'Ardennenschlacht' in prospect....

Thanks, Nick - you guys are very fortunate to live right there !

For me, it's a rare treat......

 

Right there isn't intirely treu, I have to drive for 2 hours.

 

The journey for me is a total of 13 hours!

Also, like Martin, it is a rare treat for me to get over there...but I hope to be there again later this year.

Have fun, Martin.

 

Let me know when you get there John, perhaps we can meet.
Me and Aru-Ed are most likely in May and Oktober for a week there...
And in the mean time the weekends.

 

Will do, Nick.

Not yet sure as to when we will be there again...

Myself and Pegasus have talked about going there again in April or September. I'll let you know when we have made firm plans.

Normandy is our next 'mission' in May/June.

 

Just had a little fun putting together a selection of suitable 'guidebooks' for my trip later this week....

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Martin what area is going to be under your scrutiny this time ? I see the reseracha books are in hand as you are ready to take off . . .. . and what not watching the princely wedding today ?

 

I'll watch the highlights on the News....

I'll be staying in Wanne - the village which was used as the Leibstandarte's HQ while trying to rescue KG Peiper from La Gleize. KG Hansen launched their attacks on the US 505th PIR directly from Wanne. Trois Ponts and Stavelot are very close by - all places which saw considerable action. A visit to La Gleize and the King Tiger will be essential and I already have my tickets for the Spa 1000km sportscar race on the Saturday.

Throw in some steak frites and Belgian beer......

 

Back from a glorious week in the Ardennes : scene on a genuinely ( no Photoshop ! ) misty early yesterday morning with your intrepid Forumite trying out a real 82nd Airborne foxhole : the Leibstandarte advanced along the road in the background.........


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Nice photo Martin, ......did you lose your helmet and rifle in the undergrowth though

 

I took loads of piccies and will have to sort/post them over the weekend....

If I'd been in that foxhole in December '44 my helmet would probably have been shot off.....it's the spot where elements of Kampfgruppe Hansen attacked down the road from the right with Panzer IVs, hitting E Coy, 2/505 Airborne just after first light on December 21st. Lt Col Benjamin Vandervoort described '...tanks..spraying the edge of the woods with machinegun fire....a hailstorm of bullets pruning bark and leaves from trees.....'

Interesting stuff !

 

Nice choice, Martin,
If I may suggest: St. Vith, Bastogne, Foy, Hurtgen Forest, Malmedy. Am I close to what you may have had as a first pass?
I'll never forget the first time I visited Koblenz and Trier. So much history.

 

A nice cold Boffdinger (maybe Lux.).

 

This time ( after all, I was mainly there to see a motor race ) it was almost totally a Leibstandarte tour.....Baugnez, Stavelot, Wanne, Petit Spai, Trois Ponts, Parfonduy, La Gleize and Stoumont - with a quick visit to the 2nd SS Panther at Grandmenil on the way home......

Oh - and for me this time it was chilled Bellevaux Blonde.......

 

Sadly , I had to leave this piece of militaria on the battlefield. Maybe if Jagdpanther44 and Pegasus had been there we could have brought it back between us...?


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