Capt. Rohrstock had heard about the failed attack on the airfield and as the Stukas passed overhead he was glad the guards had done their duty and kept his air support operational. This time his attacking force was spared a bombardment from the enemy guns so perhaps Gruber's raid had gone well.
The days after a breakthrough where always chaotic and he hoped to capitalise on this to push further into the enemies rear. Though the enemy was not completely out of the fight and was rushing reinforcements forwards Rohrstock hoped to brush them aside. A walled building dominated the centre of the battlefield and he'd tasked No. 3 section with it's '251 to mount a lightning advance which the rest of the platoon would then support.
No sooner had the half-track pulled out of cover then disaster struck! Rohrstock was not sure how they'd missed the massive British tank but they had, it's guns let loose and one of the shells struck the '251 bursting it into flames. The rest of the platoon could only look on in horror as the survivors bailed out of the burning wreck. Half the men did not make it out.
As Rohrstock cursed the setback his own armoured support put in an appearance with the Panzer III appearing from behind a sand dune to put a shell into the M3, causing it in return to brew up.
Whilst the exchange of tank fire had been taking place the Sikh's had pushed up vigorously and instead of the planned German occupation of the strong points it was instead they that had seized the ground and the initiaitive.
Despite the setback Rohrstock was pleased to see his men stick to their task, whilst not willing to advance across the open they didn't fall back either and instead opened a withering fire upon the Commonwealth troops which was supported by the now unopposed Panzer III. The section nearest him was taking the brunt of the enemy fire but his presence helped calm the men and keep them in the fight.
With fire pouring into their positions Rohrstock good see the enemy visibly start to wilt and then the only return firing was coming from a mortar far behind the enemies lines, otherwise the Sikh's had been forced to keep their heads down and their spirit to fight was broken.
As night fell all the Germans could here was the sound of feet running back into the night as the enemy beat a swift retreat.
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