Posted by Snafu | Comments : (0)
Category : Belgium
Tags: 12. SS Panzer Div (HJ), 16th Century, 17th Century, 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry, 2. SS Panzer Div (DR), 21st December 1944, 29th Armoured Brigade (UK), 33rd Armoured Brigade (UK), 3rd Armored Division, 4th Cavalry Group (US), 51st Highland Division (UK), 53rd Welsh Infantry Division (UK), 560th Volksgrenadier Division, 5th Century, 6th Airborne Division (UK), 705th TDB (US), 75th Infantry Division (US), 84th Infantry Division (US), 8th Century, 9th Century, Aisne River, Amonines, Army Air Force, Bastogne, Beffe, Belgian Ardenne, Belgium, Belgæ, Bertogne, Bourdon, British 30th Corps, British Paratroopers, Bure, Celle, Cheoux, Clément Léonard, Concy Ridge, Cordwainers, Dean Geubel, Devantave, Dochamps, East Lancashire Regiment, Emperor Constantine II, Emperor Domitian, Erneuville, Favay, Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery, Forge à la Play, Frankish, Franks, French, Führer Begleit Brigade, Gaul, Gen Alexander R. Bolling, Gen Courtney H. Hodges, Gen Lawton J. Collins, Gen Maurice Rose, Gen von Waldenburg, Germanic, Grimbiemont, Haberdashers, Hampteau, Hez de Harzé, Highlanders, Hives, Hotton, Houffalize, Hubermont, Jemelle, La Roche, La Roche en Ardenne, Magoster, Manhay, Marche, Marcouray, Marcourt, Marenne, Mélines, Menil-Favay, Meuse River, Mierchamps, Nassogne, Neolithic, Nossogne, Oppidum, Ortheuville, Ortho, Ourthe River, Pepin of Herstal, Rendeux-Bas, Rensiwez Water Mill, Rochefort, Roman, Rome, Sadzot, Samree, Soy, Tanners, Task Force Hogan, Task Force Kane, Task Force Tucker, Tourism, Trinal, US 1st Army, US Artillery, Verdenne, VII Corps, Villez, Weavers, Wy
Let me tell you about this lovely little Belgian city called : La Roche. Nestling in a leafy setting on the banks of the Ourthe River, La Roche, the Jewel of the Ardenne, has a fascinating past, a wealth of history, legends, and even a ghost. We know the La Roche area was already inhabited in Neolithic times, 20 centuries before our own era. The ancient Belgæ built an oppidum (hill fort) on this rocky outcrop, where the castle now stands. In 57 BC, Ardenne like Gaul had to submit to the yoke of Rome. A fortlet was built to replace the oppidum. Excavations in La Roche have found coins dating from the time of Emperor Domitian (AD 81-96) and Constantine II (AD 337-340). Taking advantage of the decline of Rome, the Franks, a Germanic people, invaded our country in the 5th century. Under the Frankish occupation in the 8th century, Pepin of Herstal turned the Roman fort into a hunting lodge. The first castle was built in the 9th century and was at its peak between the 12th and 17th centuries. In the following century, faced with attacks from the French, the castle was turned into a fortress. After 1721, a slow decline set in. A proposal to restore it was made in 1744, but never came to anything. Abandoned and neglected, the castle fell into ruin. Excavation started here in 1995, projected to finish by the end of 1999. There is a project afoot with plans already drawn up for a partial reconstruction.
Continue Reading >>>
Area visited today on one heavy rainy day : Sourbrodt and the British Bomber Crash site along the Russian Labor Camp (POW)(Bosfagne) then up to Elsenborn Proving Ground and down to Nidrum, Wirtzfeld, Krinkelt, Rocherath, to the little bridge over the Jahnsbach River, then back to Lt Charles B. MacDonald’s (23/2ID) own 1944 foxhole (CP), CMH Winner Sgt Lopez’s (23/2ID) first heavy machine gun position, second heavy machine gun position and withdrawal path. Then up to the German Border along the International Highway (393/99ID), back to the 5 destroyed Panther Tanks’ road (from water tower to Rocherath), up then to Haselpath. We were lucky (again and as usual) and found the base of one Screaming Mamie that was fired from Germany to Belgium in December 1944 and will now fly again, from Belgium to United Sates.
Before I am posting the photos I want everyone to know the beautiful work done along the Hasepath to rebuilt original World War Two combat positions (German and American), Aid Station, CP.
See photos.
Continue Reading >>>
Posted by Snafu | Comments : (1)
Category : 099th-IR(S)(V), Battle of the Bulge
Tags: 1. SS Panzer Division LSSAH, 116. Panzer Division, 12. SS Panzer Div (HJ), 12. Volksgrenadier Division, 18 Volksgrenadier Division, 1F/A, 2/ID, 21/AG, 272. Volksgrenadier division, 277. Volksgrenadier division, 28th Infantry Division, 2nd Inf Div, 3 Fallschirmjäger Division, 3. Panzergrenadier Division, 3/A, 30th Photo Recon Squadron, 326. Infanterie Division, 326. Volksgrenadier division, 4th Infantry Division, 560 Volksgrenadier Division, 6/AG, 62 Volksgrenadier Division, 67th Tact Recon Grp, 7/A, 78th Inf Div, 8/C, 83rd Infantry Division (US), 8th Infantry Division US, 9/A, 9/ID, 99/ID, 99th Inf Div, 9th Armd Div, Aachen, Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur W. Tedder, Auw, Battle of the Bulge, Belfort, Bielefeld, Bollendorf, Bonn, Bulge, Camp Elsenborn, Colmar, Cologne, Düren, Düsseldorf, Euskirchen, Field Marshal Sir Bernard L. Montgomery, Field Marshal von Rundstedt, Frankfurt Gate, French Border, Gen Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gen Georges S. Patton's, George C. Marshall, Heinsberg, Hürtgen Forest, Jülich, Kaiserslautern, Kesternich, Koln, Krefeld, Krinkelt, Kuchelscheid, Kyll River, Lammersdorf, Lanzerath, Losheim, Lt Gen Alexander M. Patch, Lt Gen Courtney H. Hodges, Lt Gen Jacob L. Devers, Lt Gen Omar N. Bradley, Lt Gen William H. Simpson, Luxeùbourg Border, Maastricht, Maj Gen Leonard T. Gerow, Maj Gen Norman D. Cota, Maj Gen Raymond O. Barton, Maj Gen Troy H. Middleton, Manderfeld, Monschau, Monschau Forest, Moselle River, Mutzenich, Our River, Ouren, Rhine River, Roer Dam, Roer River, Rollesbroich, Ruhr River, Saar River, Sauer River, Saverne Gap, Schnee Eifel, Schwammenauel See, St Vith, Strasbourg, Urft Dam, Urftalsperre See, Waal River, Wallerscheid, West Wall
If the Krauts crack the defenses in the North Shoulder, they won’t surround the 101/AB Division in Bastogne, but the entire 1st Army in Belgium.
Continue Reading >>>
