Operation Archduke - Expanding the Bridgehead

Though disappointed in the failure on D-Day 6 June 1884 to establish a beachhead extending miles inland, the Ruberian invasion commander felt that at least he was sufficiently established ashore to bring in the I Corps heavy equipment: artillery, train and the machine gun battalion. But priority had to be given the 1st Cavalry Brigade - 16th and 17th Lancers. His object for today would be to push out the beachhead to the villages Venus la Tour and, behind the Petitriseau stream, Petiteville village.

Once landed, I Army Corps comprised:
Beach LandingCommander: General B.L. Montgeremy
1st Brigade: Brig. H. H. Reddick
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd Battalions

15th Brigade: Brig Sir Bartholomew Rosewarne
- 43rd, 44th, 45th Battalions
19th Brigade: Col. M.T. Russett
- 55th, 56th, 57th Battalions
24th Brigade: Brig. Sir James Madderston
- 70th, 71st, 72nd Battalions
1st Light Cavalry Brigade: Col Raylan Lord Reddington
- 16th, 17th Lancers
1st Machine-Gun Battalion
1st Field Artillery
95th Field Artillery
Train etc

Overnight, Ermine Rommeau handed over command of the defence to General of Brigade Cyan Vicomte Pernod. The forces available to him were slender enough: the remnants of 114th Coastal Brigade (though still with its MG company) and Vicomte Pernod's own Brigade, the 31st (91st, 92nd and 93rd Regiments). Attached to 31st Brigade was a battery on ancient smoothbore heavy artillery, entrenched half way between Venus la Tour and the heights east of Oualmentville-sur-Mer. 

Dividing the front between his brigades, the 114th reduced to three battalions, and the 31st also with three, the Vicomte anchored his defences upon the villages, 114th having the protective stream across half its front.

At first light, the Ruberian advance rolled forward. The main push was carried out by 24th Brigade advancing directly upon Petiteville and its associated defence works. Pushing forward on the right, the battered 15th Brigade attempted to envelop the enemy line. Its resources limited, the defenders flank hung 'in the air', the earthworks protecting the refused flank a none-too-reliable expedient.

Supported by 1st Field Artillery and the machine gun battalion knocking out the defending mitrailleuses, 24th and 15th Brigades swarmed the two coastal regiments defending Petiteville. Outnumbered four to one, the defenders exacted a severe toll upon the Ruberian soldiery crossing the stream.

Events developed more slowly on the other flank. The first tentative infantry attacks were thrown back with little trouble. Advancing up the railway line, elements of 1st Rifle Brigade attempted a storm of the 339th Coastal Regiment, entrenched close by the road turnoff to Venus la Tour. Third Battalion was unable to close with the defences held by 91st Regiment north of that village, but the cavalry brigade essayed a charge against 93rd Regiment hastening to fill the gap between the fortified localities. At heavy cost, the Ruberian horse threw back the 93rd, whereat the Vicomte Pernod threw his reserve, 92nd Battalion, onto the cavalry's flank. 

Meanwhile, 15th and 24th Battalions were making heavy weather of turning out of Petiteville the remaining shreds of 114th Coastal Brigade. The odds increasing to six to one (12SP vs 2) rather disguised the toll taken - some 5SPs the attackers had lost, and were still struggling across the stream west of the village. One battalion, the 71st, had already battered itself to pieces at the bridge crossing. It took some exhortation from Sir James Madderston to induce the 72nd to attempt the storm, closely supported by machine gun and artillery fire. Not even the inspiring presence of Rommeau could hold the defenders to their posts.

After some hard bought success on the eastern flank, the offensive seemed to be stalling. First Battalion had taken the earthworks flanking the south road and the Venus la Tour turn-off, but the cavalry was taking heavy losses in the attempted pursuit. To counter the flank attack from 92nd Regiment, 17th Lancers attempted a counterr-charge that at least brought the poilus to a halt flanking the earthworks sheltering the 91st and the ancient gun battery. Sixteenth Lancers were in the meantime brought to a bloody halt by the orderly retreat by 93rd Regiment. 

So severe were the losses to the Cavalry Brigade that the 16th was reduced to a stricken herd of fugitives (reduced to 0SP), and the 17th were almost as bad condition. Even if further counterrattack were out of the question, the Azurian Rifle Brigade seemed set to establish at least a new defence line.  

Then, word by runner came in from Rommeau's command. Petiteville had fallen, 114th Coastal Brigade was no more, Venus la Tour was no longer tenable. Reluctantly, the Vicomte Pernod ordered the retreat. The enemy beachhead thus extended, and with enough reinforcement pouring in, the invaders would take a gigantic effort to evict...

 For their part, the landing Corps had taken very heavy losses to establish their beachhead - almost 50% over the two days. Further landings would be more in the nature of relief than reinforcement.

* * * * *

Meanwhile, at the other side of the world, in the Golden Empire of Khitai, events were stirring in the remote naval stations of Ruberia and Azuria. Without access to the refuelling, revictualling and repair resources available to the Ruberian navy, the Azurian Far East Station commander concluded that, apart from detaching a merchant cruiser commerce raider, his battle squadron should probably take the long voyage home. This would be no easy undertaking, as the high seas in the Great Western Ocean would be swarming with Ruberian naval units.

Even crossing the Halcyon Ocean would be fraught with hazard owing to the presence of the Ruberian Far East Squadron. Not that he thought the latter as strong as his own force, but a fight could prove compromisingly damaging. 

Nevertheless, having formed his resolve, Vice-Admiral Comte Maximilien de la Spée order his squadron to sea on the moonless night of July, under cover of a minor storm. Under Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Redick, the pursuing Far East Squadron was already at sea...

The meeting of the Far East naval commands - the Battle of Isla de Santa Maria
about to begin...