rollbahn battle of the bulge

This defensive line would be backed by bazooka positions in buildings, dug-in anti-tank guns, and tank destroyers firing from covered positions further to the rear. During the night the first elements of 12. We sensed however that there was an enemy somewhere out there, excellently camouflaged, and sitting watching us through the eyepieces of his anti-tank gun sights. The grenadiers managed to push the 1st Infantry Division lines back and by 10.00 a.m. they had forced a gap between A and K Companies of the 26th Infantry Regiment. (Werfer) Abteilung from Hnningen, and III. "[23]:173. [10]:371 The road was narrow, in many places single-track, at times unpaved. This cine sequence shows a Sturmpanzer IV of Sturmpanzer-Abteilung 217 moving into position during the offensive and awaiting the battalion commander's order to fire. autoPlay: 3000, Engel had the Panther pulled back about twenty metres, so that the rear was standing in the wood. [8]:108 The Germans paused to refuel before continuing westward. SS-Panzerkorps was switched to the left flank of 6. The 2nd Infantry Division, with the attached 395th, was left to defend the endangered sector of the corridor south. Cast. Despite their superiority, the advanced German tanks were few in number and often experienced breakdowns because of unreliable mechanical parts. XVIII Airborne corps units fought a series of battles along a line extending from St. Vith west grudgingly conceding ground until its line extended more than thirty miles from Stavelot to Salmchateau to an obscure crossroads on a high plateau in the Ardennes called Baraque de Fraitureknown to the Americans as Parkers Crossroads. Along this line regiments of the 82ndAirborne Division, along with the 7thArmored Division, and the remnants of a score of units that had been shattered during the first week of the fighting in the Bulge, engaged in a series of battles as intense as any of the fighting anywhere during the Ardennes Campaign. Panzerkorps at Bastogne, Chapter 40: XXXXVII. Farther to the north along the Elsenborn Ridge three divisions, the 99th Infantry Division, newly arrived in theater, and the veteran 2ndand 1stInfantry Divisions, were ordered to contain the German penetration while a few miles to the south the 7thArmored Division reinforced elements of the 106thDivision and scattered Engineer units in St. Vith. responsive: { 89 had already been stopped on the heights west of Wirtzfeld by concentrated artillery fire from an American artillery group near Elsenborn. His generals tried to persuade him to set a less ambitious goal, but he was adamant. This victory cost the. LXVII Armeekorps' sector covered about 32 kilometres (20mi), from a point just south of Vossenack, 10 kilometres (6.2mi) northeast of Monschau, to a point southeast of Camp dElsenborn in the south. 26 on the right. "Battle of the Bulge is a must-have for anyone with an interest in historical wargaming. [6]:51, At 17:30 that evening, the remaining troops of 393rd and 394th Infantry Regiments withdrew from their positions around the Baracken crossroads, just north of Krinkelt-Rocherath, and retreated along a boggy trail about 4 kilometres (2.5mi) toward Elsenborn Ridge. [37], Held up by their inability to cross the railroad bridge that German engineers were slow to repair, and by the Intelligence and Reconnaissance platoon of 394th Infantry Regiment at Lanzerath Ridge, elements of 1st SS Panzer Division did not arrive in force at the 99th's positions until the afternoon of 17 December. The Americans allocated men to secure the rear instead of facing the main German thrust at the front. Willi Fischer, whose Panther had been later disabled at Krinkelt, and another panzer commander, Heinze Linke, whose Panther had lost a track on a mine during the attack on Dom Btgenbach, have since each described their experiences. Shortly before reaching the village of Bllingen, fate caught up with us. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. [10]:395,649 The Jagdpanther was armed with an 88mm cannon and the German leadership expected it to be a decisive element of the battle. Then, with the situation becoming desperate for the defenders yet dangerously pointless for the panzers lacking the support of the grenadiers, the panzers made a break for it out into the open. I never dreamed that we would have a defensive position of this size without any backup or help from our division or regiment. If the offensive were to succeed, the road networks running through the Krinkelt Forest in Dietrichs zone, and St. Vith and Bastogne in Manteuffels zone, had to be taken in the first days of the German attack. [10]:411 12th SS Panzer Division, 3rd Panzergrenadier Division, and its supporting volksgrenadier divisions had beaten themselves into a state of uselessness against the heavily fortified American positions. Hitler had convinced himself that the alliance between Britain, France and America in the western sector of Europe was not strong and that a major attack and defeat would break up the alliance. items: 3 The American Army lost almost 77,000 men - 8,600 dead and 47,000 wounded. [26]:610 In early December, the experienced 2nd Infantry Division was tasked with capturing the crossroads. Fighting against the superior German Panther and Tiger tanks, supported by infantry, the battalion fought many small unit engagements. Butler claimed that "We stopped the tail end of that push with guns and ammunition taken off the German dead".[40]. Only 11 miles (18km) from Spa lay Verviers, an important and densely stocked rail head. Had he instead used them for a sharp, but limited offensive, he . Those which had been disengaged from the fighting in the Rocherath Krinkelt sector had also begun to make their way there via Losheimergraben on roads reduced at times to rivers of mud where a tank could flounder almost up to its decking. [53]:167, Since the Normandy invasion, the American army had suffered greater than expected losses, and found countering German armored counter-attacks particularly difficult. Truman Kimbro, Sgt. On the 16th of December 1944, Adolf Hitler launched his last (major) offensive, to try and win the war in the West - codenamed "Wacht am Rhein" (Watch on the Rhine). This attack by infantry conscripts was mowed down by artillery fire virtually at the moment of its start. Another Medal of Honor was posthumously awarded to Henry F. Warner of the 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. [20] In the early morning of 17 December, Kampfgruppe Peiper quickly captured Honsfeld and shortly afterward Bllingen. [39]:258 Elements of 741st Tank Battalion formed the rearguard to allow an orderly withdrawal from Rocherath-Krinkelt to positions behind Wirtzfeld to the west and northwest. Post Kompanie, was to take charge but as he had lost his own Panther in Krinkelt he took over panzer 325 as his command tank, which meant that SS-Untersturmfhrer Willi Engel had to revert to his old 335. An attack by German ground forces in the fog and overcast skies of winter offered the promise of some relief from Allied air assault. Major General Norm Cotas 28thDivision was badly mauled in the center of the Bulge but in the process fatefully prevented Manteuffels drive to secure the road network at Bastogne. You all feel it. All pages on this website are constantly being refitted with acurate data and texts and it is an ongoing process. Denied vital roads and hampered by air attack when the weather cleared, the German attack resulted only in a large bulge in the Allied lines which did not even extend to the Meuse River, the. The 246th and 3rd Panzergrenadier Division were tasked with taking Hfen and Monschau and nearby villages and then driving northwest to seize the Eupen road, which would allow I SS Panzer Corps to attack west over Rollbahn B. Sherman tanks are visible in support of the advance. [7]:75106. Please keep in mind that 100% accurate figures about the number of casualties cannot be given with complete certainty. [16], To maximize the speed of the operation, and to avoid potential bottlenecks and logistical confusion, the two armored divisions of 1st SS Panzer Corps were assigned separate routes west. The Battle of the Bulge. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. A few range farther afield and drive to the north passing through the rebuilt town of St. Vith and on to Baugnez, a road intersection south of Malmedy and site of the massacre of US soldiers by SS troops under Lt. Col. Joachim Peiper. Still the German barrage erupted, inflicting a great number of casualties and tearing large gaps in the main line of resistance. The Sixth Panzer Army was unable to take its immediate objectives on the Meuse River. Front right: The telegram which every mother and father dreaded receiving: their son, missing in action. . by krez 05 Sep 2008, 20:47, Return to Heer, Waffen-SS & Fallschirmjger. He estimated that there were at least two anti-tank guns in the row of trees that had roused our suspicions from the beginning of the attack. The 3 inch cannon of the Wolverine tank destroyer was similar and a bit more effective than the M1A1 76mm gun. The Battle of the Bulge was the largest engagement fought by the United States Army in World War Two, and it resulted in the defeat of Germany's last reserves. The German plan of advance included Rollbahn A passing through a crossroads in the center of Rocherath and Rollbahn B skirting the southern edge of Krinkelt and continuing on toward Wirtzfeld. On the left flank of the attack the panzers of SS-Pz.Rgt. It was called the Battle of the Bulge - named for the massive, bulging line of more than 400,000 men and 4,000 pieces of artillery that moved on the Allied Army. [62][63], Monuments to the battles in the twin villages of Rocherath-Krinkelt, Memorial to the Battle of Lanzerath Ridge. 26, in an attack northwards from the woods lying south of the village. [27], On the morning of Saturday, 16 December, a snowstorm blanketed the forests and the temperature dropped to 10F (12C). }); These cookies do not store any personal information. [12]:216, According to Dietrich's plan, LXVII Armeekorps would secure 6th Panzer Army's northern flank. [29], U.S. 3rd Battalion, 395th Infantry Regiment was positioned about 5 miles (8.0km) to the north of Elsenborn Ridge near the towns of Monschau and Hfen. All of us except SS-Untersturmfhrer Jansen were out in the open. Since he could not succeed in bringing any effective direct fire to bear on these, he had high explosive shells fired in quick succession into the tops of the trees, so that the splinters from the shells exploding above them might put the crews of the American anti-tank guns out of action. SS-Panzer-Division, passes prisoners of the US 99th Infantry Division. American gunners were quick to trade for whatever their allies wanted for this highly effective ammunition. We now had ten men, eight of them in the turret, plus the driver and radio operator. Dietrich planned to commit his third corps, II SS Panzer Corps, with 2nd SS and 9th SS Panzer Divisions, in the second wave. The next shell tore the top off a tree, just the height of the turret. They were usually organized around cadres of veterans. 12 in the woods east of Btgenbach for the attack. Sherman tanks, hiding in alleyways and behind buildings, quickly knocked out six German tanks; eight more were destroyed by 57mm anti-tank guns, anti-tank rockets, bazookas, and mines. While the numbers were undoubtedly exaggerated, they indicate the ferocity of the fighting. Orders from Field Marshal Walter Model and Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt that Elsenborn Ridge be captured and the advance of Sixth Panzer Army resume were being sent down the chain of command to 12th SS Panzer Division Headquarters with increasing urgency. By Olivia B. Waxman. This Panzer IV reached the heart of Dom Btgenbach; possibly this M10 of the 634th TD Battalion helped keep it there. Untersturmfhrer Schittenhelm had just reached the projecting border of the woods, when a spurt of flame shot out from the rear of his tank, as if it had come from some spectral hand. Battle of the Bulge, (Dec. 16, 1944-Jan. 16, 1945) In World War II, the last German offensive on the Western Front, an unsuccessful attempt to divide the Allied forces and prevent an invasion of Germany.The "bulge" refers to the wedge that the Germans drove into the Allied lines. A few German armored units penetrated Butgenbach, but the 2nd Battalion, assisted by some reinforcements, stopped them again. Colonel Oscar A. Axelson, commanding officer of 405th Field Artillery Group, saw a need and ignored orders, and 196th Battalion was one of the first to use the fuses. Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, who by this time had assumed direct command of the German armed forces, believed that achieving these objectives would compel the Western Allies to accept a peace treaty in the Axis powers' favor. It took. The force and mobility of the attack depended on the commitment of Germany's latest weapons and armored fighting vehicles. These positions consisted of fortifications set around terrain choke points like villages, passes and bridges; in the area of Elsenborn Ridge, the twin villages of Domne-Btgenbach and the area around them proved to be the best areas for defense. Robertson moved his headquarters from Wirtzfeld, south and west of Rocherath-Krinkelt, to Elsenborn, just west of the ridge line. Film directed in 1965 by Ken Annakin, and starring Henry Fonda, Robert Ryan, Robert Shaw, Dana Andrews, George Montgomery, Ty Hardin, Pier Angeli, Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas . [42] The air attacks played a significant role in defeating the German attack. A nice feeling; in the middle of the Ami in the village, and on our side only eight men with three panzers not fit for action opposing them! As we moved on, we sent one or two bursts into the trees with our machine guns, by way of initiating the fight against an imaginary enemy. The Battle of the Bulge took place between December 16, 1944 and January 25, 1945. That left the 18 men of the reconnaissance platoon alone, along with four forward artillery observers, to fill the gap. The small village of Lanzerathabout 15 homeslay astride a road junction southeast of Krinkelt-Rocherath. Kompanies behind. Armeekorps battles west of the Sre, Chapter 34: Evacuation of the Saint-Vith salient, Chapter 35: I. SS-Panzerkorps: the end of Kampfgruppe Peiper, Chapter 36: II. These units were joined by forces of 2nd Infantry Division moving into the villages from the north. Among the greatest and most important battles of World War II was the Allied invasion of Normandy, France. Therefore, he ordered a massive attack against what were primarily American forces. The area around Elsenborn Ridge became a collection point for ragtag groups of American troops whose units had been broken and scattered at the start of the enemy offensive. News coming in, and the result of our own reconnaissance had shown that the roads were in bad condition; in places the wheeled vehicles had to be towed for considerable distances. The German attack on the 22nd was their last attempt to capture the ridge. However, the Germans were marginally equipped and supplied. Kompanie recalled: Following the heavy losses in Panthers the battalion commander, SS-Sturmbannfhrer Arnold Jrgensen, had found it necessary to regroup what was left of them, and the remnants of 1. and 3. Armeekorps, which then assumed responsibility for all this part of the line. The offensive was carried out from 16 December 1944 to 25 January 1945, towards the end of the war in Europe. "[23]:173 The 3rd Battalion lost four killed, seven wounded, and four missing. A snowy comparison forty years later. Together, the infantry divisions would form a solid shoulder, behind which the tanks of I and II SS Panzer Corps would advance along 6th Panzer Army's routes leading west and northwest. The Battle of the Bulge occurred from December 16th, 1944 to January 25th, 1944 and is one of the last major battles of World War II in Europe. The Germans successfully penetrated American lines several times but were pushed back by a combination of American infantry, the 613th Tank Destroyer Battalion equipped with the new M36 tank destroyer, and artillery. [7], To the northeast of the 99th Division, the 1st Infantry Division had been recuperating near Liege, from nearly constant combat since it took part in the Normandy landings on 6 June. Life in the Third Reich & Weimar Republic, Kriegsmarine surface ships and Kriegsmarine in general, Luftwaffe air units and Luftwaffe in general, German Strategy & General German Military Discussion, NSDAP, other party organizations & Government, The Dieter Zinke Axis Biographical Research Section, The Ron Klages Panzer & other vehicles Section, Panzer & other vehicles - Photo threads, Axis Documents, Feldpost numbers, Postcards & Other Paper Items, The United Kingdom & its Empire and Commonwealth 1919-45, The Allies and the Neutral States in general, German Colonies and Overseas Expeditions, The end of the Ottoman Empire 1908-1923, Translation help: Breaking the Sound Barrier, Battle of the Bulge, VI Panzer Armee's Rollbahn D, http://www.filefactory.com/file/1fb9cb/ D_v001_kml. On 21 December, the Germans tried to bypass Dom Butgenbach to the southwest. Volks-Grenadier-Division. The Battle of the Bulge was the Germans' last chance, slim though it was, for an 11th-hour victory against the Allies. [7]:164[11] The Germans had designated five routes, or rollbahns, through the sector near Elsenborn which would give them direct access to the road network leading to the port of Antwerp; capturing this would split the American and British armies.