May 1940: Belgium protects its neutrality

Belgium, a neutral country following the wish of the European nations that ratified its independence in 1831. As such it had the obligation of forbidding the passage through its territory of any nation whatsoever wanting to attack another.

In 1887 it therefor started building a belt of forts around Liege (facing Germany), Namur (facing France) and Antwerp (facing Holland).
These forts will serve a first time in 1914 and again in 1940 when an extra four larger forts were added.

The fort of Eben-Emael was considered the strongest in the world and reputed impregnable…


…when, on May 10th at dawn, 9 German gliders out of the 11 that left Germany, each of which carried 8 to 10 men, landed on the roof of the fort near the gun cupolas and pillboxes.!
We were witnessing the very first airborne commando operation of history…and fifteen minutes later the fort was taken thanks to a new device, the hollow charge.

The DFS-230 gliders had done their job and the role that was to be fort’s in the defence of the territory was finished!
The 7th Infantry Division and the 2nd Fusiliers Regiment, alongside the Canal Albert, did their best to contain the German advance but were soon submerged.

It’s here, to cross the canal, that pneumatic rafts were used for the first time. They would soon become known under the name of “Dinghy”.

The other forts resisted as well as they could but succumbed one after the other under the power of the enemy forces.
Battice fell after 12 days of fighting when a Stuka bomb penetrated the command post by a fluke ricochet, killing 28 people.
Tancrémont only surrendered on May 29th, the day after Belgium had capitulated.

The road to Maastricht, the Meuse and Antwerp was open.


It’s interesting to note that the three first days of the war saw three novelties, never seen before in warfare, used against small neutral Belgium: the gliders, the hollow charge and the dinghies.



Hitler’s Plan of Attack:

It’s Hitler himself who, in October 1939, planned the attack on Eben-Emael
and decided to modify the initial plan of attack that was to force a way through Sedan. The idea was to create a diversion and to incite the allied armies to penetrate Belgium, thus facilitating the push through Sedan.

The Allies taken by surprise:

Belgium was counting till the very end on its neutrality being respected. In fact it was only hours after the taking of Eben-Emael that the German ambassador in Brussels officially declared that the sole reason of the German offensive was to defend Belgium’s neutrality against the menace of an invasion by the British and French!


The Allied Battle Plan:

Two British Army Corps were to advance rapidly to the line Louvain - Wavre and link up with the French troops on the right and Belgian troops on the left. The third Army Corps staying in reserve.

Note the presence of the 3rd Infantry Division under the command of Major-General Montgomery who was soon to win fame in Louvain and later in North Africa.

On the French side the 7th Army of General Giraud was on its way to Flanders and Antwerp while the 1st Army settled between Wavre and Namur. The Cavalry of the 2nd and 9th Armies went forward to the Meuse and the light elements went on to Marche, Bastogne and Neuchateau.

The Belgian units held the line Antwerp – Albert Canal – Namur. General Keyaerts was the commander of task force K comprising the 1st “Chasseurs Ardennais” Division, three Cavalry regiments, one cyclist regiment and a motorcycle battalion.
They were sent to the high ground of the Ardennes with the aim, not of stopping the German troops but only of delaying them in their advance towards the real defence line on the River Meuse.
The 1st Chasseurs Ardennais Division was to cover a 55 mile front along the eastern border.
While these were delaying the advance, General Deschamps division was to destroy the bridges and set road blocks before retreating.

The road blocks:
The destruction on the Ardennes roads seriously hindered the German advance as the vanguard did not dispose of the necessary heavy equipment to get rid of the barrages. The Belgians had created zones 200 yards deep comprising: 3 anti-tank ditches 26 ft wide and 13 ft deep, trees felled from both sides of the roads and intermingling across the tracks, mine fields…
It was a hindrance but it could only delay the advance of the invaders.




The German steam-roller:

While the German 6th Army advances through Holland towards the Antwerp – Namur line, the 4th Army pushes through the Ardennes, from Aachen to Bastogne towards the Namur – Givet line. The 12th Army attacked to the south, between Bastogne and Arlon towards Bouillon and Sedan.

Regardless of the delaying actions in the Ardennes and the resistance of the Allied forces, the power of the German army was such that it could not be held up for very long and our town fell to them one after the other.

Liege on May 12th
Bouillon on May 14th
Couvin on May 16th
Antwerp on May 18th
Brussels on May 18th
Ghent on May 24th
Tielt on May 27th
Diksmuide on May 28th

In 18 days the German steam-roller invaded over 95% of the territory. Only La Panne, Veurne, Poperingue and a few hamlets were still free , but only till June 1st. On May 31st the British retreated to Dunkerque with the hope of evacuating as many men as possible to England.

War was over for the Belgians…and long years of occupation were ahead.

After May 28th and the capitulation, the criminal and brutal occupation progressively becomes an administrative occupation.

The armoured divisions having an arrowhead mission, the occupation was left to the infantry troops, but these were far behind and had still to catch up. This resulted in a sort of lull between the brutal invasion and the start of a rational occupation.
However, the German order and organisation would soon prevail and the refugees start coming back to their homes where they will have to endure a long occupation, rationing, deportation and forced labour in Germany. But also sometimes to organise the Resistance that the invader will qualify and treat as terrorism.

We are now in June 1940 and will have to wait till June 1944 to see a reason to hope…

As soon as June ’40 the occupation troops tried to bring the Belgians over to their “New Order” concept. They portrayed themselves as “protectors” of the oppressed countries and of Christian civilisation menaced by Judaism.

Many Belgians noticed that the Germans showed qualities of discipline, correction and even servility. The occupant had obviously been ordered to seek the population’s sympathy and was soon to put all its propaganda efforts into obtaining it.

The Germans were masters in the art of putting sacred ideas at the service of their politics, and called upon the attachment of Belgians to their religion. It was imperative to react without delay in order to prevent the population from being misled by this propaganda.

Luckily, those who wanted a free country and who had a moral and intellectual influence soon understood that it was their duty to warn and instruct a gullible population.

The Resistance was led by an elite issued from all levels of society. These first little groups grew progressively and attracted the sympathy of the population who realised all the bad that had been done by the invader.

During the first months the Resistance was occasional and sporadic. It was visible in many minor forms such as graffiti, obstructions…and later clandestine newspapers and pamphlets.

For many Belgians the Resistance was an individual experience that often led to imprisonment and death. Up till the liberation, individuals fought with their own means in factories, offices and streets.
Example: The Germans having forbidden the traditional wreath laying of November 11th, hundreds of inhabitants of Brussels went to lay wreaths on the 10th!!

The effective Resistance however, the one that helped shorten the war, was the fact of organised groups with responsible leaders.

It’s impossible to name here the hundreds of Resistance fighters who were deported, shot, decapitated or simply killed during street fights. We will just give the example of a case that is well known to us as it occurred in Marcourt only a stone through from La Roche.

Céline COLLIN
“ One of the most glowing figures of the Ardennes maquis. A young girl of rare courage, she had accomplished many missions when on the eve of September 8th , 1944, on her way back from delivering a message to a group leader, she was in a car transporting ammunition. In Marcouray the car came face to face with a German tank who opened fire. Céline was hit by machine gun fire and died soon after.

…6 June 1944.

The Allied landing in Normandy on June 6th, 1944 was a psychological defeat for the German army and population.

With a minimum loss in lives, the Allies managed to land 16 divisions in 5 days, or approximately 150.000 men with their equipment

A month after the landing, close to 1 million allied soldiers are taking part in the Normandy battle.

The dash through France and then Belgium is about to start.

In the centre, the 1st US Army with General Hodges; on his right, General Patton’s 3rd Army and on his left the British 2nd Army commanded by General Dempsey.


September ’44 – the liberation of Belgium

Paris is liberated in late August. The coastal towns of Belgium will be liberated by Canadian units. Tournai, Brussels and Antwerp are liberated by British troops early in September. Mons, Liege and the Ardennes will be liberated during September by the American divisions who will cross the German border for the first time on September 12th in Roetgen (10 km south of Aachen) and stop.

On September 10th, La Roche is liberated by the 4th US Infantry Division. The population of La Roche and surrounding areas can at last savour the joy of recovered freedom after four years of German occupation. Nobody can suspect that it will be short lived.

The importance of the port of Antwerp: Antwerp is at the time the second port of Europe and taking it would help the Allies to accelerate the supplying of their troops who are advancing on Germany.

But Antwerp is on an estuary and taking the port would be of no avail as long as the Germans held the estuary between the sea and the port. It was therefor imperative to secure the banks of the estuary.

Montgomery however, wants to push ahead and attack Westphalia and shuts his ears to repeated requests from General Eisenhower…causing the latter to send him a telegram in the middle of the Battle of Arnhem: “I insist on the importance of Antwerp. As I have previously told you I am ready to provide you will all that is necessary to secure the approaches of the port…” . His defeat in Arnhem will render the Commander of the Army Corps “North” more accessible to Eisenhower’s orders.

But the Germans know the vital importance of the port: “Each day in which we deny the enemy access to the port is vital…” (Order of General von Zangen – Oct. 7th, 1944).
The battle that ensued for the fortifications defending the approaches to Antwerp was very costly in lives for both sides.

The taking of the estuary: General CRERAR, commanding the 1st Canadian Army, is taken ill and it’s Lieutenant-General Simonds who will lead the attack. The Germans held on between Terneuzen and Knokke and the Canadians had to use 3 divisions between October 6th and 26th to get rid of the sole 64th Division. Breskens fell on October 22nd and Lieutenant-General Eberding was captured on November 1st.


The isle of Walcheren remained: The central part of Walcheren is lower than sea level and 1250 tons of bombs breached the dike, thus flooding the island’s centre. But the edges were held by motivated defenders of the 70th Division. It took 9 days for the British 52nd Lowlands Division helped by the 4th Brigade of Franco-Belgian commandos of the Royal Marine Corps to defeat them.

A first allied convoy arrived in the port of Antwerp on November 28th.

Cost of the operation:
Clearing up the access to the port of Antwerp had taken 2 months. Two very costly months:
12.873 casualties. 41.000 German prisoners.

Based on 40.000 tons per day, these two months represent 2.400.000 tons of supplies that, had they been delivered in time, would have permitted General Eisenhower not to stop his troops along the Siegfried line, thus giving the enemy the opportunity to regroup.

Neither the Battle of Huertgen nor the Battle of the Bulge would have taken place.

After a hurried retreat, the German troops establish their defence lines along the Siegfied Line and the Allied offensive in the Ardennes stops along the German border. At this moment the German border is practically open, held only by demoralised troops, badly armed and in small numbers. Many bunkers and pillboxes of the Siegfried Line are not armed.
Having to wait for the supplies to catch up with them the Allies were obliged to pause instead of pushing through.


Could the Battle of the Bulge have been prevented ?

While General Patton and his 3rd Army wanted to invade the Sarre and push on to the Rhine, and that Marshal Montgomery wanted to push ahead towards Berlin and get there before the Russians, President Roosevelt is thinking of his electoral campaign and of the Yalta conference with Stalin.

Furthermore, due to their rapid advance, the allied armies were facing important problems getting supplies, replacements, petrol and ammunitions to follow. They needed Antwerp and Antwerp was not accessible in September and would not be till late November.

Montgomery’s position: Attack without delay a precise point and plunge a spearhead into the Rhur.

Eisenhower’s position: Spread along a very large front , thoroughly bomb and shell the enemy positions and advance as a steam-roller all along the front. To do this he had to wait for the troops and equipment to follow.

It’s most probably this problem of logistics that incited the Commander in Chief to stall and let the opportunity go bye. This decision was going to cost him 6 months and many lives.

Estimating that the difficult terrain of the Ardennes added to winter conditions would prevent the German army to attack through there, General Eisenhower took the risk of weakening this sector of the front while on the other hand giving the German Army the time to reorganise.

The stalling of September was furthermore aggravated in October and November by the fact that Major-General Collins, commanding the VII Army Corps, insisted on passing through the Huertgen Forest (19 x 9 mile forest), with insufficient troops, instead of passing by the Monchau and Aachen corridors to the south and north of the forest.

He never put a whole division into the battle but only two regiments at the most at one time and needed to call on not less than 5 successive divisions.
The Battle of the Huertgen forest turned out to be completely useless but was going to cost 33.000 lives out of the 120.000 engaged. A percentage never reached before. During the First World War losses of 10% were considered high, the Huertgen forest was going to take a toll of 25%.

Along the German border, the allied front was covered from North to South by the 9th Army of General Sompson, the 1st Army of General Hodges and the 3rd Army of General Patton.
The Ardennes front was held by the Vth Army Corps of General Gerow, with its 2nd and 99th Infantry Divisions and the VIIIth Army Corps of General Middleton with its 106th, 28th and 4th Infantry Divisions plus some units of the 9th Armoured Division.

Between the taking of Aachen in the North by the 1st Army and the progression to the South of the 3rd Army, the Ardennes front is considered as a quiet sector where battle-tired troops are sent to rest and wait for replacements to bring them up to full numbers.

Period during which the German command will reorganise and prepare a large scale offensive.

The von Rundstedt offensive – The plan of attack:

The flanks of the attack were covered in the North by von Zangen’s 15th Army and in the South by Brandenberger’s 7th Army.

Facing the 80.000 G.I.’s , 245 tanks and 590 canons, Marshal Model, commanding the Army Group B , was going to deploy 250.000 men, 600 tanks and 1.900 canons.


THE GERMAN ATTACKS OF MAY ’40 and DECEMBER ’44 – similarities and differences.

At first glance these two offensives could seem quite similar and one can wonder how the allies were caught a second time.
· In May ’40 the Germans reached the Meuse between Dinant and Sedan and turned up to the north-east to trap the British in Belgium.
· In December ’44 the Germans tried to reach the Meuse between Namur and Liege to then go upwards along the Albert Canal towards Antwerp and trap a large section of the allied forces in Holland.
· In May ’40 the Belgians had only two divisions to oppose the invader and they were used in delaying actions only. Headquarters had in fact decided to form the defensive line behind the Meuse. The troops in the Ardennes were only there to delay the invader and give the French, British and Belgian armies the time to deploy along the Meuse.
· In December ’44 this mistake was not repeated. The strong German offensive put the allies in the same position as in May ’40 of deciding whether to retreat behind the Meuse or hold the Ardennes ridges at all costs. The decided to resist along the last ridge of the Ardennes.
· And finally the weather conditions were completely different in May’40 and December ’44. Attacking through the Ardennes in winter was a gamble and the Allied command did not think that Hitler would make it.


THE IMPORTANCE OF METEOROLOGY IN THIS BATTLE:

The bad weather in Europe from the summer to the end of 1944 was to be used by the Germans during their ultimate offensive in the Ardennes.
It’s based on the predictions of Werner Schwerdfeger, prophet of the meteorologists, that Hitler, who had total trust in him, decided the date and tactics of the first few days of the offensive in most awful weather conditions. Thick fog, cold, snow, black ice, rain and mud added to the Ardennes difficult terrain were certainly not in favour of a large scale offensive but certainly in favour of a surprise attack! Most important was the low ceiling with a cloud cover preventing the allied airforce from making observation sorties beyond the Siegfried Line and preventing attacks on the German troops when they launched the offensive.
Hitler took full advantage of the surprise and weather conditions to push through the thin allied front line.

Later, with the front line being pushed back and Bastogne encircled it became important to the allies to know how the weather would evolve.
In Reims the 21st Weather Squadron at the HQ of the 9th Bombardier Division of Major-General Sam Anderson, was watching the weather. On December 22nd at around midnight Lieutenant Lloyd Vanderman seeing a very low humidity, a rapidly falling temperature and a rising atmospheric pressure, prepared a very favourable weather forecast justified by the eastward moving anticyclone.
Using these long awaited signs, Anderson called up the 9th Airforce in Luxembourg and was given a few targets. He ordered his men to stand by and get the bombers ready for takeoff.

Let’s also note that for the foot-soldier in his foxhole, for the tank driver on the ice-covered roads, the weather conditions stood out as the main feature of this battle. All veterans returning to the Ardennes mention the weather first of all. With, during the first fortnight rain and mud, fog and cold humidity, many men suffered of “trench foot”. During the second fortnight it was first snow and then very low temperatures which at night could be as low as minus 10 F°. Frostbite caused as many evacuations as war wounds.

THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE – 16 DEC. 1944 to 28 JAN. 1945

After a few successive delays (waiting for the worst weather conditions), it’s finally on December 16th at 05.30 , in thick fog and cold, that the offensive is launched between Monchau and Echternach. The code name of the operation is “Wacht am Rhein”.

Tons of artillery shells fall within the American positions, followed by the assault of tanks and infantry.

On the American side the surprise is complete. There are many proofs of this, one flagrant sign being the arrival in Honsfeld on the morning of the 16th, less than 3 miles from the German border, of Marlène Dietrich with a group of entertainers to give a representation that evening! The next morning the SS Lieutenant-Colonel Jochen Peiper arrived in Honsfeld and executed 20 American prisoners and a young civilian girl…the first of the 12 massacres his men would commit during the 3 following days.

The German troops attack following three lines: Malmedy - Stavelot; Saint-Vith – Vielsalm and Wiltz – Bastogne.

The fog nails the airforce to the ground and allows the German units to advance towards their objectives. German commando’s in US uniforms operate effectively behind the lines.

In the North however, the dash of the German 6th Armoured Army of Sepp Dietrich is stopped by the resistance of the 2nd and 99th Infantry Divisions.

Only the SS Armoured Group commanded by the lieutenant-colonel Joachim Peiper of the 1st Panzer Division – 6th Army, gets through and takes the direction of Stavelot and Trois-Ponts, punctuating his progression with massacres of American prisoners and civilians, namely in Honsfeld, Baugnez (Malmedy), Ligneuville and Stavelot.

In the South, despite some difficulties, the 5th Armoured Army of General von Manteufel is determined to reach Saint Vith and Houffalize and from there Bastogne.

During this time, the first American divisions arrived by forced march to reinforce Elsenborn, St Vith, Houffalize and Bastogne.

On December 18th, the 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions, resting near Reims, are sent by truck and thrown into the battle in the sectors of Trois-Ponts and Bastogne.

Following their plan of attack, the Germans were to cross the Meuse by this time but were still confronted by the American troops holding St Vith and Bastogne.

The first German tanks approaching Bastogne are confronted by the defence points set up by the 10th Armoured Division and by the 101st Airborne Division .

In the same time, elements of the American 30th Infantry Division and 3rd Armoured Division, arrive from Holland and, with the help of the 82nd Airborne Division manage to block the German vanguard of Jochen Peiper in La Gleize – Stoumont.

But for the American defence the situation deteriorates. In the Schnne Eifel, two infantry regiments of the 106th Division, some 7.000 men, are encircled and made prisoners.
Also, the German 2nd Armoured Division which has circled Bastogne is dangerously approaching Dinant on the River Meuse.


Eisenhower calls in the British XXX Corps:

On December 19th, following a crisis meeting in Verdun, General Eisenhower, having a great need of the British XXX Corps to stop and repulse the German troops approaching the Meuse, decides to redistribute his general’s responsibilities: the 1st US Army of general Hodges will be temporarily integrated to the 21st Army Group commanded by Marshal Montgomery, thus involving the British in the Battle of the Bulge.
The troops situated to the north of a line Givet – Prüm are now under the command of Marshal Montgomery, those to the south of this line are commanded by General Bradley, commander of the 12th US Army Group.
It is also decided that General Patton will counter attack from the south.

The British units of the XXX Corps, commanded by General Horrocks, which are the only tactical reserves available, advance to a stand by line between Louvain and Maastricht and send patrols along the River Meuse.

The 51st Highland Division, resting in the region of Nijmegen, passed under the command of the XXX Corps and was ordered towards Liege and Louvain

The men of the British 6th Airborne Division who were preparing to spend Christmas at home with their families, were put on alert.
Weather conditions being unsuitable for parachuting troops, it’s by sea and road that they will reach the extreme point of the Bulge created by the German offensive, between Dinant and Ciney on December 24th.

The allies abandon St Vith to the Germans.

On December 22nd, the snow starts falling. All access routes to Bastogne are cut off by the Germans. The town and it’s defenders are encircled. But the 101st Airborne holds on and when the Germans offer them the possibility to surrender, the answer is: “NUTS”.

However, following their plans, the Germans should already have reached Antwerp and it’s port…they were far behind schedule.

For the allies, all their hopes are now in the counter attack led by General Patton to liberate Bastogne.
The progression of his troops is rendered difficult by rain and snow. His men are exhausted and cold.

However, on December 23rd and during 5 days, the weather gets better. After the fog and heavy snow falls, a sunny period allows the allied aviation to drop supplies on Bastogne and harass German troops.

Jochen Peiper’s armoured column is finally stopped and encircled in La Gleize. Some 800 men will get away on foot abandoning 100 armoured vehicles.

The tanks of the push towards Dinant are ambushed by the tanks of the British 3rd Royal Tank Regiment with the help of a US tank regiment. It’s the end of the dash for the Meuse, von Manteufel is defeated.

The Germans will never get across the River Meuse and…


…the tactical objective now becomes Bastogne.
Realising that they cannot reach Antwerp, the German high command decides to put their main efforts into taking Bastogne at all cost.

It’s Christmas, civilians and military try to give a festive atmosphere to wherever they are, towns, woods, foxholes… But there will be no truce. On all fronts the fighting goes on without relenting.

The next day, elements of the 4th Armoured Division of Patton’s 3rd Army make a dash for Assenois, south of Bastogne, and manage to get through the German lines and rejoin the defenders of the besieged town.

The siege of Bastogne is broken

A convoy of ambulances immediately takes the Assenois “corridor” into Bastogne to bring out the wounded and drop them at the closest field hospitals.

On December 30th, Marchal von Manteufel tries to take back the corridor but cannot succeed.

The allies, on their side, enlarge the corridor and put constant pressure on the German troops to finally liberate Bastogne completely.

It’s also a period of intense cold and heavy snowfall.


The German offensive is stalled, the counter attack is in preparation.

While the battle for Bastogne is going on, the allies continue their preparations for a general counter attack decided for January 3rd. 1945 with the participation of the British XXX Corps.

The British troops, of which the 6th Airborne, the 51st Highland Infantry Division and the 53rd Welsh Infantry Division assisted by the 29th and 33rd Armoured Brigades, will attack from Dinant to Hotton in the direction of La Roche.

The 1st US Army of General Hodges with the VII Corps of General Collins plus the XVII Airborne Corps of General Ridgeway will attack towards the south in direction of Houffalize.

General Patton’s 3rd Army will push northwards towards Houffalize as well.

On January 1st, the German command mounts a vast bombing operation sending over 900 planes to attack the allied aerodromes aiming to destroy as many the squadrons as possible while still on the ground.
The attack surprises the allies but is however only a half success as a very large number of German planes are shot down. This practically puts an end to whatever air power the Germans still had.


ANECDOTE: On January 2nd, in order to prepare the launch of next morning’s allied counter attack, a bomb disposal platoon was sent on the road to Mélines to take the US anti tank mines off the road leading from the defensive line at the top of the ridge to the hamlet of Mélines in the valley.
At dawn on the 3rd the attack was launched and the American tanks moved ahead on the road to Mélines. Surprised by the black ice the lead Sherman slid off the road into the ditch were the mines had been put and exploded, killing not only the five occupants but all the foot soldiers who were on top of the tank and those following in its tracks.
A monument now stands on the side of that ditch reminding us of the incident that was only one of many such accidents causing the death of one’s own men by accident and known as death by “friendly fire”.

The counter attack and the second liberation of the Ardennes.

On January 3rd, in the cold and the snow, the general allied counter attack was launched.

Sergeant Theodore Draper (84th Inf. Div) reports: “The enemy was taken by surprise and many taken prisoner in their sleep. They could not imagine that we would launch an attack in such weather conditions. The roads were frozen, the temperature had dropped below 0 F° and the ground was hard as steel. We needed over two hours to dig through the frozen top soil and two to three hours more to dig 3 ft. deep. A good foxhole must be 5 ft. deep and it was practically impossible to achieve…

…in these extreme conditions, the fastest way to freeze was to lie down and not move. This made the men say that the only thing worse than not sleeping was sleeping!! They would go to sleep wrapped in greatcoats, when they had them, and awake in “panels” of ice. Frostbite was as dangerous as the gun opposite…”

Notwithstanding those conditions, the attack progressed day after day and…

On January 8th, acknowledging the constant progression of the allied troops, the German high command decides to withdraw from the bulge. The withdrawal was done in good order with units covering the retreat of others who were to establish a new defence line.

On January 11th, La Roche-en-Ardenne is liberated by the 51st Highland Division soon joined by a reconnaissance platoon attached to the 84th Infantry Division.

It’s also on January 11th that, during a reconnaissance, a patrol of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion – 6th Airborne Division – accompanied by some Belgian SAS, discover with horror in the village of Bande, the bodies of 34 civilians killed by a bullet in the neck on Christmas Eve and thrown into the cellar of a burnt out house.

The link-up in Houffalize of the 1st and 3rd U.S. Armies to close the salient.


To close the salient the 1st Army in the North and the 3rd Army in the South had to join somewhere in the centre. For once the bad feelings between Montgomery and Patton were going to be to the advantage of the allies.

On January 12th, Patton decided that the link-up would take place in Houffalize. He counted on being there the next day, before the Northern Army, beating Montgomery once again, as he had done in Messine during the Sicily campaign.

On January 13th, the 11th Armoured Division (3rd Army) attacks towards Houffalize from Longchamps just outside Bastogne.

On January 15th, the 11th Armoured Division is still 7 miles from Houffalize while the 2nd Armoured Division (1st Army) is in Mont only 1.3 miles north of Houffalize.
Patton demands that Houffalize be reached the next day.

In the evening of the 15th a reconnaissance battalion of the 11th Armoured, commanded by major Michael Greene, leaves Bertogne and reaches Compogne at 7 p.m. The direct route being heavily guarded by the Germans, Greene decides to go to Bonnerue and reach Houffalize from there on a forest track. A column of 60 armoured vehicles sets off at 11 p.m. When it enters the forest it has 2.5 miles to go on a forest track that ended up just outside Houffalize.
It took him 3 hours to get his column across the Suhet brook of which the steep banks were frozen and it’s finally at 6.30 a.m. that the column exited the woods 600 yards from the edge of Houffalize.

Before entering the forest, Major Greene sent a patrol commanded by Lieutenant Lucas along the road to the north that arrived at a bridge over the Ourthe at the Rensiwez water mill. If he found the road and bridge to be unguarded he could then turn right towards Houffalize

On the 16th at 6.30 a.m. Greene exits the forest and moves on Houffalize where he encounters a stiff resistance from a group of Germans holding the houses along the edge of town. He deploys his unit and sends a patrol across the river. This patrol is going to encounter a platoon of the 2nd Armoured Division (1st Army) at 10 a.m.
Practically at the same time, the platoon of Lieutenant Lucas that had reached the Rensiwez water mill and bridge meets a patrol of the 84th Infantry Division (1st Army).

On January 16th at 10 a.m. the link-up was effective between the 1st Army of General Hodges and the 3rd Army of General Patton, in Houffalize and at the Rensiwez bridge.

The German salient is shut and the German defence line retreats further to the east.

On January 17th, having reached all his objectives, Marshal Montgomery decides to recall the British XXX Corps from the Ardennes and sends them to Holland to prepare for the Campaign of Germany and Operation Varsity that would take them across the Rhine.

On the German side, the Armoured 6th Army of Sepp Dietrich is sent to the Eastern Front to stop the Russian advance.

On January 28th, the German army is back on the positions held before the offensive of December 16th.

It’s the end of the Battle of the Bulge. It’s also the end of the invasion and occupation of our region after 4 long years.

The battle is going to move on eastwards leaving behind it destruction and mourning.

The Campaign of Germany will come to an end on May 8th 1945 by the capitulation of Germany.

On the eve of January 28th, 1945, date generally accepted as being the last day of the battle of the bulge, American losses were of 75.685 men: 10.733 killed, 42.316 wounded and 22.636 missing (including prisoners).

These figures do not take into account those of the airforce.

The British losses were of 325 killed, 239 wounded and 969 missing.

The German losses mention 110.000 men: 12.650 killed, 38.600 wounded and 58.580 missing.

To these figures one must add those of 2.500 civilians killed in the bombardments and over 200 civilians massacred by German units in Stavelot, Trois-Ponts, Baugnez, Ligneuville, Honsem, Bande, Marcourt…

Are also part of the casualties of the battle some 15.000 houses destroyed . Tens of thousands of people will have to live long months without any shelter of any real use.

But the towns and villages of the Ardennes will find the courage in their new freedom to rebuild from the ruins.


END OF THE BATTLE – reflections

Nobody underestimates the importance of the Battle for Bastogne. One must however agree upon the meaning that one gives to the word “importance”.

An important battle is a battle in which one of the sides puts its main effort and maximum means into it.

On December 16th, 1944, the Germans put their main effort between Monchau and St Vith. The crucial battle that took place here was to decide of the issue of the German offensive.

Five days later, the tenacity of the American defence was going to oblige the German high command to recognise that the 6th Armoured Army of Sepp Dietrich would never achieve the targets that it had been assigned.

The allied resistance between Monchau and St Vith having put an end to all hope of reaching Antwerp, the German command then decided to turn its main effort towards Bastogne.

The siege of Bastogne will present three significant facts: the “Nuts” of General McAuliffe to the German demand of surrender, the air drops of supplies and the breaking through by General Patton’s tanks.

For the army and for the American public opinion, the Bastogne success followed a series of setbacks. This victory had a very beneficial effect on the army, the troops and the allied populations.

The battle for Bastogne became not only part of history but a legend.