Battle for Bastogne 19-26th December

[El Savior]

I need information about German units who fight against 101st and Command Combat B/R in Bastogne during 19th and 26th December. 19th December 3rd Pz Regiment attacked to Noville, which battalions German used? According to Seven roads to hell by Donald R. Burgett German also used Tigers. Were they from 506th Heavy Battalion? I believe 3rd Pz Regiment was around 80% strenght.

Also 19th December 902nd Panzergrenadier regiment from Pz Lehr attacked to Marville, defended by Team Hyduke. How many battalions did they use and what was 902nd strenght. What about 2nd pz Div and Pz Lehr support units? How many artillery battalions and were there any Nebelwerfer units? Donald R. Burgett is telling about German rocket artillery during Noville attack on 19th.

Any additional information about battles&units used before 26th is also welcomed.

[V. Andries]

Hi Savior,

I'm afraid there were no Tigers committed to the Battle of Bastogne between 19th and 26th December. s.Pz.Abt. 506 and s.SS-Pz.Abt.501 arrived later.
It is common to read about Tigers in post-war accounts by Allied soldiers, when there were actually no Tigers around (just like almost every German gun was an '88'). Understandably, the reputation of the Tiger, together with the confusion on the battlefield and the similarity of the PzIV's silhouet to the Tiger's, are likely reasons why at times other Panzer were mistaken for Tigers. Still I greatly enjoyed reading Burgett's account.

For great details on the strenghts of Pz-Lehr and 2.Pz, I refer to Jeff Dugdale's Volume 4A of his series on the Panzer units in the West.

15. Volks-Werfer-Brigade was assigned to XXXXVII. Pz-Korps, but 2.Pz's Art.-Rgt 74 also had a Nebelwerfer battery of its own.

Hope this helps,

Andries

P.S. The village isn't called Marville, but Marvie.

[El Savior]

Actually I was talking about Mageret, where Team Hyduke withdrew after night battle 19th December. Thanks for other info, they were useful.

I have problems to make OOB for LXVII Pz. Korps.

How many batteries Volkswerfer Brig 15 had?
15 VW Brig. what about this unit?
182 Flak Sturm Reg. How many battalion and guns?
600 Combat Engineer Battalion, did they have bridge crossing equipments?

Also Pz Lehr had 243 StuG Brig (according to Danny S. Parker's Battle of the Bulge they had 18 StuGs) How many battalion/companies?

Have anyone more info about these units?

[El Savior]

It's hard to find info which German regiments and battalions engaged 101st Airborne Division and Combat Command B and R.

Any correction to battle timeline is welcome:

19th December

0200 158th Combat Engineer Battalion (US) report that outpost at Mageret is overrun.

0500 After battle with Team Dyduke (Combat Command B) between Longville and Bourcy 902nd Panzergrenadier was in Mageret. Having siezed Mageret during night, 902nd began an attack designed to take Bastogne. Team Cherry (Combat Command B) fight against them around Neffe. Was this full 902nd regimental attack?

0530 2nd Pz. division forward elements of half-tracks clashes with Team Desobry north of Noville. Any info which units from 2nd Panzers? Recon battalion?

1030 2nd Panzer attacked toward Noville. There was about 14 tanks and about battalion infantry. Was this 2nd Panzergrenadier regiment battalion? Same(?) force attacked later afternoon with about 30 tanks and infantry. This was around 1500.

501st Airborne Regiment Company I was later in Wardin and ambushed German 25-man patrol (from Pz. Lehr). Pz. Lehr detached part of his reconnaisance battalion to counter this thread. Later Team O'Hara sent his tanks into Wardin, but it was empty. Tanks retired to Marvie and late in the evening Panzer Lehr occupied Wardin. Any info which German units these were?

26th Panzergrenadier regiments spend most of the day chopping down American column trapped between Mageret and Longvilly. American force was from Team Cherry (?), Combat Command B. When they 26th finished and moved towards Mageret?

During night 19-20th 2nd Panzer did probe attacks toward Noville. Did they receive reinforcements during night?

20th December

Noville. 2nd Pz attack to Noville (2nd panzergrenadier regiment?) from the north. 304th panzergrenadier regiment (?) cut road between Noville and Foy. Are these full regiments?

Bizory. 26th division attack with 77th regiment (full?) towards Bizory and Hill 510, goal is village Luzery, just north of Bastogne.

Team Ryerson (part of Team Cherry, Combat Command B?) is still holding Mageret.

0730 2nd Panzer division attack to Longchamps northwest from Bastogne. How many battalions and from which regiment?

1125 Four tanks and six half-tracks attack to Marvie. Is this battalion from 901st or 902nd regiment?

21-26th December

26th Volksgrenadier Division had three regiments: 39th Fusiliergrenadier, 77th Volksgrenadier and 78th Volksgrenadier. Due to previous battle losses, the 26th Volksgrenadier Division was without one regiment. Which one was missing? When 26th was able to put both regiments to attack?

23rd December 560th Volksgrenadier Division arrives with 1128th, 1138th and 1129th regiments from northeast. 1128th Regiment attacked trough Noville to Longchamp. Was 560th Division under LXVII Panzer Korps? What was it strenght?

Are there any other regiments engaged until US 4th Armoured arrives 26th December?

4th Armored, 37th Armored Battalion was first to arrive to Bastogne. How many tanks / companies did they have?

Lot of questions. I hope even some can be answered. :)