The Blue Casket

Gentleman and scholar Andrew Dunn, he of The Fall And Rise Of Reggio Perino, has penned us a short this week. It’s an account of a particularly close mission in Men of War. Fans of the game will probably have fond memories too.

Action of 21st November 1941 at Rostselmash Manufacturing Plant No. 6
Junior Lieutenant Oleg Kyznetsov (Officer Commanding 233rd Mechanised Rifle Regiment)

Having been driven back through Rostov-on-Don after heavy fighting, Major Kristyakov deployed the battalion in defensive order around Rostselmash Manufacturing Plant. As our orders were to hold the factory railyard until the industrial equipment could be removed by train, the companies were each assigned a sector to hold and ordnance and equipment was distributed equally. The armoured company was evenly deployed across the factory yard to strengthen the defences. Fascist forces were thought to be in divisional strength. The estimated time for the equipment loading was 1600hrs, while fascist troops were expected by mid-morning, necessitating a defence of the train while loading was completed. (continue reading…)