61st Reconnaissance Regiment in the 'Battle of the Bulge'
Winter in the Ardennes Forest near St Hubert
Hitler began 1945 with two surprise attacks beyond the Ardennes: in Operation Nordwind German ground forces struck out towards Strasbourg, south of the Ardennes, and in Operation Baseplate nearly 1,000 Luftwaffe planes simultaneously attacked 38 Allied airfields in Belgium, south Holland and France (but lost more planes than they destroyed, as well as many experienced pilots). The fighting was still fierce and bitter in the freezing cold Ardennes: at Chenogne, west of Bastogne, on 1st January the US 3rd Army's inexperienced 11th Armored Division killed about sixty German prisoners. General Patton ensured the event was covered up.
As XXX Corps' reconnaissance continued to explore the area south of Rochefort and Marche-en-Famenne they made contact with the enemy at Hargimont, On, Jemelle, Wavreille, Bure and St Hubert on 1st January.
61st Reconnaissance Regiment were working for the 6th Airborne Division, who on 1st January became responsible for holding the line between Dinant and Marche-en-Famenne. South of the German salient, 6th Airborne also moved up through Beauraing and Wellin towards Bure and were based at Resteigne (between Wellin and Tellin) on the night of 2nd January, ready to lead the attack on Bure, with 29th Armoured Division now moved up to Wellin. Resteigne became the 61st Recce HQ.
Montgomery's counter-offensive in the Ardennes began on 3rd January with US First Army and British XXX Corps. US VII Corps led the attack between Hotton and Manhay, with the US Airborne on their eastern flank. Forced away from Hotton, Fifth Panzer Army's 116th Panzer Division shelled the town so heavily that the bandstand on an island in the river Ourthe was the only building left undamaged.
The Battle of Bure
British 6th Airborne led the XXX Corps attack advancing towards the village of Bure, which was held by the Panzer Lehr Division. 61st Reconnaissance Regiment played their part in the battle:
“By the morning of January 3rd 1945, the weather had become our worst enemy. We attacked on this day in a driving blizzard. Snow was falling continuously and the roads were ice-bound. The approaches to Wavreille were reconnoitred by two troops of the 61st Reconnaissance Regiment; under the command of Lt. Michael Urban-Smith and Lt. William Flint. They had with them a section of the Belgian Special Air Service, mounted in Jeeps and bristling with machine guns. This section was commanded by a Sergeant who was a Belgian nobleman and who owned most of the land over which we were operating. Consequently, he was most anxious to assist in the expulsion of the Huns. Halfway to their objective they spotted some Germans coming up behind. They quickly opened fire and those who survived surrendered. Slogging on through snow and sleet, they reached the outskirts of Wavreille and immediately became violently engaged with the enemy. Aided by the Belgians, they drove the enemy from the village but were counter-attacked strongly and it became necessary to withdraw” (Corporal ‘Skip’ Ricketts of ‘A’ Squadron).
Lt. Bill Cunningham led B Squadron's 16 Troop but by 3rd January he was also in charge of a carrier troop that had lost its officer and a Belgian SAS troop an elite airborne unit consisting entirely of Belgian volunteers. "Their officer had been killed riding a horse through a minefield. Their armoured jeeps mounted Vickers gas-operated macing guns, with a very high rate of fire. They were very confident and had to be restrained somewhat."
Near Wavreille he was sniped at in the turret of his armoured car and could hear self-propelled German guns in the woods. A Lieutanent Colonel in the Paras wouldn't believe there were enemy active in the area (although there was a Recce Carrier that had been hit just ahead) until he climbed onto the turret, was also sniped at and hurried away. Wavreille was liberated by 5th Parachute Brigade and the Fife & Forfar Yeomanry the next day - casualties were high and five tanks were lost.
Above left: Universal Carrier destroyed near Wavreille Above right: Wavreille church
Lt. Cunningham was then sent to clear the Chapelle Notre-Dame de HaurtChapelle Notre-Dame de Haurt, which had been re-occupied by the enemy. Leaving the carriers they advanced on foot but their assault proved the chapel empty. One trooper found a Luger pistol lying on the ground. Withdrawing into cover they heard a Tiger tank coming up the road. The commander and a crew member got out, obviously searching for the lost pistol, and were shot by Lt. Cunningham and Sergeant Smeaton. This drew fire from the tank gunner but they escaped back to the carrier base to find three of their men were missing. Corporal Stanney and Troopers Latter and Rowbotham were taken prisoner, marched to Germany and worked as forced labour in awful conditions. All became ill and Trooper Rowbotham died in a German hospital, though the others were liberated by Americans in the spring.
Above: Chapelle Notre-dame de Haurt near Bure Right: Tiger Tank, Bovington Tank Museum, Dorset
Eric Postles recalled an incident in the Ardennes when the commander of a King Tiger (the biggest and newest of the German tanks) put his head out and was promptly shot by B Squadron's 13 (Assault) troop sniper. The tank crew surrendered.
The 6th Airborne's attack on Bure on 3rd January was led by the 13th (Lancashire) Battalion of 6th Airborne's 5th Parachute Brigade, supported by 29th Armoured Division's Fife & Forfar Yeomanry. The Germans were beaten off after dark but a lone Tiger Tank remained impregnable in the centre of the village and took out 16 British tanks.
Above: Memorial signboards at La Chapelle de Notre Haurt, with Recce Corps insignia (left) and Bure (centre and right).
Below left: summary of the Battle of Bure in English from the memorial signboards.
There were five German counter-attacks on the 4th of January but by 5th January the paratroopers re-inforced with 6th Airlanding's Light Infantry were able to clear the German positions. Having lost almost 200 men the Lancashires were replaced by 6th Airlanding's Devonshire Battalion on 6th January while the Fife & Forfar Yeomanry were relieved by 29th Armoured's Hussars. The villagers emerged from their cellars to find Bure 70% destroyed.
During the Battle of Bure 61st Recce's armoured cars moved about by road but the carriers travelled cross-country (they were low enough to go beneath the exchange of fire between the British tanks and the German guns). However, the regiment lost four more men during the battle:
Sergeant Alexander Young of A Squadron returned to 61st Recce after receiving a 'Blighty' wound at Houplins, near Lille.
Corporal Gerald Metcalfe was an original '1060' Lancashire recruit to 61st Recce
We will remember them
The driver Max 'Spud' Murphy of B Squadron (Lt. Johnny Heitman's batma
n) was at both Bure and Grupont, the village to the east. Panzer Lehr held Grupont basing their supplies and medics there, during the battle of Bure. The Germans retreated but left a cheerful warning note about mines for 6th Airlanding's 12th Devonshire Battalion, who occupied the village on the night of 9th/10th January. They left thousands of mines in the area, causing death and injury even after the war had ended. Removing them was a brave and dangerous occupation and Grupont has a memorial to the demineurs who risked and sometimes lost their lives.
Left: Grupont bridge over river La L'Homme.
Right: Grupont memorial signboard
Below left: Les demineurs with one day's 'crop'
Below centre: Message from the Germans
Below: Grupont memorial to the demineurs.
XXX Corps advance north of the German salient
XXX Corps was also attacking to the north-east of Bure/Grupont during the offensive. The 53rd (Welsh) Division
had moved up to the front line between Marche-en-Famenne and Hotton. From 4th to 7th January they advanced through the woods in deep snow and freezing conditions, taking the villages of Menil, Waharday, Rendeux and Grimbiemont and losing 105 men. On 8th January 51st (Highland Division) moved up to relieve them.
Right: Memorial plaque for XXX Corps in museum courtyard, Marche-en-Famenne
The 6th Airborne frontline ran from Tellin to Marche-en-Famenne by 5th January. Meanwhile the US First Army had taken back Trois-Points (the northern tip of Sixth Panzer Army's advance) on 3rd January while their VII Corps led an attack between Hotton and Manhay. They were heading for Houffalize, which was flattened by RAF bombers on the night of 5th/6th January.
"Fighting in the Ardennes reached a degree of savagery unprecedented on the western front" (Beevor). At On, near Jemelle, a 6th Airborne Sergeant was captured and then shot by panzergrenadiers. At Forrières, between Jemelle and Wavreille, two surrendering Germans were shot and and mown down by two British armoured cars next to the station.
The Germans left Jemelle on 8th January and by 9th January 6th Airborne Division occupied the villages Grupont, Forrières, Jemelle and Hargimont (between Rochefort and Marche-en-Famenne). The order had been given for Waffen-SS Divisions and 2nd Panzer (who'd reached the tip of the salient) to be withdrawn while the Wehrmacht (regular German army) held the line, protecting the retreat. They were also protected by severe weather and poor visibility.
Lt. Williams and his troop had now moved up to another village and he found time to write to Chotie on 8th January: "It’s very cold here and there’s still plenty of snow about, though not very much has fallen during the last few days. We’re in another village now – a very charming little place, about the size of Blandford. The people, needless to say, are all exceptionally kind to us – I did all the billeting for the Squadron and found no difficulty in fixing up everyone. I’m living with a very charming family who do everything they possibly can to make things as pleasant as they can be, under these circumstances. They press me to have all meals with them but of course I decline most invitations."
Their billets were not always so comfortable. Tony Rampling recalled one night the troop was sleeping in a very rough barn. He and another man were sent on foot through the snow to get the precious rum ration - "very thick black stuff; we were given one or two spoonfuls each night". Sipping this on the way back they became "fairly high" and Tony swore at Lt. Williams: “When are you going to get us out of this .... place?" He was lucky not to be put on a charge. Maybe he should have been grateful for the barn: "if you had to sleep in an armoured car it was like sleeping in a fridge. I never was so cold in my life as in the Ardennes.” In the hills temperatures dropped to minus 20 degrees and there was deep snow over lethally frozen roads.
La Roche-en-Ardenne on the River Ourthe
La Roche-en-Ardenne had been held by the German Fifth Panzer Army since 21st December. As a critical crossing point for the river Ourthe it was repeatedly bombed by the US Airforce, destroying 90% of the town. On 9th January XXX Corps' 51st (Highland) Infantry Division began their advance via Hodister and Ronchamps to La Roche - although, according to Don Aiken, 61st Reconnaisssance checked out the town on 7th January. By 11th January they
were working along the river Ourthe, which flows from Hotton, through La Roche to Houffalize.
US First Army were clearing enemy from the other side of the Ourthe and British and US forces linked up in the centre of La Roche-en-Ardenne on 12th January; when the 51st Division, supported by 33rd Armoured Brigade (including the Northamptonshire Yeomanry), had 're-liberated' what was left of the town.
Left: Achilles tank destroyer, memorial to the liberation of La Roche-en-Ardenne Right: memorial plaque
Also on 12th January, in the village of Bande (between Rochefort and La Roche-en-Ardenne) a patrol of Canadian paras, working with the Belgian SAS for 6th Airborne, discovered the bodies of 34 civilians massacred by SS troops on Christmas Eve. This was apparently a revenge killing for attacks by the Belgian Resistance.
XXX Corps continued to clear the west bank of the Ourthe with 51st (Highland) Division taking the villages of Nisramount and Ortho on the 13th January and Warempage on the 14th, when the entire west bank was cleared. One British battalion advanced as far as Engreux to the south, in an attack behind the back of the German defence line. This was XXX Corps' last contact with the enemy in the Ardennes.
XXX Corps advance south of the German salient
On 10th January 6th Airborne began their advance from east of Rochefort towards St Hubert, which had been captured by the Panzer Lehr on 24th December. 61st Reconnaissance were asked to investigate the town and Lt. Laing of C Squadron was ordered back to the nearby Val de Poix (also known as Poix St Hubert) on the river L'Homme. Having lost one armoured car to a mine, he went forward on foot and established that the village was still held by Germans. The next day, to regain contact with the enemy, he repaired the Libin-Hatrival bridge over the L'Homme and got his cars across, clearing the mines and booby trap obstacles on the far side.
Right: Poix St Hubert station, Val de Poix
The
roads were impossible: "Towards the end of the campaign, frost, mines and blown bridges made further advance impossible except on foot. We were asked to investigate Saint Hubert, which was strictly in the American boundary. Lieutenant Spreag, on his first operation as troop leader, started by carrier (a tracked vehicle). When that was blown up on a mine he transferred himself to a horse (first time on horseback). With two Belgian woodsmen he rode to the outskirts of St Hubert, then straight through it. The Bosches had just left. That night the BBC reported that British Armoured cars had entered St Hubert, and the next morning the Corps Commander (Lt-General Alexander Galloway) sent a liaison officer to congratulate us on being the first to enter St Hubert, and would we please never go there again, as the Americans were not pleased." (Account by Lt-Colonel Brownrigg, commander of 61st Recce)
Left: St Hubert Town Hall Centre: St Hubert cathedral
St Hubert was technically liberated by the US 87th Infantry Division. French paratroopers (the French SAS were protecting the left flank of the American Army) chased out the last of the Germans and hoisted the French flag over the town hall on 11th January.
Near right: plaque to the French Paras on house near St Hubert town hall
Centre right: plaque to the US 87th Infantry Division on St Hubert town hall steps.
Far right: monument to les Chasseurs Ardennais, Belgian infantry originally recruited from local volunteers to form an elite unit.
“The next day Lieutenant Spreag, now with Lieutenant Abercrombie, walked 20 miles through shocking country beset with mines to contact the British Divisions to the north. When they reached the Airborne Brigadier he was so impressed that he at once offered them jobs. By the end of their two-day two-man operation they had walked over 50 miles.” (Brownrigg)
The snow, cold and battle found other victims. On 12th January Lt. Compton-Bishop, commander of 7 Troop, A Squadron and now a Captain, was lost in the Ardennes. Lt Compton-Bishop had adopted the fox cub, found by his men in April 1944, which became the regimental mascot. It lived in his armoured car and he would take it for walks on a lead. No further trace of the Captain or the fox was ever found.
The end of the battle
By 15th January XXX Corps' work in the Ardennes was done and troops were withdrawn to the north. The US First Army, with XXX Corps, had met up with US 3rd Army outside Houffalize on 13th January. 5th Panzer Army withdrew towards Houffalize on 14th January and 2nd Panzer Division set up a defence line in front of the town, resulting in a ferocious tank battle. However, US First Army's VII Corps entered the town on the night of 15th/16th January to find little sign of the enemy. The German bridgehead to the west had been removed.
At midnight on 17th January US First Army reverted to the control of Bradley's 12th Army group. Neither he nor Eisenhower ever forgave Montgomery for the arrogance and insensitivity with which he had led their combined forces. The Battle of the Ardennes was an American victory and an American grief. They suffered c. 75,000 casualties with over 8,000 killed; the British (less than 10% of the Allied force) lost c. 400; 200 killed. Germany had c. 80,000 men, dead, wounded and missing. 101st Airborne Division, heroes of Bastogne, suffered the highest death rate in the battle (535 men killed) and were at last moved out on 17th January. The Americans continued to push back the German line, re-taking the remnants of St Vith on 23rd January and by 29th January the front was close to it's position on 15th December.
Return to Izegem
While Montgomery ensured that all British forces who had fought in the Ardennes got a break in Brussels if they wanted to (Tony Rampling remembered they stayed in a very lively area; Roy Howard was still in central Brussels near Saint-Josse-ten-Noode on 22nd January), Eric Postles went straight back to Izegem:
"We got a couple of letters from our Belgian family, the last one telling us we would be returning home to Iseghem. This proved true because in the middle of January British troops were withdrawn from the Ardennes and we were told that despite everything we would still disband. The roads were atrocious as we drove independently through Mons and Ath and it was dark by the time we reached Kortrijk where we had a close encounter with a tram when we got stuck in the tramlines.
We had a very happy reunion with the family who told us they had postponed their New Year celebrations until our return. Marty and I went to church with the family and visited all the relatives for celebrations of our safe return, saving Belgium and to welcome the New Year. In the meantime we finally handed in all our vehicles and equipment. It was sad to see our carrier go. It had never let us down thanks to Jimmy Page, our driver, who was an excellent mechanic. We had a stand down parade and a regimental dance to which, after getting permission from Mum and Dad, we took the girls and Charles (Jeanne’s boyfriend, later her husband) which made their day."
Lt. Williams wrote in his diary that he 'Arrived Sintobins' on 13th January and later, in a letter to Chotie: "Once again I’m with the Sintobins and living in complete luxury, which is quite a welcome break for us. You’ll find two photographs enclosed that they took, just as I was leaving the last time, to slow up von Runstedt a little. You’ll see a look of calm purposefulness (?) written all over my face.
They really are a fine family here – I must certainly make the effort to see them again after the war. They gave a dinner for us – my Squadron leader Brian Coote (Sandhurst mate), Ronnie and myself – last night which was a great success."
These were the last days of 61st Reconnaissance Regiment.
They were disbanded on 5th February 1945 and often recalled their last happy days together in the Flanders town.
Right: Izegem war memorial.
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