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18th December 1944
Wacht am Rhein - D+2
The US Twelfth Army Group situation map shows the 9AD moved to the SE of the 109th, nearer supporting US troops than their own Div units.
5FJD have disengaged with 109th during the previous night & continued west.
1)
Wacht am Rhein - D+2
The US Twelfth Army Group situation map shows the 9AD moved to the SE of the 109th, nearer supporting US troops than their own Div units.
5FJD have disengaged with 109th during the previous night & continued west.
1)
Looking at the 109th (green) in detail, F/G coys block the Bastenfdorf road vs 915VGR, B in Tandel, A blocking the Longsdorf road vs 916, with K/L remaining on the Hoesdorf plateau also vs 916.
915 occupies Führen with 914 & remaining Div elements crossed/crossing the Our.
2)
915 occupies Führen with 914 & remaining Div elements crossed/crossing the Our.
2)
The prior tweets indicate the now rapidly deteriorating position 109th were in.
352VGD were now able to deploy their full weight into breaking the stubbornly tenacious resistance of the 109th & their few supporting Sherman’s from the 707th Tank Btl.
3)
352VGD were now able to deploy their full weight into breaking the stubbornly tenacious resistance of the 109th & their few supporting Sherman’s from the 707th Tank Btl.
3)
The right flank saw the strongest attack by 916VGR at dawn under the cover of smoke, where the defenders were finally dislodged, a platoon of K coy surrendering after exhausting their ammo.
E coy had ceased to exist in Führen with no comms from 2300 the previous night.
4)
E coy had ceased to exist in Führen with no comms from 2300 the previous night.
4)
A coy were finally forced to withdraw, with only 25 men left, from the increasingly heavy attacks from 916 moving beyond Longsdorf.
17yo Friedrich Schmäschke from thread 3 (16th Dec) was wounded in the leg during these actions.
5)
17yo Friedrich Schmäschke from thread 3 (16th Dec) was wounded in the leg during these actions.
5)
F & G coys at Bastendorf withdrew under pressure from 915VGR, with some remaining 707th tanks covering the retreat.
The AT coy blocking the route where A coy withdrew, had all 6 of its 57mm guns knocked out by 2 unidentified supporting panzers.
The situation was dire.
6)
The AT coy blocking the route where A coy withdrew, had all 6 of its 57mm guns knocked out by 2 unidentified supporting panzers.
The situation was dire.
6)
At 1410 Rudder requested Div for permission to withdraw his units to a shortened perimeter defending Diekirch.
While engineers blew the Sauer bridges at Bettendorf, Btl aid posts pulled back as 352VGD artillery, now on the West Bank of the Our, commenced fire on the town.
7)
While engineers blew the Sauer bridges at Bettendorf, Btl aid posts pulled back as 352VGD artillery, now on the West Bank of the Our, commenced fire on the town.
7)
The 3 day battle cost the 109th 500 casualties, almost all its heavy weapons and most supporting tanks.
It had used 280rnds of ammo, 5k mortar rounds, 3k grenades & 300 bazooka rounds & 10k+ artillery shells in its delaying defence.
Tomorrow, 352VGD will advance again.
8/end)
It had used 280rnds of ammo, 5k mortar rounds, 3k grenades & 300 bazooka rounds & 10k+ artillery shells in its delaying defence.
Tomorrow, 352VGD will advance again.
8/end)
Apols, the last tweet should read 280k small rounds.
And there was a rogue &!
Like 109th I’m cracking under the increasing strain....
And there was a rogue &!
Like 109th I’m cracking under the increasing strain....
