery.
The German armoured train and troop train passed through the border unopposed and arrived in the town of Zeeland at 04:30. The Dutch forces, unaware of the invasion, had been completely surprised and didn't have time to open fire. The German troops disembarked at the Zeeland train station and radioed that they had successfully penetrated the Dutch lines. Disappointed that they hadn't made contact with the Dutch, the armoured train was sent back to the border. Now fully aware of the situation, Dutch engineers installed the asparagus barricade over the tracks and reinforced it with several mines.
Unable to stop in time, the armoured train crashed into the obstruction, derailing and sending the first carriage into the ditch. The small unit on board quickly disembarked and captured two away-facing casemates. They were then pinned down by rifle and machine gun fire, and retreated to train. Unable to penetrate the armor plating with their machine guns and rifles, the Dutch called in artillery support. This forced the Germans to take cover in the ditch, unable to effectively return fire. At around 05:00, General Adrianus Antonius van Nijnatten, the commander of the 3rd Army Corps, telephoned the Dutch general headquarters to report that the Germans had seized a bridge at Gennep intact and that a train had broken through near Mill. He was authorised to dispatch the 2nd Hussars-Motorcyclist Regiment to reinforce the town.
Meanwhile, a company of Germans that had been dropped off in Zeeland headed northeast to flank the Dutch casemates on the defense line. They ran into the artillery battalion which they did not know was present. This was a new unit which had arrived only shortly before. It was armed with the old 8 cm staal field gun, which had already been retired. It was equally surprised to see the Germans behind their position. The Dutch quickly turned their guns and opened fire, albeit only one gun at a time. The Germans sustained relatively heavy casualties and after about an hour decided to withdraw to nearby woods.
Another company sneaked through unoccupied trenches and launched an attack on the Dutch casemates at the road between Mill and Volkel. The Dutch sustained some casualties, but returned fire, forcing the Germans to withdraw to the troop train.
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Battle of Mill AI simulator
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Battle of Mill
The Battle of Mill was a day long struggle in and around the Dutch village of Mill along the Peel-Raam line on the first day of the invasion of the Netherlands in 1940. Although the Germans broke through, they suffered heavy casualties and were delayed in their advance by one day.
German forces favoured an attack on Mill in North Brabant for several reasons. The eastern approach was covered by thick forest, there was no swampland in front, and once inside there would be a number of roads and nearby railway that could be used to push westward.
Covering the Peel-Raam Line in the area was an anti-tank ditch lined with barbed wire and 47 casemates. The line was manned by 2 battalions, equipped with four 57mm field guns. These were supported by an artillery battalion station west of Mill, armed with twelve antique 8 cm staal field guns. A company of engineers was also stationed in the area, responsible for barricading roads and prepping bridges for demolition. They were equipped with a special railway barricade referred to as "asparagus". During the battle smaller units would be ordered to reinforce the position at Mill. It was planned that they be backed up by the Dutch 3rd Army Corps, but this was not to be. Overall, the Dutch would utilise approximately 2,000 men.
The Germans planned to spearhead the assault with two trains carrying the 3rd battalion of the 481st regiment. They were to be shortly thereafter joined by the rest of the 256th Infantry Division. However, issues with transportation over the Maas river would mean that the whole division wouldn't reach Mill until noon. They would be without their heavy artillery.
The German armoured train and troop train passed through the border unopposed and arrived in the town of Zeeland at 04:30. The Dutch forces, unaware of the invasion, had been completely surprised and didn't have time to open fire. The German troops disembarked at the Zeeland train station and radioed that they had successfully penetrated the Dutch lines. Disappointed that they hadn't made contact with the Dutch, the armoured train was sent back to the border. Now fully aware of the situation, Dutch engineers installed the asparagus barricade over the tracks and reinforced it with several mines.
Unable to stop in time, the armoured train crashed into the obstruction, derailing and sending the first carriage into the ditch. The small unit on board quickly disembarked and captured two away-facing casemates. They were then pinned down by rifle and machine gun fire, and retreated to train. Unable to penetrate the armor plating with their machine guns and rifles, the Dutch called in artillery support. This forced the Germans to take cover in the ditch, unable to effectively return fire. At around 05:00, General Adrianus Antonius van Nijnatten, the commander of the 3rd Army Corps, telephoned the Dutch general headquarters to report that the Germans had seized a bridge at Gennep intact and that a train had broken through near Mill. He was authorised to dispatch the 2nd Hussars-Motorcyclist Regiment to reinforce the town.
Meanwhile, a company of Germans that had been dropped off in Zeeland headed northeast to flank the Dutch casemates on the defense line. They ran into the artillery battalion which they did not know was present. This was a new unit which had arrived only shortly before. It was armed with the old 8 cm staal field gun, which had already been retired. It was equally surprised to see the Germans behind their position. The Dutch quickly turned their guns and opened fire, albeit only one gun at a time. The Germans sustained relatively heavy casualties and after about an hour decided to withdraw to nearby woods.
Another company sneaked through unoccupied trenches and launched an attack on the Dutch casemates at the road between Mill and Volkel. The Dutch sustained some casualties, but returned fire, forcing the Germans to withdraw to the troop train.
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