MOVE to BELGIUM & the Front

[connie]

#1
After landing in France over a period of a week or so and camping out there in rain and mud, the division moved on toward the Belgian front. For most, at convoy speed, this was a trip that took two long days.

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St. Vith Fir Forest Location - (Dec 9th & 10th )

Dad ( Service Battery 590th FA BN) spoke of having camped in a fir forest near St Vith for 2 nights, just prior to relieving the 2nd division on the line... A few questions come to mind:

Did the whole division camp in the same fir forest before moving into position?

Could anyone locate the site on a map or at least give direction from St. Vith or road it was on?

Has anyone been back? Is this spot still forested? Has the tree girth changed?

Are there other questions I should be asking?

[Carl W.]

#2
Here's a current areal map of the road from St Vith to the town of Schönberg. I suspect that the camp site was in the forest located in the middle of the picture. I've highlighted the main road leading to Schönberg.



The area is densely forested and has changed little in 63 years.

Best regards
Carl

[connie]

#3
That makes a lot of sense.

Thank you for your help and the confirmation that this forest has changed little.

Dad reported that there was a good 18 inches or more of wet snow atop a layer of mud at the time...

Thanks again!
Connie

[connie]

#4
The trip to this region from France took the convoys two days. Then there was a wait before moving into position on line. This thread is open to comments on any aspects of that journey to the front.

[connie]

#5
Troops moving from France to the front arrived over several days. Most, I believe, ended up camping in the fir forests east of St. Vith for a night or two before moving in to replace the second division along an approximately 27 mile stretch of the Belgian front. Men of the 106th actually extended beyond Belgium several miles inside the German border.

[floydragsdale]

#6
Hello Connie:

The map doesn't help my memory. Men in rifle Companies rarely were orientated as to where we were. Like sheep, all followed our leaders to places they led us.

When the convoy (from France) ended, the 424th Regement was on a road to somewhere! There was an announcement "This is as far as you go". Troops disembarked the trucks. Signs of war littered the roadside; there were dead German Soldiers, wrecked & burned out German Military vehicles. It was cloudy, misty and the temperature near freezing.

The troops formed a column of "two's" and from that point hiked to a bivouac site on the edge of a forest. During the day fires were built to keep warm. As evening replaced daylight hours a German Spotter Plane (Bed-check Charlie) flew over and there were orders to "put those fires out." Everyone slept in their sleeping bags (no tents) and it began to snow! What a miserable night for us. Our outfit was located there for one, maybe two nights

The march to the front lines (less than a day) was by foot, cross country (hilly). There was snow on the ground, yet not much accumulation. When our Company (G Co.) reached 2nd Div. battle stations we were ca six miles inside Germany. There was a commanding view of the terrain to our front. Our Battle Stations were located along the Ardennes Forest Line. In front of us were the German "dragons teeth tank traps and "pill boxes (concrete bunkers) 500 to 1000 yards away. None of us were aware that the 106th Division was spread out for 27 miles of front lines. The date was the 12th of December. It was quiet for a few days. However, on the morning of the 16th of December all hell broke loose with german Artillery fire; the earths' foundations seemed to shake for the next two hours; then the German Armor and infantry came next & that lasted all day. From that time on, it was living hell for our Division!

The 106th Division, without a doubt, holds a record of being introduced to the art of warfare faster than any other Division in the U.S. Army.

Floyd
G Co., 2nd Btn., 424th Regiment

P.S. - The distance between us and our sister Regiment (423rd) was over 2,000 yards; a hole large enough for the Germans to break through.

For those who may care to know, a U.S. Army outfit called the "Red Ball Transportation Company" drove us, in their trucks (US Army vehicles) from France to the St. Vith Belgium area.

[roger]

#7
Floyd

This message board is fortunate to have your input! You were there.....and, therefore, your comments are first-hand, personal and accurate. Almost like having a live camera on the action.

Thanks!!!!!

Roger

[floydragsdale]

#8
Hi Roger:

Thank you for your kind thoughts.

Some of those days are still so very vivid in my memories; on the otherhand, some of them are a complete blank in my mind.

One thing is certain, I wouldn't care to do any of it again.

Floyd

[connie]

#9
THE ROUTE THERE:
With much of the Division, after landing in France, My dad camped in Limesy, France, north of Rouen. The route most took from France to the Belgian Front, according to notes from General Jones in The Cub of the Golden Lion Passes in Review was a northeasterly route that went past Cambrai, and Maubeuge, France and bivouacked for the night somewhere in the vicinity of Philippeville, Belgium. On their 2nd day of travel in the higher elevations, the Service Battery of the 590th Field Artillery experienced their first loss. Their warrant officer (
Claude Collins) was killed when he got out of his vehicle to help with a series of accidents that occurred in an ice storm. I believe there were injuries in other units during this time.

The division traveled over a number of days. Probably not all were caught up in this ice storm, but I am sure those who were remember it.