Siegfried Line
60th Infantry, 3rd Bn., L Company, (9th Inf. Div.)
19 Sep - 15 Oct 1944

PATCH 9TH DIVISION

60TH INFANTRY CREST

26 September 1944

Early in the morning the 3rd platoon, L Company was returned to its parent organization. I Company sent out patrols from its position towards the southwest. L Company sent patrols south to the crossing of fire-breaks some 600 yards away. I Company hit enemy at a pillbox to its front (995321), while L had encountered none.

Throughout the day, enemy artillery fell intermittently on the area, hitting K Company facing the east more than it did L.

27 September 1944

The companies again sent out patrols, but as there was obviously too many enemy in the area they did not attack.

At 1200, the enemy attacked with infantry against the left flank of the battalion (K Company sector), but were repulsed. Later in the day, I Company also received an enemy counterattack, this one coming from the southwest. It was a strict infantry attack, as was the other one, each apparently having an approximately platoon of men.

28 September 1944

L Company pulled back from the position it had been holding for the past several days, to the firebreak at 000327, where it turned west and marched until it cut the main road running north and south at 987330. It then turned south approximately 300 yards, where it halted temporarily. In the march I Company had led, and K Company was in the rear. At this point, I Company, in a rough skirmish line, attacked east (south of the firebreak) to penetrate the woods some 500 yards (993325). L Company performed a similar maneuver, on the north side of the firebreak, to the left of I Company. L Company reached 995326. K Company did the same, reaching a position on the left rear of L Company (994327), facing to the north. This position was reached by 1600, and as the companies were moving in to territory formerly held by the 1st bn, there was no enemy opposition. (B company, 39th was immediately south of L Company's position).

The companies of the 3rd battalion were asked to attack to seize pillboxes south of their position, but as it was beginning to grow dark, the plan was postponed until the following morning. The companies therefore tied in at these positions for the night.

29 September 1944

In the morning, I Company swung 90 degrees to the right and attacked the pillbox to the south (994323), which mission it accomplished by 1000. I Company then moved farther south to take the next pillbox (995321), where the opposition turned out to be much more stiff.

PILLBOX #358
Earth covered pillbox #358 at map reference 994323.
Deadman´s Moor (Todtenbruch) is nowadays mostly farmland, in 1944 it was a forest.

DRAWING 2L Company was advancing on the left rear of I, and when the lead elements of the battalion hit the opposition of the second pillbox, L Company sent one platoon in a skirmish line around to flank the enemy from the east. The enemy still resisted with his small arms from in and around the pillbox. The 3rd platoon of L Company then did a further encircling action to the east, to join elements of I Company who had come around from the west. Since it was beginning to get late, approximately 1700, K Company was pushed between I and the 3rd platoon of L, while the 2nd platoon skirted west of the pillbox to a position to the south. There was still a gap of some 50 yards between K Company and L Company, when the companies tied in for the night.

30 September 1944

Sometime during the early morning, an enemy patrol of 15 men slipped through the gap between L and A Companies and reached the pillbox. When the companies began to move against the pillbox in the morning, therefore, they found the opposition even more stiff. Snelling therefore went to the battalion CP with the proposition that if he bypassed the pillbox and went to the road, which was his objective, that the enemy would be forced to withdraw. This plan was approved, and at 1000, the battalion moved south to cut the road in the vicinity of 991315. L moved east of the firebreak as they approached the road, while I moved on the west. The position was reached within an hour. I came south to get the knoll beyond the road; (992315) L remained north (993316); and K moved in on the northwest (991316). This position was held for the night.

HORIZONTAL FLOURISH LINE



Source: N.A.R.A. Archives

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