The story
On the evening of the sixth of January the Battalion was moved to the vicinity of Stavelot in another sector of the front and its old positions at Malmedy were taken over by elements of the Thirtieth Division. The new positions were in a deep pine woods and the unit's thin line was within shouting distance of German defenses. Combat patrols were continually on the move and clashes with enemy units were frequent. Nights were dark, the woods deep, and heavy snow made action exceedingly difficult on both sides despite the proximity of the positions. The enemy was well supplied with skis and other winter equipment and their sector was heavily fortified. The Jerries had heavy concentrations of Nebelwerfers, mortars and artillery in direct support of the defensive and offensive action. Despite this the 99th took over offensive action and retained the initiative throughout this phase of the campaign.
There's more to discover
You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.