At dawn, Peiper finally launched his attack on Stavelot. The aim was to secure the ascent to the bridge and cross it. In the meantime, American reinforcements arrived in the small hours by means of a company of the 526th Armoured Infantry Battalion, along with anti-tank guns and tank destroyers of the 825th Tank Destroyer Battalion.
A few M10 tank destroyers of the latter battalion had set up on the high ground and managed to score a few hits on Peipers tank, mustering for the attack that was about to come. Also in the town, were the 202nd Engineers, which were tasked with blowing up the bridge, but had failed to do so. They did manage to set up two roadblocks on the southern approach to the bridge, which were reinforced with 3 inch anti-tank guns of the 825th. Still early in the morning, between 5 and 6, they found themselves in a fierce firefight with German troops. At this occasion, Diefenthal’s Panzergrenadiere of 11./SS-Pz.Rgt. 2 tried to capture the bridge, but did not succeed.
The tank attack on the bridge erupted in full force at 8 o’clock. Two Panther tanks, while firing, rushed towards the bridge. The first was hit, caught fire and rammed a roadblock with anti-tank guns and damaged two Sherman tanks. The other Panther took the opportunity to secure the bridge together with the Panzergrenadiere, after which the rest of the Kampfgruppe followed and made its way through Stavelot.
The Americans had not managed to blow up the bridge in time, but Peiper had no time to consolidate his new gains. His aim was to push on, to the Meuse, leaving the task to sweep and secure the town to units coming up behind. For now he only lefts a small detachment of Fallschirmjäger in the town. The company of the 526th defending the town was pushed further into the city and eventually withdrew a little way up the Spa-Francorchamps road. The Americans feared Peiper would continue up the road to Franchorchamps, but German intelligence had failed to uncover that a large fuel depot was located in that direction.
Unaware of the nearby fuel, Peiper’s spearhead continued on the main road (N23) towards Trois-Ponts. This road was far better than the ones he had used on his way to Stavelot. The town of Trois-points, as its name suggesed, contained three bridges, spanning the Amblève and the Salm rivers that met each other at that location. The plan was to cross the river and continue on the better quality main roads towards Werbomont, finally the Meuse river.
At 11:15 Trois-Ponts was entered. A 57 mm anti-tank gun engaged the approaching tanks and the track of one of the forward Panthers was hit, bringing the column to a halt. Hearing the sound of shots being fired, the engineers promptly blew up the bridge over the Amblève. Peiper’s fast route via Werbomont was cut off. There was no other option but follow the N33 north towards La Gleize in search of an alternative crossing.
A part of Peiper’s forces was sent on an alternative route to Trois-Ponts. They went south of Stavelot later curving westwards to Wanne. This force consisted of Panzer IV from the 6th and 7th Companies (II./Panzer-Regiment 1), together with engineers and parachutists of FJR 9. When they came in proximity to the bridge over the Salm at Trois-Ponts, this bridge, too, was blown up.
By noon, Peiper rolled through La Gleize without opposition. From this village, Peiper had two options to reach the Meuse, either try to continue his original route via Cheneux or find a way via Stoutmont to the west.
Meanwhile, the still operational Tigers had been constantly moving forward. The leading 2nd Company reached the Baugnez crossroads in the morning. On the 17th a terrible drama had taken place here in which members of the Kampfgruppe had murdered 84 American POWs in cold blood. It appears that Peiper first heard about these events from Westerhagen as he advanced towards Trois-Ponts. At dawn, Ligneuville was reached. Only by noon did elements of the 2nd, 3rd and what was left of the staff company drive through Stavelot.
Roundtrip Cheneux
Reconnaissance units meanwhile informed Peiper that the bridge at Cheneux was intact, and able to hold the weight of his tanks, so this route was chosen. Still early in the afternoon, the Kampfgruppe approached Cheneux, when the the weather cleared and the column was detected by a reconnaissance aircraft. Eleven P-47 Thunderbolts of the IX TAC rained down on the column. The few anti-aircraft guns of the Flakpanzer Company under command of Vögler (10. (Flak)/Pz.Rgt 1) could not prevent multiple tanks and half-tracks from being knocked out. A stricken Panther and some destroyed half-tracks blocked the road, causing additional delay. Only around 16:30, could they continue their advance.
The vanguard was now advancing under the cover of darkness, but Peiper’s intentions had been understood by the Americans. The engineers of the 291st Engineer Combat Battalion were ordered to prepare to blow up the next bridge over the Lienne, a tributary of the Amblève. Approaching the bridge at Neufmoulin, the first tank opened fire, which was answered by blowing the 2,500 tonnes of TNT, which literally sent the bridge flying into the air.
Peiper sent Preuss’ 10th Company (III./PzGrenRgt 2) upstream to find another crossing. They found a bridge at Habiémont, but it was only strong enough to carry half-track and not heavy tanks, so the Kampfgruppe made a U-turn to head back to La Gleize via the main road.
It was on the way back that Wortmann’s Flakpanzer ran into trouble, past Rahier and Cheneux, and was waiting to be salvaged near the railway viaduct. After all vehicles had passed, to his surprise, tanks came in his direction, towards Cheneux. They turned out to be a pair of King Tigers from the 2nd and 3rd Companies, including that of Kompaniechef Möbius, who now commanded 204 after his own tank (205) broke down.
These Tigers had made the crossing at Stavelot earlier that day and were now headed towards Cheneux after having passed La Gleize. According to Wortmann, the group consisted of six King Tigers. He noted that the Tigers rode in pairs, with all the fuel having been transferred to the front tank which took the rear one in tow.
During the drive from Stavelot to La Gleize, the 2nd and 3rd Companies lost vehicles yet again. Treue’s Tiger with number 332 had failed near Coo due to technical problems. As a result of the quickly changing tactical situation, this tank was later abandoned.
Hahn’s 223 had made it a little further, but lost a track just before a sharp bend in the N33 southeast of La Gleize. Although the tank would not drive, the crew stayed behind, and it continued to be operational during the following days.
1st Company Tigers at Stavelot
Earlier in the day, 1st Company with four King Tigers had arrived at Stavelot. Here they met up with parts of Leibstandarte‘s reconnaissance battalion, schnelle Gruppe Knittel (SS-Panzeraufklärungsabteilung 1) which was just passing through the town. Knittel was actually supposed to move together with Kamfpgruppe Hansen along the southern Rollbahn E, but was now diverted over Rollbahn D as the advance had been more successful here.
Around 14:00, Hans Bucher’s mount, Tiger 121, reached the area around Stavelot, but he did not proceed to the town. According to Bucher, he stopped because he was very low and fuel and being fired on by an anti-tank gun. Another source says he simply ran out of fuel, and his tank remained at the heights nearby Stavelot until the 21st.
An hour later, Kompaniechef Wessel’s tank, 105, was first to cross the bridge. The tank’s mantlet is hit even before crossing, and the gun becomes unusable. When making his way through the narrow Rue Haut Rivage which describes a slight bend to the right, the tank is hit several times by an anti-tank gun of the 562nd. Upon retreating, the tank drives backwards straight into a building, and the facade collapses on top of it, rendering it unserviceable. Wessel took over command of Franzl’s 104 which was nearby, and continued the drive to La Gleize.
The rest of his Company did not manage to catch up to him. While Brandt, coming up behind in tank 132, also manages to get over the bridge, he is hit by the same fighter-bombers that trouble the spearhead of the Kampfgruppe at Cheneux. One of the tracks is damaged and his tank now completely blocks the way for Wendt’s tank (133), which is unable to pass it by any means. Both crews spend the night at Stavelot to repair the track.
As night fell, troops of the 1st Battalion of the 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infrantry Divsion had managed to infiltrate Stavelot again. Although their advance was heavily contested by German forces, they could not be prevented from retaking the northern part of the town. Their advance was supported by field artillery, as well as the 823rd TD Battalion and three Sherman tanks of the 743rd Tank Battalion.
State of the 501st Heavy SS Tank Battalion
Of the original 45 Tigers at the starting line on the 16th, only 6 managed to join the Kamfgruppe at La Gleize on this day. Westerhagen’s 501st Tank Battalion was in disarray. Scattered along the route were numerous Tigers with technical problems. Near Ligneuville, the battalion had now set up a workshop where Tiger could be recovered and repaired. In the coming days, we will see whether the situation will improve or not.
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