The 1st and 3rd battalions of 119 IR, which had already taken up their positions around La Gleize yesterday, launched their attack at 8:30. However, they ran into their own roadblock on the road to La Gleize, which in the meantime had been extended by the Germans. Here, one of TF Jordan’s tanks was knocked out, and it was not until around 1 o’clock in the afternoon that they were able to advance again.
After closing in on La Gleize, they received the full brunt of anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery from La Gleize’s defenders. An attempt to approach the village from the south via La Venne by the 1st Battalion and TF Jordan, progressed successfully until one tank ran into a minefield and two others were knocked out by anti-tank fire. After the minefield was cleared, the attack continued, but ran into a Panther and Panzer IV which were holding out at the Dinheit heights.
North-east of La Gleize, TF McGeorge managed to make some progress, advancing from Les Tchéous as far as Hassoumont and Les Montis. Here he came under heavy fire, and the advance stalled. Meanwhile, elements of McGeorge had met up with the 3rd Battalion of 119 IR at Nabonruy, completing the encirclement of Peiper.
By now it was more than clear to Peiper that this position was untenable, surrounded and without supplies. The village was being been bombed to the ground, and although his troops were able to fend off the incoming attacks for now, it would not be long until his defences might give in.
Peiper had received the news that Hansen would not make it to La Gleize the night before. The morale of the troops began to show cracks. Peiper requested the staff of the SS Panzer Corps to be allowed to make a breakout attempt, but this was initially denied. Later in the day, at 2 o’clock, his request was approved. The breakout was quickly planned, and set to take place the next day, early in the morning, on foot. The wounded and all heavy equipment, including tanks and vehicles, would be left behind. Only a small rearguard was to give the impression that the Germans were still at La Gleize. They would also disable the equipment left behind.
With Peiper’s breakout planned, Hansen was nevertheless ordered once more to try to advance on La Gleize. But the Americans had by now brought in even more troops (2nd Battalion 120 Infantry Regiment) who stopped any attempt. The ground gained on the previous day at Petit Coo was retaken by the Americans, and the Kampfgruppe pushed back to the access road to the bridge at Petit-Spai. Knittel’s Kampfgruppe (or what remained of it) fared no better, and was forced to retreat to its headquarters at Antoine farm towards the end of the day.
Leave a Reply