Category: WWII
Militracks Mystery Tiger: What we Know
Over the last few days, the Militracks organisation have been hinting to the attendance of a very special guest, a Tiger I. As the first few photos began to surface on social media, people immediately began guessing as to the Tiger’s identity. Many suggested it must be either Saumur’s Tiger or the Tank Museum’s Tiger…
24/25 December: Breakout
In the early morning of the 24th, Peiper was to break out of La Gleize on foot with his remaining men. The secret sign was the phrase “merry Christmas”. The wounded would stay behind, as would a small rearguard who had to intermittently blow up the remaining equipment, making it look as if the explosions…
23 December: Almost over
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…
22 December: Fortress La Gleize
Last night, Peiper mustered his troops in the small village of La Gleize. They occupied four defensive positions around the town, near Les Montis and Hassoumont to the north and Wérimont and Dinheit to the south. The Kampfgruppe suffers from serious shortages. In addition, radio contact with the rest of the division could only be…
21 December: Redrawing the Front Line
During the night, US units regrouped around the Stoumont – La Gleize pocket with the aim of completely encircling the Germans.
20 December: Cut-off
Peiper was in a dire situation at the beginning of this day. He was forced to withdraw the exposed troops west of Stoumont station. The 119th Infantry Regiment and 740 Tank Battalion attacked and eventually reached the western edge of Stoumont. Here, however, their advance stalled at a well-defended minefield. The Sanatorium “St. Édouard”, a…
19 December: Terminus Stoumont
Peiper’s options to reach the Meuse were now rapidly dwindling, and so were his supplies – especially fuel. In the early morning the attack was launched on Stoutmont, a village just west of La Gleize. A rearguard still defended Cheneux and some troops plus Westerhagen’s Tigers remained behind in and around La Gleize.
18 December: Bridges
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…
17 December: Breakthrough
Early in the morning, around 4 o’clock, Peiper, together with 1./FJR 9, launched the attack on Honsfeld, with Panther and M4 Sherman tanks. The latter were part of operation “Greif” in which German soldiers disguised as Americans tried to cause confusion. Although the day before the Fallschirmjäger still objected because of the many fortified positions,…
16 December: At a Snail’s Pace
It is 5:20 in the morning when artillery fire from the 6th Army begins on the forward US positions, 10 minutes before H hour. Infantry of the 3rd Fallschirmjäger-Division and 12th Volksgrenadier-Division precede the Kampfgruppe to break US resistance along the main line of attack. To this end, they would advance through the ‘Losheim Gap’,…
15 December: The Eve of Battle
78 years ago today, marks the eve of Germany’s last major offensive in the west; the Ardennes Offensive. Initially planned as a “Wacht am Rhein” for November, the offensive was postponed until mid-December. By this time, it was renamed Herbstnebel. Now that poor terrain condition on the Eastern front had forced a pause in the…
Tiger II Fgst.Nr. 280 009 or 280 012 Revisited
When Henschel’s tank proving ground at Haustenbeck became part of the British zone, a number of interesting armoured fighting vehicles fell right into their lap, some of which were transported back to the UK for detailed study. Prime examples are the second built Tiger II ‘V2’ and a Porsche suspension Jagdtiger, which are now in…
