Battle of the Bulge

Brat :

No the Das Reich Panthers were painted in the late war Ambush scheme. I have war time pics of them in the Ardenne

 

First of all, congratulations for the trip, Brat! Excellent photographs! Really, really good photos of the tanks...

And nice to 'meet' you... —I mean, if that's you on the tanks...— If you haven't met me, my photo is in my profile...

Fredd, it is very simple. Hitler realised that he needed a significant victory in late 1944 if he wanted to win the war or at least losing it from a more favourable position. And he realised too that such a victory was impossible against the Red Army. That's why he turned his eyes to the Ardennes —the scenary of his mighty victory of 1940— and the relatively weak and unexperienced American units there. And he thought that by reaching and capturing Antwerp the Allies would lose the first really big Channel port they so desperately needed, thus causing them a logistical collapse and halting them.

This whole strategic vision is not unrealistic nor wrong at all. The Allies did desperately needed a big port like Antwerp to shorten their over-extended supply lines, from Normandy to the German border and the units in the Ardennes were resting and recovering.

What Hitler didn't see were the tactical aspects —Hitler was a good strategist but had no tactical sense—:

1) His forces were not strong enough to carry out succesively such an ambitious operation.
2) He underestimated the Allied capabilities to take the first big blow and rapidly recover the initiative.

 

From all that I´ve read I think Hitler´s idea was to first nail the enemy in the west, first by hitting by Autumn mist between the British and the US forces and the second attack, Nordwind, hitting the US forces in the back, and suddenly there would be no allied forces against Germany in the west....

After that Hitler could move his troops to the east and he could concentrate on the Red Army. I guess Hitler´s idea was that he could make a pact with Ike after the Ardennes attacks.

Like you see, Hitler had only big attacks on his mind. The generals were against the Ardennes attacks but Hitler *surprise surprise* did not agree. As well Hitler did not believe there was a big Red army attack on its way in early 1945. So he thought he had all the time in the world to plan his moves...

 

I forgot about that, Kai.

If the German armoured fist pierced through the Ardennes and crossed the Meuse, then the American Armies would have been split apart from the British and if the Germans went all the way to Antwerp, the British forces in Belgium and Holland would have been surrounded and annihilated... on paper, of course.

 

I did not realize this earlier but after reading some allied views it seems Monty had to work hard on the press as well ( and some US generals? )after the attack began because the famous "call of the ports" was mentioned several times. You know, Dunkirk and so on...

 

I think I've seen that colour scheme, lots of orange right? Can you put up a picture? That means the Grandmenil Panther is the INcorrect colour?

As for cutting off the Brits ... that would be a bigtime deja vu Get those boats ready

 

I fully agree with you guys what was Hitler's strategic plan. However, his stuff must have known that even the success would change nothing.

Ok let's assume Germany won and grab Antwerp - or at least managed to destroy the port. So situation for Allies would be miserable. But what next - ok we are trying to redeploy units to the East front. But...
Success didn't make Allies to hold the strategic bombardment off. They still have superiority in the air. Moreover tanks it's not a cars. You cannot just cruise around Europe as you like. Even in a non-combat situation tanks are tend to beak. So its needed to be repair (spare parts!) not to mention about fuel. The idea was German grab major stocks in Antwerp - small chance.
What I am saying the war was lose and guys like Jodl must have known it. The only question was who would be the first in Berlin. Before Bulge there was a chance to first kill Hitler, surrender to Western Ally (uncoditionally) and fight with Red Army. Such scenario would be a serious headache to Uncle JO. On the East Red Army still have to fight with quite strong oponents while Americans and Brits marching into Berlin. No Red Army's occupation zone I quess, no DDR

 

Brat I do not have a scanner.....sigh !

have pics of the Panthers on trains heading for the ardenne as well as one with a blown track stuck in a field after the battle

~E

 

This tactical part of the plan was almost absurd. You make a plan assuming that you will capture enough fuel to reach Antwerp is rather silly. Though it was the only was to get fuel at the time...

Besides, I forgot something really important about Allied supplies.

We all know that during the summer-autumn campaign the Allies had a tremendous success and often advanced far quicker than their supply lines which started at Normandy beachheads —something Patton didn't consider when he stated that he could have reached Berlin by Christmas if the supplies would have been given all to him...

The Allied rolling machine stopped in the German border because the supply lines were over-extended and French roads were too crowded. Thanks to Hitler's very clever order to his port-garrisons to stand as long as possible. Dunkirk, Boulogne, Calais, Le Havre, Cherbourg; all held for a long time and even if some were captured, they had to be refitted and still were too far away from the front. That is why it was imperative to have a very big port as close to the front as possible if they wanted to push into Germany. The only choice available was Antwerp and Hitler knew it.

What he didn't know was that when Antwerp was captured in September (?) the Germans destroyed it and the Allies had to work in it for months and it was not ready until early 1945. So, at the time of the Battle of the Bulge Antwerp was not playing any rôle at all in Allied logistics. So, it couldn't have happened the impact Hitler and his close advisors —Jodl included— believed.

As we all know, the force gathered for 'Wacht am Rhein' could have used to defend the Reich's borders using elastic defense, in east and west. But the Germans gained nothing and lost irreplaceable vehicles, tanks and 100.000 men. They speeded the end of the war —fortunately.

 

Walcheren (Westkapelle) and Flushing was the key to Antwerp Freddy, taken by the Commandos the beginning of November 1944, Operation Infatuate.

No.9

 

Thanks for the info, nine.

Do you know the exact date Antwerp fell to the Allies? And was it the Canadians the ones who took it, right?

 

Antwerp fell on 4 September Freddy, courtesy of the British 11th Armoured Division. They advanced so quickly, nearly 200 miles in 4 days, the Germans’ weren’t able to put full dock demolition contingencies into place. This is the general history, but, that equation does not acknowledge the very considerable work done by the Belgian Resistance there!

The problem was, Antwerp is 40 miles inland up the Scheldt river, which was still held by the 15th German Army. So you could use Antwerp but you couldn’t get to it. It wasn’t until 14 September that Monty gave the order to properly sort the Antwerp area. This is where Crerar’s First Canadian Army came in, their job was to clear the south bank and cross to the island of Walcheren if all went well. The small island of Walcheren totally dominated the northern side of the Scheldt and had been turned into a formidable fort with bunkers, mines and emplacements of guns up to 220mm. Up to 40’000 were garrisoned there and, while part of the army were medically grade two, the gunners were first grade navy men.

The Canadians also had the job of securing Boulogne and Calais (which along with other ports Hitler had ordered held to the last), which they did on 22 September and 01 October respectively. The Germans were not easily moved from the south bank and a strong pocket of resistance developed at Breskens. The Canadians clearly had their work cut out and did try to assault the north bank and Walcheren ‘from behind’ along a causeway on 31 October, by circling back to the sea from Antwerp. This proved costly and of little effect, but on the south bank they eventually pushed Germans into Zeebrugge when they surrendered on 2 November.

Before this, plans were already well in hand for Combined Operations to clear Walcheren island and 4 Special Service Brigade (Commando) were assigned the task with very considerable support. The island is saucer shaped, brimmed by dykes and a centre below sea-level. On 3 October in advance of the amphibious assault, some 247 RAF bombers made a HE and incendiary raid on the dykes and succeeded in causing breeches which flooded the interior, swamping any inland batteries.


post bombing flooding

4 SS Brigade comprised No.4 Commando (brought in to replace No.46 withdrawn to be built up to strength), Nos.41, 47 and 48 Royal Marine Commandos, attached from No.10 (Inter Allied) Commando were 1 and 8 Troop (French), 4 Troop (Belgium), 5 Troop (Norwegian), 23 men of 2 Troop (Dutch) who made it away from Market Garden, and an element of men from 3 Troop (German) – this battle saw the greatest number of No.10 (IA) men fighting in the same action. Supporting 2 SS Bde were RAF Typhoons, a Navy Battleship, 2 Monitors and other craft including rocket launchers, a squadron of the Lothian Tank Reg., a brigade of the 52nd Lowland, 10th Canadian Field Dressing, Royal Artillery, 155 Infantry Brigade, 4th and 5th Battalion The King's Own Scottish Borderers, 7th/9th Battalion The Royal Scots, two Field Companies of Royal Engineers and sections of Navy Commandos. In all a force of around 8’000, this was a true ‘Combined’ operation.

Basically, on 1 November, No.4 with the French and the Navy Commandos landed first at Flushing in the south (Infatuate I), followed shortly by the other Commandos at Westkapelle on the west (Infatuate II).



The engagement went at varying pace as it consisted mainly of clearing successive strongpoints on the islands’ perimeter. German forces ceased resistance on 8 November. Brigade losses were 103 killed, 325 wounded and 68 missing. Sea access to Antwerp was now open.

No.9

 

Found a good one, is this what you mean?

 

Thank you very much, 9! That was remarkable!

But if Antwerp was captured with little damages and then the sea access to the port fell, it meant that by December 1944 it was being used as a major supply depot?

 

Was watching Tuskegee Airman movie on the History channel the other day and after the movie they had veteran interviewees who said that there was a Negro tank unit that fought with distinction at the Battle of the Bulge...anyone clue me in???

 

This is what I found. Is it the same unit?

The 761st Tank Battalion is probably the most famous of the World War II tank battalions organized using African-American personnel. Constituted 15 March 1942 in the Army of the United States, the battalion was activated 1 April 1942 at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. After training in the United States, and a short stay in England, the tankers arrived in France on 10 October 1944. In the following months the unit participated in the Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe campaigns, before inactivating 1 June 1946 in Germany. On 24 November 1947, the 761st was allotted to the Regular Army and activated at Fort Knox, Kentucky, where it was inactivated once again on 15 March 1955. In 1978, President Jimmy Carter awarded the Army Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) to the 761st Tank Battalion for service between 31 October 1944 and 6 May 1945. The decoration streamer is embroidered EUROPEAN THEATER, demonstrating the extent of the battalion’s distinguished operations.

In 1997, Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism serving with Company A, 761st Tank Battalion.

http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/topics/afam/761TkBn.htm

 

Yes Freddy, by accounts I’ve read Antwerp docks were not severely damaged at the time the 17th rolled in. The town itself received more damage but German contingencies to destroy parts of the docks were not put into action and/or foiled by the Belgium Resistance of whom many worked in the docks. With the approaching river banks cleared, I don’t see why Antwerp would not have been used. There are quite a few references to convoys going to Antwerp with the first arriving November 28th.

”The first convoy entered the port of Antwerp led by the Canadian-built freighter Fort Cataraqui.”

November Naval battle account
http://www.naval-museum.mb.ca/mtb/page4.htm

There’s another mention at http://www.liberty-ship.com/html/people/vogelsang.html
”Joined another convoy to Antwerp, Belgium but diverted to Le Harve, France as a ship struck a mine on the Scheldt River and blocked the channel into Antwerp. Glad we didn't go there as buzz bombs were falling on the city. I believe they were V-1's.”

After the Allies took Antwerp, I believe it was hit by as many as 600 V-1(2)’s. Churchill mentions that more flying bombs were being fired at Antwerp at that time than at London. The site below quotes over 1200?

http://www.v2rocket.com/start/chapters/antwerp.html
Extract: ”It took another two weeks for the Royal Navy to clear the mines left by the retreating Germans in the estuary. Finally, on November 28, 1944, the port of Antwerp was opened. Unloading of supplies began immediately. Since the time the city had been captured, it had taken almost three months to secure the harbour. Unlike the ports at Brest and Cherbourg, which had been completely destroyed by the retreating Germans, Antwerp remained surprisingly intact. Close to 9,000 Belgian civilians worked daily in the port unloading equipment and supplies with the Allied troops. ”

No.9

 

On Luftwaffe in the battle of Bulge:

A massive Luftwaffe attack on Allied airfields took place on New Year's Day 1945 in Operation Base Plate. Although Base Plate achieved tactical surprise, Allied antiaircraft artillery and fighters butchered the attackers in one of the most crippling one­day air encounters of the war. Among the irreplaceable losses were at least 80 wing, group, and squadron leaders . This led to bomber­fighter tensions in the Luftwaffe leadership that culminated in the "mutiny of the aces." Conducted against the unyielding depth and breadth of Allied air operations, Base Plate sealed the fate of the Luftwaffe.

http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/bookrev/parker.html

 

Unternehmen Bodenplatte will be covered at length and due for release by June this year. Parkers book is nothing but copies of already known German publications and some of the informatation is duely incorrect. I would not quote anything concerning German losses or victories from his work as I have the book and read it through several times myself

 

Ernst Barkmann in the battle of the Bulge:

http://www.geocities.com/alkantolga/panzerace/ernst.htm

'Fifty metres away, on the right, there was a tank which had moved in, with its commander standing in the turret, and which was apparently waiting for me. Frauscher! I moved up to the tank on its left-hand side. As soon as both turrets were on a level with each other, I gave orders to stop and turn off the motor and started to speak. But in a flash my opposite number disappeared inside the turret and the hatches clanged shut. My neighbour's driver's hatch lifted and then was lowered again. I noticed a winecoloured panel light. But the Panther had a green one. Then I knew that the tank alongside us was an American Sherman.

'Headphones on, I shouted on the tank intercom: "Gunner! The tank alongside is an enemy one. Fire at it". Within seconds, the tank turret turned to the right and the long gun barrel banged against the turret of the Sherman. Gunner to commander: "Can't fire - turret traverse stuck". The driver, SS-Rottenfuehrer Grundmeyer, had been listening and, without any order being given, he started up the motor and pulled back a few yards. Whereupon SS-Unterscharfuehrer Poggendorf, the gunner, loosed off the Panzergranate into the middle of the rear of the enemy tank at a distance of a few yards. I was still standing in the tank turret. A blue flame sprang out from the circular hole in the rear of the Sherman. As I took cover inside the turret 1 heard the detonation.


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'As everything remained quiet, we still moved on and on. The forest was getting light. Then suddenly there was a wide area in front of us that was clear of trees - a real forest meadow. The road ran around it in a large S-shaped curve and disappeared into a downward slope between the trees on the opposite side.

'I caught my breath. In the open grassy area in front of us I counted nine enemy tanks close beside each other. They all had the muzzles of their guns pointing threateningly at our tanks which till then had been moving unsuspectingly directly towards them. Our driver Grundmeyer recognised the danger. He was really taken aback. Standing still or retreating would be suicidal. Only bluff could still save us. So it was a question of escaping in a forwards direction. And the commander's orders to the driver were:"Move on ahead without reducing speed". Perhaps we would succeed in passing around them without being recognised because they were thinking that we were their own tanks. We advanced along the bend, showing them the full length of our sides and with nine turrets threatening us. Their gunners really had us in the bag. But not a shot was fired. As soon as we were on their flank and I could pick out the backs of all the enemy tanks drawn up behind each other, I called a halt. We had the best firing position and in fact had only one enemy tank to deal with. All the rest were blocking each other's field of fire. I let the turret swing round to 3 o'clock (to the right) so as to let the gunner get the targets in his sights. And then I couldn't believe my eyes. Those Ami crews jumped out, rushed headlong from their tanks, and charged into the shelter of part of the forest that lay behind them.

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'Then we found ourselves at the crossroads. The left-hand road led through Grandmenil to Erezee, the objective for the company's attack. From this direction, three Sherman tanks rolled forwards at us. I refrained from turning aside, and continued to drive straight on over the crossroads towards Liege Anything to get out of the village! And then turn round at some point so as to join up with the attacking company again, or at least get back into its area of radio contact. That was what we were trying to do. Till then, not a single shot had been fired - either by the enemy or by us. To start an exchange of fire would have been mad and would have doomed us. The danger had not yet been staved off; it was just beginning. On our right, in the direction of the crossroads, there was one enemy tank behind another and all Shermans of the worst type. And always in groups of nine or twelve, behind each other in company formation. In the gaps between them there were jeeps - company commander vehicles. The crews had sat down and were smoking and chatting near their tanks. There was one enemy company after another, all in rows. I gave up trying to count them but estimate the number of tanks at eighty or more.

'We had no choice left, we had to get past them. The American soldiers jumped aside. Before long they recognised us as German, but not until we were already past them. Behind us motors were whirring and tank turrets turning but thank God that one tank was blocking the view and field of fire of another one. I had egg hand-grenades distributed in case we had to abandon the tank, lit up a smoke generator, and let it roll over the rear on to the road. Thick smoke was screening us from behind. The situation was becoming increasingly unpleasant.....