Houffalize Today 1945

[Karoshi]

It seems so long ago now, the run-up to Christmas, the celebrations, then New Years and Hogmanay, and back to work.

 

On this day in 1945 The Battle of the Bulge that continued through that same time frame, was just coming to a close. On this day in 1945 1st Army and 3rd Armys met at Houffalize, the Battle was effectivly won. It would not finally cease until the 25th but today was the turning point, the Germans were in full retreat. Never to recover.

 

Starting on one of the snowiest days in memory the Germans opened their Ardennes Offensive on Dec 16th, by January 16th they would have suffered 15,652 dead, lost 610 tanks and over a 1000 planes destroyed. Nearly 30,000 captured or missing and 41,600 wounded.

 

American losses too were significant, 19,276 dead, 23,218 captured or missing and 47,493 wounded. Thay also lost 730 tanks. Two whole divisions surrendered.

 

The one month long conflict was the most bloody battle American Forces fought in WWII, the amount of American dead was unsurpassed by any other engagement.

 

The British too lost: 200 dead, 1400 wounded and missing.

 

It was quite a month.

 

 

 

[Karoshi]

Just one year before, on 16th Jan 1944 Eisenhower became Supreme Allied Commander.

[Jack]

Thanks Karoshi, great work and thanks for posting.

 

.......keep them coming.

[Joris]

Nice post Karoshi, but it were two infantry regiments that surrendered, the 422nd and the 423rd regiments of the 106th inf div to be precise.

[Karoshi]

My typo, thanks Joris. 2 of three regiments of the 106th Inf Div

[AlienFTM]

My typo, thanks Joris. 2 of three regiments of the 106th Inf Div

 

 

That presumably would be two US infantry regiments, each comprising multiple battalions (probably organised into Regimental Combat Teams) which were therefore more equivalent to what we in the UK think of as brigades. Two brigades being sufficient on paper to comprise a division, the mistake was not as big as it might sound.