Historical Timeline of Events

Last Battles in the Western Rur Valley.

by Rainer Monnartz

Dec. 10, 1944 (Sunday)

Moving down from Kleinhau and Großhau, units of the 83rd Infantry Division (US) begin the advance on Gey and Straß. The approaches have partly been mined and so the tanks in particular continually get stuck. Sections of the infantry are even cut off for awhile, due to a German counter-attack.

Dec. 11, 1944 (Monday)

Despite a mass attack by the Germans, the encircled soldiers of the 330 Infantry Regiment (US) are able to hold their ground.

Dec. 12, 1944 (Tuesday)

The Americans finally achieve the breakthrough to the Rur plain near Düren. With the concentrated support of the 774th Tank Battalion (US), they achieve not only the freeing of the encircled infantry in Straß (and with it the capture of the town), but also the occupation of Gey and, west of Düren, Echtz and Merken.

HORIZONTAL FLOURISH LINE



Source:
Original text by Rainer Monnartz, Geschichtsverein Hürtgenwald e.V.
German to English translation made by Scorpio and Christine Greenthaner.

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