Post by Admin on Sept 5, 2010 18:14:36 GMT -5
Submitted by Richard Bledsoe
After Action Report
Actions of 442d RCT and 34th Infantry Division (Reenacted)
4 Oct I944
During the initial breakthrough of the XIX Corps (Consisting of units like the Ist and 9th Infantry Divisions and the 2d Armored Division) through the German West Wall, elements of the Allied Force found themselves beyond Palenburg after breaking through the array of tank traps and barbed wire. The Brigade sized units were separated into various combined arms Task Forces that spread into the hills and dug in on the night of 3-4 Oct. On 4 Oct the German counterattack had begun. Task Force I, a small combined group was deployed beyond Welßenhaus a large farm manor and the surrounding hills. As the main elements of the XIX Corps struck towards Aachen itself, many small intense actions were fought in the surrounding towns, villages, and countryside. Of this was Task Force 1 and the engagement at Welßenhaus.
Task Force I struck out in Jeeps and halftracks for their administrative movement to their defensive positions. The first half of the Force was dropped near a road junction where the 45th Field Hospital was being setup. The others were dropped along a crossroads which was a logical objective if the Germans should decide to attack or the Soldiers pushed forwards. The first group realized after an hour of digging in that they were not at any true objective and immediately moved on foot over a mile of hills to cross to the 2d Objective area. There the combined Task Force dug in and awaited what was now a known German counterattack. The force was deployed into a long line, covering the two ridge lines that formed to the left and right of the main road. The Allies also utilized a German bunker which had been abandoned during the initial breakthrough of XIX Corps. Elements of the German Waffen SS began probing the lines of the Allied units, which forced them to reinforce their right flank. The Germans eventually found a route around the line and appeared on a ridgeline perpendicular to the allied line. The Allies quickly realized this and refused their right flank to have something to hold against the German onslaught. A Task Force 1 Machinegun Team led by Staff Sergeant John Burgess quickly found itself in a bad position to be a part of the refusal and immediately relocated their weapon to the bunker guarding the road. Mixed elements of the 2d Armored, 9th Infantry and the 34th Infantry found themselves battling to hold onto the right flank of the allied line as the rest of the 34th and 2nd Armored, the 2nd Infantry and elements of the Ist British Airborne guarded the road against what had to be a German attack up the road. A probe of German infantry attacked along the right ridgeline and was promptly defeated by accurate rifle and machinegun fire from the center section of the road as well as the combined mortar platoon dug in behind the bunker. An attack by a halftrack and supporting infantry followed, the halftrack was destroyed by a M2 Heavy Machinegun and the infantry was picked off by the surrounding units and mortar fire. A third, stronger attack was launched spearheaded by another halftrack as well as some light vehicles and more infantry. Again the attacking elements were destroyed, the mortars taking a toll on the attacking units and the machinegun team destroying a German car and surrounding infantry as well, a brave show was put on by the Canadian forces as their T16 drove forward and destroyed a German armored car point blank with a heavy machinegun.
The fourth, final attack was spearheaded by German armor as well as a combined pincer which had elements on both flanks of the Allies and a strong middle attack up the road. The Center sections quickly ran into trouble when their M1919 ran out of ammunition and the mortars were having malfunctions. As a Panzer IIIJ drew nearer the Ist Para’s PIAT attempted to take it out and missed. The bunker was eventually overrun by a German assault that saw fierce but quick hand to hand fighting. The rest of the Allies had folded and attempted to reform another line at a ridgeline surrounded by trees on the reverse edge of the depression, but the Germans took the crossroads and it would take a later Allied counterattack to dislodge them and push them back. The Germans having spent their valuable, yet very limited resources during the Oct 4 counterattacks where easily pushed back, but made a telling of themselves before the outside areas of Aachen were secured. In less than two weeks Aachen itself would fall and the Lower Rhine would see itself in Allied hands, and the stage would be set for the complete invasion of Germany in the new year, but Hitler had one more surprise for the Allies...
The last known photo of the Task Force 1 Machinegun Team:
After Action Report
Actions of 442d RCT and 34th Infantry Division (Reenacted)
4 Oct I944
During the initial breakthrough of the XIX Corps (Consisting of units like the Ist and 9th Infantry Divisions and the 2d Armored Division) through the German West Wall, elements of the Allied Force found themselves beyond Palenburg after breaking through the array of tank traps and barbed wire. The Brigade sized units were separated into various combined arms Task Forces that spread into the hills and dug in on the night of 3-4 Oct. On 4 Oct the German counterattack had begun. Task Force I, a small combined group was deployed beyond Welßenhaus a large farm manor and the surrounding hills. As the main elements of the XIX Corps struck towards Aachen itself, many small intense actions were fought in the surrounding towns, villages, and countryside. Of this was Task Force 1 and the engagement at Welßenhaus.
Task Force I struck out in Jeeps and halftracks for their administrative movement to their defensive positions. The first half of the Force was dropped near a road junction where the 45th Field Hospital was being setup. The others were dropped along a crossroads which was a logical objective if the Germans should decide to attack or the Soldiers pushed forwards. The first group realized after an hour of digging in that they were not at any true objective and immediately moved on foot over a mile of hills to cross to the 2d Objective area. There the combined Task Force dug in and awaited what was now a known German counterattack. The force was deployed into a long line, covering the two ridge lines that formed to the left and right of the main road. The Allies also utilized a German bunker which had been abandoned during the initial breakthrough of XIX Corps. Elements of the German Waffen SS began probing the lines of the Allied units, which forced them to reinforce their right flank. The Germans eventually found a route around the line and appeared on a ridgeline perpendicular to the allied line. The Allies quickly realized this and refused their right flank to have something to hold against the German onslaught. A Task Force 1 Machinegun Team led by Staff Sergeant John Burgess quickly found itself in a bad position to be a part of the refusal and immediately relocated their weapon to the bunker guarding the road. Mixed elements of the 2d Armored, 9th Infantry and the 34th Infantry found themselves battling to hold onto the right flank of the allied line as the rest of the 34th and 2nd Armored, the 2nd Infantry and elements of the Ist British Airborne guarded the road against what had to be a German attack up the road. A probe of German infantry attacked along the right ridgeline and was promptly defeated by accurate rifle and machinegun fire from the center section of the road as well as the combined mortar platoon dug in behind the bunker. An attack by a halftrack and supporting infantry followed, the halftrack was destroyed by a M2 Heavy Machinegun and the infantry was picked off by the surrounding units and mortar fire. A third, stronger attack was launched spearheaded by another halftrack as well as some light vehicles and more infantry. Again the attacking elements were destroyed, the mortars taking a toll on the attacking units and the machinegun team destroying a German car and surrounding infantry as well, a brave show was put on by the Canadian forces as their T16 drove forward and destroyed a German armored car point blank with a heavy machinegun.
The fourth, final attack was spearheaded by German armor as well as a combined pincer which had elements on both flanks of the Allies and a strong middle attack up the road. The Center sections quickly ran into trouble when their M1919 ran out of ammunition and the mortars were having malfunctions. As a Panzer IIIJ drew nearer the Ist Para’s PIAT attempted to take it out and missed. The bunker was eventually overrun by a German assault that saw fierce but quick hand to hand fighting. The rest of the Allies had folded and attempted to reform another line at a ridgeline surrounded by trees on the reverse edge of the depression, but the Germans took the crossroads and it would take a later Allied counterattack to dislodge them and push them back. The Germans having spent their valuable, yet very limited resources during the Oct 4 counterattacks where easily pushed back, but made a telling of themselves before the outside areas of Aachen were secured. In less than two weeks Aachen itself would fall and the Lower Rhine would see itself in Allied hands, and the stage would be set for the complete invasion of Germany in the new year, but Hitler had one more surprise for the Allies...
The last known photo of the Task Force 1 Machinegun Team:
