Operation Mangol Wurzel

Spring 1938

After the turmoil of 1937, some modicum of stability is returning to the once united Kingdom. From his base in Worcester, Edward VIII has established firm control over the majority of the Midlands and the Welsh Marches with his Army of the Severn Valley. The AotSV has been ably assisted with German 'advisors', as well as men and materiel from both Germany and Italy. Wallace Simpson and Ambassador Kennedy have been steering the King towards closer links with the Fascist states. Hitler and Mussolini are keen to foster these closer ties as part of their greater ambitions within Europe and Africa.

Broadly speaking the Operation consists of the following:

    • Blitzkreig Over Bristol: A series of co-ordinated dawn attacks are to be made in and around Bristol with the aim of securing the approaches to the Avon and the Avonmouth Docks, as well as to sever road and rail links with Bath and beyond. These attacks comprise air assaults on strategic locations combined with seaborne landings, coupled with assaults to secure bridges over the Avon so that forces can push on South into Somerset and onto the Bristol Channel.
    • Wake Up Watchet!: Suprise seaborne landings are to be made in and around Watchet Harbour in an effort to gain control of the Bristol Channel as well as to cut off one of the main supply routes to the Loyal Army of the South.
    • Emergency on Exmoor: The Worlds first large scale airborne landings are to take place on Exmoor with the aim of threatening Minehead and Dunster from the rear and with linking up with the landings at Watchet Harbour.

The build up of the Army of the Severn Valley has not gone un-noticed by the Loyal Army of the South. Local intelligence sources have given indications that a large scale attack is imminent, but unfortunately cannot pinpoint when and where. Plans for Operation Cromwell have been put in place, a plan that calls for local counter-attacks to be made at important strategic locations once the main attacks are underway. In the meantime, reconnaissance-in-force has been made by LAotS forces with the aim of disrupting the build up to the anticipated offensive.

However, the supplies of men and materiel are constantly being disrupted on their route through the Bristol Channel and the Severn Estuary by forces of the Loyal Army of the South based in and around the West Country. The AotSV needs to gain control of the Bristol Channel and the Welsh ports, the Avonmouth docks and the Severn Estuary so as to ensure its lines of supply and communication.

The Army of the Severn Valley is now sufficiently strong and confident in its marshal prowess to contest control of the Bristol Channel. To this end, the King has given approval for Operation Mangol Wurzel, as series of co-ordinated suprise attacks from Bath in the East down to Minehead in the West.