18th volksgrenadier division 18th volksgrenadier division

22nd Air Landing Division (wehrmacht) - Encyclopedia Information During the afternoon of December 19, Hoge visited Clarkes command post in St. Vith and expressed his frustration with the current chain of command. The division fought in the Ardennes, inflicting on the 106th US Infantry Division the worst defeat suffered by U.S. forces in the ETO, when over 8,000 US soldiers surrendered to the volksgrenadiers. One, the 18th Volksgrenadier Division, was holding the northern reaches of the Schnee Eifel. Armored Champion, The Top Tanks of World War II. Clarke, Bruce. At about 1700, the enemy attacked along the Schoenberg road from the east; at 1830, they came down the Malmedy road from the north, and at 2000, an attack started from the southeast along the Prum road. Next came B Company, 9th Armored Engineers; the 16th Armored Field Artillery; B Company, 482nd Antiaircraft Artillery; and the 14th Tank Battalion. The unit attacking Troop B, the 294th Volksgrenadier Regiment, had StuG IIIs and had been using StuG IIIs the previous day in small probing attacks east of St. Vith where Troop B would end up being positioned. This one, however, most likely did not. 6 Schwere Panzerkampfwagen DW to E-100. On this day, CCB of the 9th Armored Division was still in its assembly area in the vicinity of Faymonville. By this time the Germans had essentially closed the trap on the two infantry regiments on the Schnee Eifel. Schiffer Publishing, 2000. The provisional company of 424th stragglers disappeared during the night. Johnston, W. Wesley. As far as Im aware no Ferdinands (all upgraded to Elefants at the stage of Ardennes Offensive) were used in the Ardennes and better yet all Elefants were in Eastern Front with the 614.sPzJgK (formerly 2./653.sPzJgAbt) after August 1944. By noon, the 27th AIB, with the help of Company A, 14th Tank Battalion, had retaken that first stretch of high ground. There is no comparison to Tiger. Jentz, Thomas, and Hilary Doyle. Dragon 1625 1/16th Obersturmfuhrer Totenkopf Division Budapest 1945 R 275.00. For this mission, CCB consisted of the 14th Tank Battalion, the 27th Armored Infantry Battalion, the 16th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, and miscellaneous smaller units vital to any major command. Revised Edition, Arms and Armour Press, 1973. Mastering all the usages of 'poor shape' from sentence examples published by news publications. I mention it for the sake of completeness as I suspect that the whole thing is a myth. 18th Volksgrenadier Division (Wehrmacht) - Alchetron, the free social The 18th Volksgrenadier Division (18. Aside from the cold and mud, there was also the enemy to contend with. Join historians and history buffs alike with our Unlimited Digital Access pass to every military history article ever published (over 3,000 articles) in Sovereigns military history magazines. 111 () - At about 2130, General Clarke phoned General Hoge to tell him that the enemy was entering St. Vith from the north and that his forces were withdrawing to form a new line northwest of the city. Osprey Publishing, 2003. 18th Volksgrenadier Division | Detailed Pedia It appeared now that the fate of his two northern regiments was sealed. 223 () - There was a bitter struggle to the south of Grufflingen, and the Germans were again active in the Neubruck area. However, it cannot be definitively stated that this is another version of the M8 Greyhound versus Tiger story due to its ambiguity. 18th Volksgrenadier Division (Wehrmacht), the Glossary After the Tiger I had passed, the armored car then slipped out of its concealed position and began accelerating towards the tank in an attempt to close the gap between the two. That eliminates this units Pzkw IV being the Tiger encountered by the Troop B M8 on Dec. 18th . Although the Germans were quick to build up beyond the Our River after the American withdrawal, they made no immediate moves against the new American line. Encyclopedia of German tanks of World War Two. The division was formed in Denmark, in September 1944, by redesignating 571. Rejection & Neglect available to buy on Payhip! At 0600 Im going to start to move.. En route, the officer was approached by a member of General Clarkes staff who told him that German tanks were approaching St. Vith along the road from the north. Were any of these Tiger Is and or Tiger IIs knocked out on the 18th of December, 1944? 223 () - Wikiwand . It is possible that, as part of the attacks on the line held in part by Troop B of the 87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, a lone StuG III was used to probe out the American line, as had been done on the previous day, and was subsequently knocked out by an M8 Greyhound. The troop was to hold until relieved by the 27th Armored Infantry Battalion (AIB) and then reconnoiter farther down the road toward Winterspelt. Although the Germans were facing stiff resistance all along the American defensive line, they were determined to take St. Vith. The Seventh Armored Division in the Battle of St. Vith. The division was formed in Denmark, in September 1944, by redesignating 571. 18th Volksgrenadier Division - Wikipedia The 18th Volksgrenadier Division (18th VGD) was a volksgrenadier division of the German Army ( Heer) during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945. And why would it not? Andrews, Frank L. The Defense of St. Vith in the Battle of the Ardennes December, 1944. Infanterie-Division . Soon after its crossing, B Company ran into German infantry dug in along the high ground overlooking the village of Elcherath. VGD) was a volksgrenadier division of the German Army (Heer) during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945.. With all of these contradictions, ambiguity, and lack of supporting documentation and evidence surrounding Troop Es entry in mind, it is safe to conclude that this is not the most reliable account of what really happened on the 18th of December, 1944 at St. Vith. Soon after General Hoge left 106th Division headquarters for the drive back to Faymonville, Jones received a call from Middleton informing him that a combat command of Brig. VGD) was a volksgrenadier division of the German Army (Heer) during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945. 1941622 . General Clarke again called on the 9th Armored for assistance to help stiffen his line, and Hoge responded by sending the 3rd Battalion, 424th Regimental Combat Team. With this contact, all units in the vicinity of St. Vith, including 9th Armored Division forces, passed to the command of Maj. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgways XVIII Airborne Corps. Wikizero - 18th Volksgrenadier Division Its mission was to break through to the south of the 18th Volksgrenadier in the Grosslangenfeld-Heckhuschied sector, advance northwest on a broad front, and seize the Our River crossing at Steinebruck, five miles southeast of St. Vith. Volksgrenadier-Division. Tigers In Combat I. Task Force Jones and the 112th Infantry eventually found their way into 82nd Airborne Division lines during the night of the 24th, but not before the units suffered heavy losses. Although the 7th Armored Division was finally arriving, General Jones had been led to believe that the whole division would arrive in St. Vith starting at 0700. Lucht anticipated that the Americans would counterattack the next day, but that their reaction would be too late to avoid complete encirclement. The 62nd, like the 18th, included three regiments of two battalions each. The 18th Volksgrenadier Division (18. How about a Tiger II? Infanterie-Division 193510 [1] 22 22. The distance from Burg Reuland on the southeast to Poteau on the northwest was about 10 miles with only a single secondary road as a line of retreat for thousands of men defending the horseshoe against attack from three directions. Combat Interviews of the 38th Armored Infantry Battalion, 7th Armored Division: The St. Vith Salient and Manhay, December 17-23, 1944. Luftlande-Division 19416 19421944 19453 22 22. No reinforcements were expected. Josef Theissen, the fifteen-year-old who had seen the Germans arrive on Sunday, December 17, watched the soldiers every move with the fascination for things military . 2014. Once the bridge at Steinebruck was seized, the 62nd was to support the 18th Volksgrenadier Divisions drive on St. Vith by blocking the western and southern routes in and out of the town. I wanted to focus on the M8 vs Tiger story, I already noticed the Ferdinand claim, but decided not to mention it. At about 0930, the enemy attacked St. Vith from Hunningen to the north, apparently in an effort to envelop Clarkes left flank. Out of this grand battle would come a too-good-to-be-true story symbolic of the stiff American resistance put up against the German offensive, that of how an M8 Greyhound armored car destroyed a Tiger I heavy tank. The earliest known mention can be found in the December 18th, 1944 morning report and record of events entry of Troop E, 87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron which briefly states that an M-8 atchd [attached] to A Tr [Troop A] knocked out one Tiger tank. Operation Nordwind 1945 Hitlers last offensive in the West. Unable to advance, it pulled back to the nearest high ground and dug in. Ten tanks, numerous supply vehicles, armored cars, and jeeps were lost to enemy action. Zaloga, Steven, and Tony Bryan. 1964. The 424th Infantry had its back to the Our River, and if the Germans seized the bridge at Steinebruck and spread along the far bank his regiment would be hard pressed to effectively withdraw. After Clarke and Hoge settled upon a mutually supportive command structure, Clarke noted that Hoges command was, for the most part, forward of a railroad track built on a high embankment. Although General Jones was deeply worried about his two regiments on the Schnee Eifel, he was also highly concerned about the German advances in the Winterspelt area where his 424th Infantry Regiment was defending. Thus, there are four different versions of this story circulating: Troop Es version with a Tiger I, Troop Es version with a Tiger II, Captain Ansteys version with a Tiger I, and Captain Ansteys version with a Tiger II. The area being defended was beginning to take the form of a large horseshoe, its axis running approximately northeast to southeast. He could not believe it. By midnight on the 19th, the horseshoe- shaped defense of St. Vith had taken form. I am a huge M8 Greyhound fan, having built a model at age 13 and I now own a 1:6 scale one with 4-man crew. Sturmpanzer.com - Sturmpanzer and WW2 German Army Research Early on the 19th, the Germans made reconnaissance probes. Osprey Publishing, 2013. The move had scarcely begun when an enemy attack hit the junction between Company B, 27th AIB and Company D, 14th Tank Battalion. On December 9, 1944, Brig. Office of the Chief of Military History, Dept. Bork, Max Hermann (Generalleutnant) - TracesOfWar.com 223 223. This article already explains ballistics and mentions that while Panther was vulnerable to lower-caliber AT guns, the Tigers were almost immune to them. His troops remained in place, and the pullout to the west side of the Our River began at dusk. M8 Greyhound Light Armored Car 1941-91. Germanys Tiger Tanks VK45.02 to TIGER II. One German tank was seen going up in flames. Name already in use - Github 194311 Not only does Troop Es version of the story involve a different unit than the original story, it also takes place in a different location, note the following map. First-time contributor Charles Gutierrez is the son of a 9th Armored Division veteran. On his way to St. Vith, General Hoge stopped in Faymonville to alert his command to be prepared to move immediately. By dark, Lt. Col. Engeman and his two task forces were back in their assembly area in the vicinity of Breitfeld. The defense of St. Vith was now achieving some kind of order in contrast to the chaos that had reigned during the previous three days. However, he kept these misgivings to himself. () - . The German plan for the attack through the Ardennes, an offensive that would forever be known as the Battle of the Bulge, was to be accomplished in the conventional manner. Amazing discounts for bundles. VGD. As each unit joined the rear of the column, it took its turn being the rear guard. Jentz, Thomas, and Hilary Doyle. Bergstrm, Christer. Schiffer Publishing, 1997. 120th Infantry Regiment (30th Infantry Division) 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion 319th Field Artillery Glider Battalion 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment German Units 3d Parachute Division 12th SS Panzer Division 18th Volksgrenadier Division 246th Volsgrenadier Division 884th March Battalion 905th Assault Gun Brigade Roadblocks were set up and manned. Which specific Tiger II this was is unknown. The division was formed in Denmark, in September 1944, by redesignating the 571st Volksgrenadier Division. Given that the American accounts do not give a consistent account of what happened that day at St. Vith, the other side of this story must also be investigated. Furthermore, late-war Panzer IVs equipped with Schrzen additional armor would look bigger, even closer to the size of a Tiger and this is before consideration is made on the stress of war, camouflaging materials applied to vehicles, the weather, and level of knowledge of the crews. The division was formed in Denmark, in September 1944, by redesignating the 571st Volksgrenadier Division. War Department Field Manual FM 2-20 Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop Mechanized. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "aefa00eeca3d30bd3e762fcc54816f6d" );document.getElementById("f87928873f").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It is stated as being reported to Major Boyer by one Captain Walter Henry Anstey of Company A of the 38th Armored Infantry Battalion, who is said to have been a witness to the event. Gen. Robert Hasbroucks 7th Armored Division would be arriving at St. Vith at 0700 on the 17th. Although the 62nd Volksgrenadier captured Winterspelt, its losses were high and its left regiment had made little headway in the Heckhuschied sector. It contained the 293., 294. and 295. grenadier regiments, Panzerjger-Bataillon 1818, Pionier-Bataillon 1818, Fsilier-Bataillon 1818 and Artillerie-Regiment 1818.[1]. Mines were laid. The troops were exhausted and spread out. 560th Volks Grenadier Division (15-29 Dec. 1944) and 12th VGD (1-28 Jan. 1945). This leads to a second candidate, the StuG III. The line companies were down to one officer apiece. In blinding snow and on slippery roads the tanks and infantry of CCB, 9th Armored headed for Bauvenn. 18. Volksgrenadier-Division - Axis History Both American units were able to drive forward, and the Shermans knocked out six German armored vehicles. A strong attack has just developed against Clarke again. It is time to withdraw.. It saw action in France before taking part in the fighting in the Ardennes where it suffered heavy losses, it continued fighting on the western front until the end . However, this version of Captain Ansteys account has one key difference: it was not a Tiger I that was knocked out, but rather a Tiger II, almost analogous to the fisherman whose fish gets bigger each time he tells the tale of his catch. Hoge has just reported an attack. Two regiments of the 62nd Volksgrenadier Division attacked 9th Armored positions early that morning, their goal to gain the Salm River at Salmchateau. Two of its tanks were mired in mud that had not frozen and had to be retrieved by a tank dozer. Collins, Joshua, and Erik Albertson. 1940. This break appeared to be only a dream, however, as it seemed every outfit wanted a piece of CCB, 9th Armored to help shore up its positions. Anderson, Thomas. WWII Pictures on Twitter: "Soldiers of the 18th Volksgrenadier Division Volksgrenadier Division 2. Fifth Panzer was to attack from Prum in the north down to Bitburg and Bastogne in the south. Battle of the Bulge 1944 (1): St Vith and the Northern Shoulder. 20th Panzergrenadier Division (Wehrmacht) - Atozwiki.com However, once a closer look is taken at this story, cracks begin to appear, and soon enough one begins to wonder whether or not this story really is too good to be true. Under the command of Gnther Hoffmann-Schnborn, the new division absorbed elements of the 18th Luftwaffe Field Division. The division was formed in Denmark, in September 1944, by redesignating 571.Volksgrenadier-Division.Under the command of Gnther Hoffmann-Schnborn, the new division absorbed elements of the 18th Luftwaffe Field . The 18th Volksgrenadier Division (18th VGD) was a volksgrenadier division of the German Army (Heer) during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945.. The 18th Volksgrenadier Division (18.Volksgrenadier-Division; 18. The only known witness to the supposed event, Captain Walter Henry Anstey, died on 26th October 2003 at the age of 90, taking the truth of the events that day to his grave. At about 1330, three German self-propelled guns and 19 or 20 horse-drawn artillery pieces went into position on the high ground 800 yards to the southeast of Steinebruck. Hoge and Ridgway had been on the West Point football team together when Ridgway had been the teams manager. VGD) was a volksgrenadier division of the German Army (Heer) during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945. 281st Security Division (281. Inside the command post, General Hoge learned that the Germans had launched a heavy assault on Winterspelt against the men of the 424th Infantry. 324 324. Jentz, Thomas, and Hilary Doyle. 1946. The time was approximately 1800 on Saturday, December 16, when Combat Command B of the 9th Armored Division began its move to St. Vith. Once in St. Vith, Jones explained that only the leading elements of the 7th Armored Division had arrived thus far and that St. Viths northern approach was under attack. Its population in 1944 was about 2,000, and its citizens were very much pro-German. A mobile battalion of the 18th Volksgrenadier Division was already moving on Andler to seize the Schoenberg bridge and the road to St. Vith. English PDF (33 MB) Jan B-700 Clarke asked, Why in the world when I had only 2,500 men available to my command on December 17, did you not just execute a powerful frontal assault and overrun me?. Both B and C Companies pulled back to the vicinity of Neidingen, near the battalion command post, while the 14th Tank Battalion established a perimeter defense around its assembly area near Breitfeld about halfway between the Our and St. Vith. He is being outflanked and is retiring west another 2,000 yards refusing both flanks. First Edition, Stackpole Books, 2004. One gun, firing from the house that had been the 14th Tanks command post an hour earlier, disabled two of the Shermans, but the other tanks managed to knock out the four antitank guns plus three German command vehicles. Eventually retreating through Germany until the end of the war, when it surrendered. Generals Manteuffel and Lucht had planned an all-out attack to take St. Vith starting at daylight with a three- pronged envelopment by the 62nd Volksgrenadier Division against 9th Armored positions in the south. Volksgrenadier-Division; 18. #WW2 . When you get surprised like this, you become cautious.Undoubtedly much, if not most, of the armor encountered by Manteuffels probing actions during the early days of the German offensive belonged to CCB, 9th Armored Division. General Lucht hurried to Winterspelt to get the 62nd Volksgrenadier moving to the Our. The 7th Armored had taken a beating in defending St. Vith. The unit was converted to an infantry division in 1945, while stationed in Courland. Ardennes-Alsace Campaign Troop D, 89th Recon held the sector from Steinebruck to Weppeler while A Company, 27th AIB put up a defensive line anchored on the high ground east of Maspelt. The 18th Volksgrenadier Division (18.Volksgrenadier-Division; 18. Anderson, Thomas. The supply trains led the way north on N27 to St. Vith. During the rest of the day and on into the evening of December 17, CCB, 7th Armored moved into St. Vith and began a buildup that resembled a large horseshoe on the high ground to the east of the village. Ridgways plan was premised on the assumption that that the American forces in this goose egg-shaped defense could be supplied by air; however, whoever drew up the plan was thinking in terms of supply requirements for the lighter airborne divisions, not for fuel-hungry and shell-reliant armored forces. Schneider, Wolfgang. Troop D, 89th Recon had positioned its troop headquarters and first platoon to cover the bridge over the Our. The 294th Volksgrenadier Regiment was a unit of the larger 18th Volksgrenadier Division. After Action Report, Month of December, 1944. The division was formed in Denmark, in September 1944, by redesignating 571. The division was formed in Denmark, in September 1944, by redesignating the 571st Volksgrenadier Division. The 16th Field Artillery also pitched in, as did a battalion of 155mm howitzers sited around Commanster. Rebuilding the blown bridge to get their assault guns across was their first priority. Not long after Rodt fell to the Fhrer Escort Brigade, an attack came against the 7th Armored from the direction of Recht. 6731 Whittier Avenue, Suite C-100 McLean, VA 22101, Stay up to date with all of our latest news, According to the British, 37 mm M6 guns APC M51 can only penetrate around a maximum of 65mm of rolled homogeneous armor plate (RHA) at 30 degrees under V50 ballistic standards. Combat Interviews of the 87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, 7th Armored Division: The St. Vith Salient, December 17-23, 1944. German Division Nr. Panzer Tracts No. September 18th, 1944: Kdr. Staff Sergeant Frank Mykalo knocked out a German machine-gun position, enabling the men in the lead half-tracks to dismount and deploy along the side of the road. Rapidly, the M8 advanced to within 25 yards (23 meters) of the Tiger I and quickly pumped three rounds into its rear. Company C, 27th AIB withdrew under heavy artillery and sniper fire but managed to destroy a number of German vehicles. Under the chain of the northern sector command, only General Ridgway was unsure of Field Marshal Montgomerys decision to withdraw from the defense. Company B was stationed east of Galhausen and maintained contact with the nearest elements of the 7th Armored Division on 9th Armoreds left flank. Perrin told General Hoge, You can continue this attack on towards this back country, but you must be back on this side of the river by nightfall.. General Hoge received his order to pull CCB, 9th Armored out at 0605 on December 23. The town was also in Fifth Panzer Armys area of advance. If Hoge told him that the situation was bad, then without a doubt the situation was worse than he thought. Panzertruppen Volume 2 The Complete Guide to the Creation & Combat Deployment of The German Tank Forces 1943-1945. Similar events have happened more than once, though on the Eastern Front. Although the 62nd Volksgrenadier Division drove the American defenders from Winterspelt, all was not going well for the Germans. After learning of the attack by the Fhrer Escort Brigade, Brig. It would be unable to turn its full strength on St. Vith until the American surrender in that area. What Jones did not tell Hoge was that in one of those regiments his own son was serving at regimental headquarters. On its way to the new position, C Company came under a sudden artillery and rocket barrage in the village of Lommersweiler. The bridge at Steinebruck was intentionally left intact by General Hoge on the outside chance that some of the American troops trapped in the vicinity of the Schnee Eifel might be able to maneuver their way there. Your email address will not be published. That cold snap that hit us has frozen the roads. I am weighing toward a stray Panzer IV or maybe a SP gun like the one you described. With the enemy inside Steinebruck and excellent direct fire by the German artillery, what was left of 2nd Platoon, 89th Recon withdrew along the St. Vith road. Airfix J6017 Volkswagen Camper Van (Quick Build) R 405.00. Volksgrenadier-Division; 18. The village of St. Vith lay approximately 12 miles behind the front lines on December 16, 1944, the day the offensive code-named Operation Watch on the Rhine began. Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (1918) Periode: Eerste Wereldoorlog (1914-1918) . The southernmost battle group of the 18th Volksgrenadier would also undertake a mobile thrust and, finally, the 62nd Volksgrenadier would break loose at Heckhuscheid and drive for the Our River Valley. The two task forces held onto their respective positions on N23 and N27, deflecting all German armored attempts to penetrate St. Vith, until they were relieved late in the afternoon by CCB, 7th Armored Division. At 0400 hours on 16th December, 1944, men of the German 18th Volksgrenadier Division began to leave their positions and make their way towards the American lines. The northern prong of the horseshoe was composed of CCB, 7th Armored Division from Poteau and Vielsalm. of the Army, 1965. Another attack hit the left flank of 7th Armored. Germanys Tiger Tanks D.W. to Tiger I: Design, Production & Modifications. Colonel Alexander D. Reid, commander of the 424th Infantry Regiment, had reason to fear encirclement. Seventh Armored Division Association 2517 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington 8, D.C., 1947. 2014. 188th Division (Nazi Germany) - Atozwiki.com Zaloga, Steven, and Tony Bryan. There are no German records or histories which indicate that, on 18th December 1944, a Tiger I or a Tiger II was knocked out in or around St. Vith. First Edition, Presidio Press, 2002. At the close of the first day of battle, General Lucht could look with some satisfaction at the days events, although his 62nd Volksgrenadier Division had yet to break through the American line.