The 'All Souls Day' Battle (continued)

by Rainer Monnartz

Nov. 4, 1944 (Saturday)

Weather: as on previous days.

U.S. TROOPS

Despite violent defensive fire from pillboxes at Raffelsbrand and Ochsenkopf, and a descent over steep rock slopes into the Kall valley, the 110th US Inf.Rgt. can take Simonskall; however it can't breach the Raffelsbrand chain of pillboxes.

German Troops

The artillery is reinforced considerably.

Strengthened by the 116 Pz.Div, the Germans regroup themselves; during the day they become a serious threat for the Americans, at the heights around Schmidt.

Hürtgen Area

The 109th US Inf.Rgt. holds against the bulk of the advancing Infantry Regiment of the 116. (GE) PzDiv. From Hürtgen, InfRgt. 156 (GE) approaches Vossenack.

Kall Valley

A chain of 5 tanks of the 707th Tank Battalion tries to drive down into the Kall Gorge, in order to reach Kommerscheidt and Schmidt. The narrow Kall Trail with rocky outcrops, bad roadbed, and littered with abandoned tanks and equipment, obstructs the delivery of vital supplies to the US troops in Schmidt. The bad state of the trail only becomes known to the American leadership in the evening; it is ordered that the path must be cleared by use of all means.

While US engineers are able (partially by blasting) to clear the trail [from] of abandoned tanks from the day before, a German tank battalion moves forward in the direction of Mestrenger Mill.

Schmidt area

During the night and with much effort, 3 American transportation vehicles "Weasel" are able to deliver some antitank- mines and weapons in Schmidt.

0730	The 112th US Inf.Rgt. is woken by a German artillery assault from the batteries positioned on the Brandenberg-Bergstein ridge.
0800	Americans report that the Germans are in Harscheidt, preparing themselves for the attack.
0850	Americans answer the artillery fire. The Germans attack Schmidt from different directions, but mainly from Harscheidt und Hasenfeld (in the Roer valley), with infantry and tanks. Not only the attack comes as a complete surprise for the Americans, it is also led with such force that the men of the 112th US Inf.Rgt. withdraw from Schmidt to Kommerscheidt, sustaining heavy losses. The American soldiers partially discard their arms and equipment. In the open terrain, they are mowed down by tanks and MG-fire.
1100	Schmidt again in German hands.
around 1400	Coming from Schmidt, and without infantry-support, German tanks roll forward towards Kommerscheidt, where survivors of the American "Schmidt-Massacre" regroup themselves. However, the Germans no longer reach Kommerscheidt on this day, because they can't overcome the concentrated barrage of the American artillery.

In the evening Schmidt is hopelessly shot-up, and the meadows and fields between Schmidt and Kommerscheidt are scattered with craters, ammunition and corpses.

Nov. 5, 1944 (Sunday)

Weather: Fog and icy cold, during the day the weather clears, this makes a first big air raid possible.

Kall Valley

Around 03.00 o'clock in the night, the Kall trail is finally open

Six remaining tanks of Hostrup's Company A / 707th (US) and 9 M10 tank destroyers (Company B / 893rd Tank Destroyer Battalion) , cross the Kall river and join the defenders of Kommerscheidt.

Since US engineers didn't prepare protective positions along the Kall Trail, a line of defense is set up by the Americans at the woods' edge, just south of Vossenack.
From this line of defense, they want to defend Kall Bridge and Mestrenger Mill.

The Aufklärungsabteilung (A.A.) of the 116. PzDiv., strengthened by the DivBegleitKp, take off from Zweifallshammer, in order to advance to Mestrenger Mill. In the evening, the A.A. of the 116. PzDiv. pushes through to Mestrenger Mill and links up with GrenRgt 1056, which has already moved forward into the Kall valley from the southwest.

The bridge at the Mestrenger Mill is defended only by weak American forces. The American units are destroyed, and the vital supply route towards Kommerscheidt is again cut off.

The Germans mine the Kall trail again and set up wooden barricades on both sides of the Kall valley. Parts of the A.A. 116. PzDiv. control the open ground south of Vossenack. American supply vehicles and reinforcements run into the ambush, run on mines or get overpowered by excellent defensive positions.

Hürtgen Area

No notable change in the situation.

Schmidt area

Although American tanks pull through to Kommerscheidt, the situation is not only critical - it is hopeless. The Germans fire with everything they have to destroy the Americans in Kommerscheidt, who finally can't take it any longer. First the battalion-commander suffers a nervous breakdown, then individual GIs flee in the twilight, and in the end whole companies return back into the forest and stumble up the slopes of the Kall valley back to Vossenack. Quite a lot don't make it and entrench themselves under shot-up trees in the wet , cold soil.

Nov. 6, 1944 (Monday)

Weather: Fogs, rain, from noon air-support possible.

Vossenack area

The German counter attack set at 04.00 o'clock (116th PzDiv) with 4 battalions is postponed on the basis that preparation for the attack is not completed.

In the early morning hours the II./PzGrenRgt 60 (GE) apparently makes two attempts to take the eastern part of the village, attacking from the southeast and the south. The attacks are repulsed by the Americans.

Available German units for the attack on Vossenack:

II. /156 PzGrenRgt. (GE), from the north

II./ 60 InfRgt.(GE), from the east

I. /156 PzGrenRgt. (GE) has the order to advance up to the Germeter - Bosselbach road in order to prevent a flanking movement from the direction of Germeter.

Beginning of the attack: 11,00 o'clock from Tiefenbachtal (Tiefenbach valley) and Lucasmühle (Lucas Mill) (since early morning Vossenack is already under heavy German artillery fire)

Panic breaks out among the American troops (2nd. Bn / 112 (US) Inf.Rgt.). Soldiers throw away their weapons and equipment and, losing their heads, run crying towards the village center. Exactly at this moment devastating German artillery fire is launched on the village. The Americans can't hold on any longer. Brave, level-headed officers and NCO's try their hardest to stop the stream of fleeing soldiers. They succeed in stopping some men and forming a thin skirmish line of approximately 70 soldiers in the area of the church.

The 146th Engineer Combat Battalion is ordered into Vossenack for the reinforcement of the Americans, and is committed as infantry.

Around 18:00 o'clock, the Germans have ventured up to the church and there encounter the massive American defense. A fierce man-to-man fight develops around the church, using Panzerfäusten, spades, bayonets, knives and bare hands.

Between 22:00 - 23:00 o'clock, up to the next morning, the church is in German hands, after changing hands several times.

Kall Valley

Again fights continue in the Kall Valley the whole night.

The Kall Valley is firmly in German hands. Three heavy German machine guns are nestled in the rocky slopes of the Teufelsley (situated south of Vossenack, on the other side of the Kall river). They control most river crossings and the Kall bridge.

The Americans pull the 3rd Bn 110th Inf.Rgt. out of the Raffelsbrand area. Supported by a platoon of tank destroyers and a company of light tanks and tanks and TDs already at Kommerscheidt, they are ordered to retake Schmidt.

Strength: 3rd Bn / 110th Inf.Rgt. : about 300 men
one tank Bn. possessing only 9 tanks
T.D. Bn. has only 7 tanks

2nd Bn. 110th Inf.Rgt. crosses the Kall Gorge by way of a firebreak parallel with the Kall trail and, before dawn, reconnaissance troops of Panzer-Aufklarungs-Abteilung 116 are pushed back some hundred meters to the east; as a result the Kall trail is temporarily open again.

The A.A. 116. PzDiv. (GE) is pushed back to the east, however during the night from Nov 6 to 7, moves back in again and destroys B Co. / 1340th Eng.Cbt.Bn. The supply route of the Americans to Kommerscheidt is now finally cut off.

Schmidt area

1st Bn / 112th Inf.Rgt. is under heavy bombardment. The tank strength drops to six tanks and three tank destroyers.

Hürtgen Area

The chaos in Vossenack calls the V (US) Corps into action. In order to avoid further chaos, the 109th (US) Inf.Rgt. is replaced by the 12th (US) Inf.Rgt. of the 4th (US) Inf.Div.

Nov 7, 1944 (Tuesday)

>Weather: Rainy, from approximately 11.45 o'clock air-support possible

Hürtgen Area

German engineers lay antipersonnel mine barriers in front of their positions. Beginning of the placement of the minefield "Wilde Sau" between Germeter-Wittscheidt and Hürtgen, on both sides of the present road B399 (until 11.11.1944). "Wilde Sau" (Wild Boar) was the biggest, best known and most feared minefield in the Huertgen Forest.

Vossenack

At night both sides make plans to attack each other. Towards 08.00 o'clock the American artillery shoots first.

Fighting continues in the village center. The church and graveyard change hands several times.

Up until afternoon, the 146th (US) Engineer Combat Battalion, supported by tanks and units of the the 109th (US) Inf.Rgt., once again drive the Germans out of Vossenack.

The German 156. and 60. PzGrenRgt in Vossenack are depleted to a fighting strength of approximately 50 men. In the afternoon, they still hold some houses in the area of Halmes Mill.

Schmidt area

The 1. Btn / 24. Pz.Reg. of the 116. PzDiv. (GE) is reinforced by sPanzerAbt. 519 (GE) with 5-8 Jagdpanther and the SturmPzAbt. 217 (GE) with 20 tanks "Hummel" ("Bumble-Bee").

1st Bn / 112th (US) Inf.Rgt. has only a few operational tanks at its their disposal. In this manner, the Germans succeed in taking Kommerscheidt quickly in the morning. Only few surviving Americans draw back to the positions of the 3rd Bn /110th (US) Inf.Rgt., at the forest edge north of Kommerscheidt, where parts of C/112 (US) already are. Others succeed in escaping down the hillside of the Kall gorge, in order to then run directly in the MG fire of the Germans.

Kall Gorge

Mestrenger Mill is in German hands again.

It becomes clear to the American leadership that another attack is pointless, all troops located south of the Kall river are withdrawn.

The GrenRgt 1056 (GE), has closed the gap between Simonskall and Mestrenger Mill.

Only during the night and in small groups can the Americans sneak through the German lines.

Of the 2.000 men who went into the attack south of the Kall river, only about 300 returned to the Germeter assembly area.

German armed forces report:....

The supreme command of the armed forces announces:

.... by concentric of our tanks and infantry in the occupied area of Germeter, more terrain was cleared of the enemy and the ring was more firmly closed around the cut off force. 15 tanks of the opponent were destroyed, 3 others as well as numerous vehicles were captured and 7 fighter aircraft were shot down.

Nov 08, 1944 (Wednesday)

Kall Gorge

The 3rd Battalion of the 109th Infantry Regiment is withdrawn from Hürtgen and ordered, together with the 1340th Engineer Combat Battalion, to take up positions along the Kall trail and cover the withdrawal of the 112th (US) Inf.Rgt.

From north to south, the A.A. of the 116 PzDiv. (GE) and GrenRgt. 1056 (GE) has established a firm front. The dividing line is in the vicinity of Mestrenger Mill.

The balance of operation “Schmidt” is disastrous for the Americans: of the two battalions who went into the attack, about 300 men can fight their way back to Vossenack. More than 6,000 men are either killed, wounded or taken prisoner. After the end of war in the Pacific in August 1945, the Americans come to the following conclusion:
It is the heaviest loss suffered by one of its divisions during the entirety of World War II.

The Germans also pay a high price: 3,000 men lost.

The war theater of the “Allerseelenschlacht” (All Souls Battle) symbolizes the senseless death and destruction in the war: Vossenack, Schmidt and Kommerscheidt are practically leveled to the ground; as far the eye can see, the hill slopes between Germeter and Schmidt are littered with broken equipment and bodies.

It is incomprehensible to the Germans that the Americans have led an attack of this extent into the forest, despite the clear stiffening of German resistance. The low tactical and strategic success certainly has not provided justification for the high losses. Due to lack of German force, there was no threat of a large German operation through the forest. Also, in view of the heavy losses, the engagement of stronger German forces, thus preventing their revitalization, could also not be a cogent reason. On the other hand the Americans could not effectively use tanks and Air Force, which had proved decisive and crucial in previous engagements, in the Huertgenwald.

End of the The Battle for the Scheldt. Later that month the approaches to the port of Antwerp are freed of mines and the first Allied ships unload at Antwerp.

German armed forces report:....

The supreme command of the armed forces announces:

.... southeast of Stolberg, tanks and grenadiers destroy the cut-off Americans, and after fierce fighting the town of Kommerscheidt is also recaptured.
15 tanks of the opponent were destroyed, 2 other tanks as well as numerous vehicles were captured and 7 fighter aircraft were shot down.

Nov. 9, 1944 (Thursday)

The A.A. 116. PzDiv.(GE) permits the evacuation of American wounded men by litter bearers and lets the many walking- wounded men pass. A humanitarian action, which is only completed on 11.11.1944.

The Supreme Allied Commander, Dwight D. Eisenhower, visits the 28th Division's headquarter in Rott, where he meets General Norman D Cota. They discuss and analyze the Schmidt debacle in great detail. Generals Bradley, Hodges and Gerow also take part in this conversation.

It is decided to gradually withdraw the demoralized remnant of the 28th ID, by mid November at the latest, and to replace it with the fresh 8th Infantry Division.

In the upper Wehebach Valley, newly formed American units attack again. The conditions are disastrous: during the last couple of days, rain, snow and frost have made the area even more difficult. In these days, the Americans first coin the oft-quoted words, "Hell in the Huertgen Forest".

At today's B399 road, American infantry units try their luck at Hürtgen and the forestry house of Hürtgen. Successes are moderate, the losses on both sides are high.

Nov. 10, 1944 (Friday)

The heavy fights in the woods of the upper Wehebach valley, in the direction of Forestry House Hürtgen, continue with undiminished fierceness. This time the Americans believe they can achieve their goal by thorough artillery preparation. But when the infantry advances, it meets strong German tank units.

The terrain can't be recognized any more: charred stumps, shell craters, and large amounts of destroyed war equipment. Appropriately, the German soldiers baptize it "Wilde Sau" (= Wild Boar).

At the same time American infantry from Vossenack attacks in the direction of Forestry House Hürtgen. The direction of attack goes via “Kreuzheck”, an open area north of Vossenack church, and leads inevitably through the upper Bosselbachtal (tal = valley), where German artillery stops the attack.

Nov. 11, 1944 (Saturday)

The Americans change their strategy. That's why, for the time being, the fighting decreases in the Huertgen Forest.

In the Monschau area the strategy had been to go around east and south of Siegfried Line at all costs. Now the direction of attack is directed due east as a flank cover for "Operation Queen", which is planned to take place on a broad front on 16 November.

Out of this develops what war historians will later call the “Third Battle of the Huertgen Forest” (16. Nov. to 07. Dec.).

Nov. 12, 1944 (Sunday)

To the north of Vossenack, the Americans launch an artillery barrage on German positions. This time the assault of the American infantry is successful, the forestry house of Huertgen is taken.

Why the Americans at the same time abandon the eastern part of Vossenack without a fight, is unclear.

Nov. 13, 1944 (Monday)

The front line in the combat area of Vossenack is in thorough disarray, although not much heavy fighting is going on. Sometimes the soldiers do not know whether they have friend or foe in front of them. American reconnaissance troops patrol continuously and report on respective German units and their positions.

American infantry-units are partially pulled out for rest and refitting. This is also the case for the battered 12th Infantry Regiment, which is completely demoralized by the forest fights.

The Germans risk everything to recover the Forestry House Hürtgen, in which endeavor they also succeed in the late evening.

Nov. 14, 1944 (Tuesday)

The intensive preparations for “Operation Queen” have not remained hidden from the Germans.

Concentrated artillery fire by the Germans in the Aachen - Stolberg area and in the north at Venlo is noticed. For the time being the Americans and English are held up by this, however this is all the Germans achieve.

When German Panzergrenadiere carry out so-called “Säuberungsarbeiten” (= mopping-up activities), in the forest area southwest of Hürtgen, heavy fighting occurs, inflicting many casualties on the Americans.

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