The American positions east of the Our River become the Schnee Eifel Pocket. It’s quite a walk! He is now buried in the American War Cemetery at Henri Chapelle. LUXEMBOURG TOURS This later went on to inspire him to write the classic novel, Drive south-west out of town for about one mile and you will see what used to be Bleialf railway station. The Battle of St. Vith was part of the Battle of the Bulge, which began on December 16, 1944, and represented the r Arriving in Europe in late 1944, they were immediately, and with very little battle experience, thrust into battle at St Vith. POTEAU -VIELSALM – The Battles for Vielsalm, St Vith & the Poteau Crossroads near Recht. The logging trail used by 3rd Battalion 423rd Infantry Regiment. COL Charles Cavender of 423rd Regiment counterattacks, which retakes the village of Bleialf. The 1st and 2nd Battalions were here behind Hill 536 at daybreak on 19 December. The ‘Battle of the Bulge’ or the ‘Ardennes Offensive’ was the single biggest and bloodiest battle American soldiers have ever fought. American forces retook the town on 23 January 1945. However, they are blocked by the enemy and lost to the division. The Germans capture the bridge at Schoenberg by 8:45 a.m., cutting off American artillery units attempting to withdraw west of the Our River. Apparently he spent the entire time complaining because of the noise from a field artillery battalion firing from dug-in positions behind the bar. Munitions are still lying about and are very dangerous, be careful what you pick-up. Hastily dug foxholes and the remains of a 50 calibre ammunition box near the Ihrenbach Stream. The road that goes right leads to Brandscheid, a village held at that time by the Germans. Over the course of almost a week, 7th Armored Division – plus those elements of the 106th Infantry, 28th Infantry and 9th Armored Divisions – absorbed much of the weight of the German drive, throwing the German timetable into disarray before being forced to withdraw west of the Salm River Dec. 23. You can drive or walk up this fork road, which will lead you to the spot where the remnants of the 422nd surrendered. Forces of 82nd Airborne Division make contact with 7th Armored Division, meeting the condition Hodges set for command of the St. Vith forces shifting to XVIII Airborne Corps under LTG Matthew Ridgway. On reaching the end of the Schnee Eifel, turn left on the B265 and travel for a short distance, turn left again and head for the villages of Roth and Auw. This is the southern end of the Losheim Gap. This is the start of the famed Schnee Eifel. You are now in the thick of it, as they say. This was the way the 18th Volksgrenadier Division came in their attack on the southerly pincer move around the Schnee Eifel. Cross the stream and head off up the hill. Both sides of the road were littered with German and American dead. Jones had given the troops east of the Our River permission to withdraw at 9:45 a.m., but it was too late to organize an orderly withdrawal by that time. (Map from the Armor. Most of the Ardennes is in southeastern Wallonia, the southern and more rural part of Belgium. The 106th Infantry Division’s 422nd and 423rd Infantry Regiments are encircled and cut off from the rest of the division by a junction of enemy forces near Schoenberg. The 423rd Infantry crossed here, on its way to Hill 504. Hence the bunker line alongside of it. All villages have at least one. On leaving St Vith the road twists and starts to climb into the forest. Opposite the school is a bar, this was once Dietrich’s Headquarters for a time. MG Alan Jones, the 106th’s commander, sends reinforcements to Winterspelt and Schoenberg around noon. Six of the titan Tiger tanks attack from the Schoenberg-St. Vith road against American positions on the Prumberg. The other museum is at La Roche-en-Ardenne, dedicated to the Battle of the Bulge. This was the sight of Divisional Headquarters. U.S. forces are able to outrun the panzers and join forces with XVIII Airborne Corps. Bunkers are abundant left and right of the road. When the local priest emerged after the initial battle bodies were strewn everywhere, both American and German. Before dawn on Dec. 16, a German artillery bombardment preceded a powerful attack along a 40-mile front that overran the U.S. 106th and 28th Infantry Divisions. Also, it was on this part of the road that the unsuspecting German Volkswagen fell into line with the convoy of M8 armoured cars, and was consequently shot to bits. Its population in 1944 was about 2,000, and its citizens were very much pro-German. This track was used by the 423rd Regiment and 590th FAB on their way to attack Schonberg. The place is littered with the clover leaf shaped trays that once were containers for shells and powder charges, and the lifting eyes for the shells are in abundance everywhere. Andler-Schonberg Road, viewed from Andler. On the same day, the Germans were able to take St. Vith and Bastogne. There are many hotels and guest houses in the larger towns of St Vith and Prum, both within easy reach of the battlefields. Digging or metal detecting is not encouraged, in fact it is forbidden. Soldier Memories about the Battle of the Bulge. The southern part of the Ardennes is also the northern section of Luxembourg, and on the southeast, the Eifel region continues into Germany. The headquarters group also brings with it a second cavalry squadron (18th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron) to screen the Losheim Gap, which is on 106th Division’s left flank. First of all, your own transport is a must, there is no real public transport in the area that will go anywhere near the rural areas in which the battles took place. CHAPTER XII. The 1st and 2nd Battalions were here behind Hill 536 at daybreak on 19 December. Company B, 423rd Infantry Regiment positions were in the woods to the right. In the town are a couple of small, but well stocked supermarkets, plus an excellent bakery and butchers. Continuing through, you will come back out onto the main road between Bleialf and the Schnee Eifel. The Battle of the Bulge began on December 16, 1944. In the centre of the ridge is the Schwarzer Mann, the highest spot around. The actual front-line foxholes of the infantrymen, are in the woods to the right of the road, about 300 to 400 yards on the forward slope. Attacking after dark at 5 p.m., the tanks fire star shells into American positions, blinding the defenders, and follow up with armor-piercing shells, destroying American defending vehicles. The only significant check in the German advance is at Kobscheid, where 18th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron had circled the village with barbed wire and dug in machineguns from their armored cars. Roads in the area are marked L: (Landes) = Country, K (Kreis) = County and B (Bundes) = National. It is now a private house. United States located in the town for their own usage. Hidden from Allied air surveillance, the Germans massed their forces to attack through the Ardennes hoping to reach open ground beyond the Meuse for a dash to the coast. The five 2-D maps are fine (strategic situation, German planned routes, initial attacks of 6th Panzer Army, destruction of the US 106th Division, and defense of St Vith) but the maps do not fully portray the US defense of the Elsenborn Ridge and even Peiper's route is difficult to follow with these maps. Ridgeway arrives in Vielsalm. During summer, needless to say, everywhere dries out, so fire is a big risk. The author, Michael Tolhurst, with his two sons Stuart and Stevie in 1992 on the border bridge over the River Our, which marks the boundary between Belgium and Germany. Heavy fighting took place on this spot. As LTG Troy H. Middleton assessed in the foreword to the Armor School’s publication The Battle at St. Vith, Belgium, “Two of the most important tactical localities on the 88-mile front held by the VIII Corps in the Ardennes Forest at the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge … were Bastogne and St. Vith. December 21 st, 1944 – United States forces were able to re-take Stavelot, Belgium. A different group of scattered American soldiers numbering some 500 men surrender later, and by 8 a.m. Dec. 21, all organized resistance by U.S. forces in the Schnee Eifel pocket ends. It was in this area by the Ihrenbach Stream that vehicles of 423rd Infantry Regiment and the 590th Field Artillery Battalion finally ended up. The next hamlet along ‘Skyline Drive’ is Radscheid. Come back into Bleialf and pass the Church on your left, follow the road out and round until you come to a cross roads at the foot of the Schnee Eifel. If you look up the open slope to the top of the hill, you will see where the 422nd Infantry came out of the woods and saw below them (where you are) vehicles ‘bumper to bumper’, the occupants of which then proceeded to open fire on them. Enjoy your break or holiday in this part of the Ardennes, the scenery is breath-taking. Proceed south, all the woods on the left were held by the 106th, and attached VIII Corps Artillery units, you do not have to walk far anywhere along this road to find the evidence. In Auw turn left again by the Church. Supreme Commander GEN Dwight D. Eisenhower gives command of all troops north of the German advance to Montgomery, commander of 21st Army Group. There is nothing dangerous lurking, apart from the odd wild boar, who can turn funny if disturbed or upset. The Germans overran this position at about 0930 on 19 December. Men of the 3rd Battalion 423rd Infantry Regiment came down the track onto the road on their ill-fated attack on Schonberg. The large hill on the left, covered in trees, is the famous Hill 504. At 9 a.m., 422nd and 423rd’s positions come under artillery bombardment. Its garrison wrote a brilliant chapter in history by denying the locality to the enemy; therefore, much of the comment pertaining to the Battle of the Bulge has centered around this important terrain feature. Large pits dug into the ground, which once were the emplacements for artillery pieces such as 155mm and 8 inch howitzers. First published on Warfare History Network, the article “The Battle of the Bulge: Avenging St. Vith” by our historian Kevin M. Hymel, recounts one of the critical battles fought during the Battle of the Bulge in the winter of 1944. Also there, is a petrol station, where somebody will serve you, chat about the weather and give the kids a sweet whilst they fill you up. Just south-west of Laudesfeld a high hill will be observed, in this area on 19 December, approximately 500 men from all different units made a perimeter defence, and held on until finally surrendering on the morning of 21 December, 1944. St. Vith (German: Sankt Vith; French: Saint-Vith; Luxembourgish: Sankt Väit, pronounced [ˌzɑŋkt ˈvæːɪ̯t]) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège, and in the German speaking Community of Belgium.It was named after Saint Vitus.. On January 1, 2006, St. Vith had a total population of 9,169. Above all try and cast your mind back to that terrible December in 1944 and give your respect to those brave soldiers of both sides. Under orders from Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, 7th Armored gave up St. Vith Dec. 21, 1944, and U.S. troops fell back to positions supported by 82nd Airborne Division to the west, as noted. It was here that Cavender joined them and finally gave the order for the 423rd to surrender. Left is signposted Schwarzer Mann, or as the Americans called it, ‘Bogeyman Hill’. The 106th’s 424th Infantry Regiment is sent to Winterspelt. troops in the St. Vith area from 17-23 December 1944. Moving on will eventually bring you to Hill 504. TANKS OF THE 7TH ARMORED DIVISION in a temporary position near St. Vith. SEE REPORT PAGE 2 for After Action Reports of preparation and fighting of the entire 30th during the St. Vith Offensive of January, 1945. First, the scene-setting. This spot just about marks the boundary between the 422nd and the 423rd. Parts of 106th are deployed east, with most of its force isolated on the Schnee Eifel. Opposing the Germans were units of U.S. VIII Corps. The Germans also use radio-jamming stations that made wireless communications difficult. At 4 p.m., this surrender is formalized, and the two regiments of 106th Division and all their supporting units, some 7,000 men, become prisoners of the German army. Americans fall back to a defensive line with 7th Armored Division on the left and 106th’s 424th Regiment on the right. To get to this part of Europe it is best to drive. Among the prisoners is PVT Kurt Vonnegut of 423rd Infantry Regiment, whose experiences as a prisoner of war form the basis of his novel Slaughterhouse-Five. Some further good reading on the subject: A Time for Trumpets by Charles B MacDonald. You can get back on track by, Into Schonberg, this is another place that has been rebuilt, even the bridge across the Our River is in a slightly different location. Quite a pleasing site after scrambling around the rugged terrain. This marks the most extensive defeat suffered by American forces in the European Theater of Operations. His body was found nearby. Smoking in the forest is ‘Verboten’. Drive south-west out of town for about one mile and you will see what used to be Bleialf railway station. Where the road (N595) does a large left hand loop there is a, , all the woods on the left were held by the 106th, and attached VIII Corps Artillery units, you do not have to walk far anywhere along this road to find the evidence. But once again, please be careful as there is still a lot of live ammunition kicking about. But this was slightly earlier, when the American 4th Division initially captured Bleialf. Turn right onto the E42, marked Verviers, Spa, eventually St Vith will be reached. The Ardennes is otherwise relatively sparsely populated, with few of the cities exceeding 10,000 inhabitants – with a few exceptions like Eupen or Bastogne. The view John Kline had of Schonberg from his 30 cal machine gun position. Now all is calm, the stately fir trees give welcome shade from the sun, but even now, standing alone next to a front line foxhole, starts the mind racing on how it must have been. When the local priest emerged after the initial battle bodies were strewn everywhere, both American and German. Or, you can stay in any of the numerous ‘Gasthaus’ or smaller hotels scattered around the area. St. Vith lay approximately twelve miles behind the front lines on 16 December. As you can imagine, any movement in this vicinity, could easily be observed from the German positions in and around Brandscheid, far on the horizon directly south. Where the road (N595) does a large left hand loop there is a lay-by on the right. The defenders’ battleground is the Ardennes. Turn right for Bleialf. You can get back on track by turning right in the village, and heading towards Wereth and Herresbach. The Ardennes area of Belgium and Germany just before the German Ardennes counteroffensive, December 15, 1944.The Battle of St. Vith was part of the Battle of the Bulge, which began on 16 December 1944, and represented the right flank in the advance of the German center, 5th … Here, they hold the village for the day; after dark, they destroy their vehicles and abandon their positions, withdrawing to St. Vith. A little before 5:30 a.m., a selective German artillery bombardment begins to fall on 106th’s forward positions on the Schnee Eifel, moving gradually back to the division headquarters in St. Vith. St. Vith area and surroundings, Monschau-Habscheid Zone, December 15-19th, 1944. The 14th Cavalry Group, commanded by COL Mark Devine, moves into the area. Moving along the Schonberg road towards Heuern (81st Combat Engineers HQ) look out for a decorative wrought iron works on the right, immediately, If you stay on this small road and get to Meyerode, there in the village outside the school is a German 75mm anti-tank gun. The two cavalry squadrons, 14th and 18th, set up fortifications in small villages in the area. The Germans capture Steinebruck (six miles east of St. Vith), with its bridge over the Our River. The 106th Infantry Division took over position for position. This has the effect of breaking the defense into isolated positions, and denies corps and army commands information on events at the front line. A small tip, because of the rural nature of the area, very very few people speak English, so if you don’t ‘sprechen Deutsch’ take a good phrase book with you. The Battle of the Bulge was the name given to a major German counter-attack launched against US forces in Belgium. The large rock comes from the local region, and is special to that area. It was here that we found 105mm ammunition in evidence and numerous hastily dug foxholes, ammunition boxes etc. This whole area was jammed with vehicles from the regiment, unable to cross the boggy ground. Bastogne was an important communications center and was worth the gamble made for its defense. You can park by the side of the road and walk into the woods, either left or right, much evidence can be seen of the fighting that took place here between the 17 – 21 December. A brass plate on the stone has an inscription to the men of the 106th and says, ‘Dedicated to the Men of the 106th Infantry Division who fought and died for their country 1944–45.’. At Spineux (Wanne), in the centre of the village there is a monument dedicated to the men of the 424th Infantry Regiment of the 106th Infantry Division and also to the men of the 112th Regiment of the 28th Infantry Division. The Battle of St. Vith, which began Dec. 16, 1944, was part of the Battle of the Bulge. Show Larger Map Battle of the Bulge summary. Attacks from 1st SS Panzer Division have cut the Rodt-St. Vith road. As you come out of the woods there is a turning right that leads to Amelscheid, immediately opposite this in the open field, was the final position of the 589th Field Artillery Battalion, before it drove ‘hell for leather’ through Schonberg and some of it onto St Vith. By Dec. 23, as the Germans shattered their flanks, the defenders’ position became untenable, and U.S. troops were ordered to retreat west of the Salm River. Holding St. Vith has become more of a liability to the Americans than an asset. This was an average Belgian town, with a population of a little over 2,000 and sufficient billets to house a division headquarters. He is aware Montgomery has already decided to withdraw from the St. Vith area. Turn left in Schonberg and the road starts to climb steeply. 'Bulge' refers to the German penetration of the US lines during the battle. Come back to the crossroads and turn right on to the N26. Come back to the crossroads and turn right on to the N26. Across the stream is a small wooden bridge. The German southern pincer, advancing from Bleialf against scattered American resistance, closes at nightfall on the Schnee Eifel Dec. 17. The famous photographs and propaganda German newsreel film of American prisoners being marched away was filmed alongside the River Our in this vicinity. In Andler there is the inevitable bar, Gasthaus Kessler. Return to ‘Skyline Drive’, turn left into the village of Radscheid, Oberlascheid, Halenfeld and Buchet, where Cavender had his headquarters. The Siege of Bastogne was an engagement in December 1944 between American and German forces at the Belgian town of Bastogne, as part of the larger Battle of the Bulge.The goal of the German offensive was the harbor at Antwerp.In order to reach it before the Allies could regroup and bring their superior air power to bear, German mechanized forces had to seize the … This was the sight of Divisional Headquarters. Just look for the ‘Bit Burger’ signs, an excellent local brew. The offencive started on 16 December 1944 The Germans tried to repeat their 1940 performance and drive the Allies to a new Dunkirk One is at La Gleize, the furthest point Kampfgruppe Peiper reached in the attack. Opposite, there used to be a dance hall, owned by Herr Kessler, captured American Officers were brought for interrogation. His timetable cded for the capture of St. Vith by 1800 hours on 17 Decem- ber. Battle of the Bulge; Part of the Western Front of World War II: American soldiers of the 117th Infantry Regiment, Tennessee National Guard, part of the 30th Infantry Division, move past a destroyed American M5A1 "Stuart" tank on their march to recapture the town of St. Vith during the Battle of the Bulge, January 1945. It was a difficult place to take, owing to the many fortifications, for it was an intregal part of the West Wall or Siegfried Line. If you, The next hamlet along ‘Skyline Drive’ is Radscheid. Unless you visit the area in the depth of winter when there is two or three foot of snow on the ground and the temperature is well below freezing you cannot start to imagine how much the men suffered. He had a meal in the cafe/bar opposite (Cafe Zwicker). At the bottom is the hamlet of Ihrenbruck. At the time of the Ardennes Offensive, most Allied military commanders were busy planning the next step on the road to defeating the German army. Msgr George J. Ryan at St Anastasia Roman Catholic Church in Douglaston, NY, with military and NYFD firefighters as pallbearers.) Typical of the sort of rusting artifacts to be discovered throughout the area of the Battle of the Bulge. Although another battle in the overall Battle of the Bulge, the battle for Bastogne, is better known, Armor and Cavalry defensive actions at St. Vith helped break the back of Hitler’s Ardennes offensive. The American attack on Schoenberg launches at 10 a.m. as scheduled, but comes under German assault-gun and anti-aircraft gunfire from armored fighting vehicles on the ridge to their front and from German troops firing small-arms fire. But to the GIs, it was named ‘88 Corner’ or ‘Purple Heart Corner’. This transforms them into isolated strongpoints guarding road intersections. Figure 2. This goes for the entire battleground. He was with Officers, members of this Division, his favourite, whom he tagged along with. The Battle of St. Vith, which began Dec. 16, 1944, was part of the Battle of the Bulge. As the German plan called for the capture of St. Vith by 6 p.m. Dec. 17, the prolonged action in and around it presented a major blow to their timetable. The large hill on the left, covered in trees, is the famous Hill 504. The famous American author Kurt Vonnegut was one such prisoner that passed through here. Its aggressive defense measures completely disrupted the enemy’s plan in the St. Vith sector.” The same publication, in its introduction, stated, “The stand at St. Vith has been recognized by both German and Allied commanders as a turning point in the Battle of the Bulge.” ARMOR magazine brings you the good, bad and ugly regarding the Battle for St. Vith and the on-scene leadership that made the difference in the battle. There are the airports in Brussels, Luxembourg and Cologne, but it would mean hiring a car from there. Lots of trenches and battlefield evidence can be seen here, from the fierce fighting here in 1944 . Viewing south from this point, you will see where the main effort of the German attack came from, in their final onslaught to take Bleialf on 17 December. It became known as ‘Little Verdun’, because it was captured and retaken so many times during the conflict. Many German units came this way during the attack. Figure 1. Opposite the school is a bar, this was once Dietrich’s Headquarters for a time. Later as a prisoner of war he witnessed the destruction of Dresden by Allied bombers. Generally, these plans were aimed at other parts of the front from the Ardennes where the Germans were building up. After Liège the signs will start indicating Aachen and Germany. They were eventually overrun. Read on! At this point COL George Descheneaux, commander of 422nd, decides to surrender the American forces in the Schnee Eifel pocket. Both St Vith and Prum have railway stations, the line to Bleialf is now closed. The German plan - LXVI Corps, 5th Panzer-Armee was assigned the capture of St. Vith. Proceed up this road, first left will take you to Schlausenbach; Descheneaux of the 422nd had his headquarters in the Inn here. These units come mainly from 7th and 9th Armored Divisions but include troops from 424th Regiment of 106th Division, and various supporting artillery, tank and tank-destroyer battalions. 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