All I can say is that your point is: 1) Not self-evidently relevant to the conduct of the Battle of the Hurtgen Forest. 2) Highly disuptable in any case.
This is a fascinating thread - thanks to all. . I learn more every day. Some of the early links don't work for me now though.
There's a lot more info to be found on this battle in MacDonald's "Siegfried Line Campaign", a volume of the Official US Miltary History (see inside the book Part Four and on): http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/Siegfried/Siegfried%20Line/siegfried-fm.htm
By chance, I met the son of a German veteran of the Battle of the Hürtgen Forest. The guy is well over 90, a bit shaky, but mentally fit. He was injured, taken POW by the US Forces and send to a Florida camp and later to Scotland working on a farm until I think 1947. If there is interest among the Forum members, I could try to get his side of the story. Stefan.
Following a number of interviews and with the help of his son-in-law I was able to put together this brief story of someone of the other side of the Huertgenwald Battle. Gottfried is 95 today, but still remembers some of the details in 1944. Of course being 95, and not having written up anything in the past, I cannot guarantee all is 100% true, but since we asked the same questions on several occasions, comparing the answers and eventually were confident that this is pretty well what happened in these days some 71 years ago. “Huertgenwald Battle by Obgfr. (Lance Corporal) Gottfried Glauch My unit, a mix of the 275th Infantry Division and the 272nd Volksgrenadier Division with their commander Oberst Helmut Bechler was to defend the Rur Dam close to the village of Schmidt on November 3, 1944. The weather was really miserable, fog and rain and the ground was wet and muddy. The enemy was attacking us with heavy artillery fire. I was part of a machine gun MG-42 team providing the ammunition. When my comrade was killed with a shot in the head by a US sniper I went into hiding, because I feared they would next aim at me. I could also make them out hiding in the trees. At this moment our unit was already depleted of all heavy weapons and without any chance to win this battle. In a way I was lucky, because later in the battle I was wounded (shrapnel splinters in hips and bottom) and an SS Hauptmann send me in the direction of our field hospital. Without my rifle, but with a kind of stick I was trying to reach the field hospital, bleeding and in pains. On my way there I bumped into another wounded German soldier with a gut shot begging for help as soon as I would reach the hospital. I kept on crawling and was absolutely surprised to hear someone shouting “hands up”. They asked me to drop my weapon – the stick !, and I then realised the war was over for me. I was taken POW and while being taken away I tried to tell them that there was a comrade of mine just a few meters behind lying there and wounded very badly. The US soldiers found him, but I do not know his fate. Later I was interrogated and asked where the rest of my unit was hiding, but I kept quiet. The US troops eventually found them all by themselves. Following the primary care and together with a number of other captured men we were kept in a provisional POW camp. Sometimes later while I was just hanging about by myself this tank was coming towards me at full speed, then stopped and the commandant shouted at me: Faschistensau. While still in this camp I also developed an appendicitis – very painful again. All medical personnel were very busy, so I felt I was not receiving the attention I wanted, in full desperation and at the next doctor passing by, I burst out something like saying “Du bloede Sau, wollt ihr mich hier verrecken lassen”? (You stupid swine do you want me to croak here)? The doctor replied in German “nun beruhige dich mal” (OK, let’s come down). He explained to me that he was Jewish having immigrated to the US in 1930 from Dresden, close to my home town. Eventually we were all transported to Cherbourgh and the French took over control. We had little to eat and drink and in general the treatment was pretty bad. Members of the French Resistance were sometimes sorting out some of us and maltreated them. I could also hear shots from the cells next door which sounded like the killing of prisoners. But I don’t really know. Via Liverpool we were then taken to the US. On our way we were followed by German U-boats, but not attacked – we did not feel safe at all. I also remember NY and the Statue of Liberty. My first job was in a factory in NY, packaging goods and I remember the local “colleagues” watching the German POWs staring at us and only after asking what this meant, we were told that these guys are looking for the swastika on our foreheads. Following this spell in NY I was later transferred to Stockton, California to work on a cotton farm (see picture). I had no problems with the heat and felt a bit like being on holidays. We were allowed to play soccer, do boxing or play chess. I was always a very keen chess player and luckily could also play against the Ex-Champion of Europe. I also remember that the German Soccer Team played against the US boys. The food was excellent and I loved a drink consisting of milk and plumbs. In 1946 when the POWs were asked who would want to go and work at farms in Scotland, I immediately raised my arm and was selected among others and transported back to Europe. Via some POW camp in Scotland I eventually landed in Eaglesham, Renfrewshire at Inches Farm with Mr. and Mrs. James and Isabell King. In these days I had no clue about Rudolf Hess and that in May 1941 he parachuted in a field near Floors Farm - the two farms are actually neighbours. I really had a good time at this farm and my relationship with the King family was excellent. In March 1948 I was repatriated back to Leipzig Germany and also back to my wife and kid. If I had not developed tuberculosis I would have asked the East German authorities to let me immigrate with my family to Scotland and live there.” Picture 1 Stockton, California Picture 2 Gottfried in Stockton, the guy in the centre Picture 3 Gottfried at Inches Farm Picture 4 Gottfried today I have tried to find the farm and the King family in Eaglesham and eventually with the help of some friends in Scotland could make a connection with their son and his family. The farm was sold a long time ago, but the family still live not too far away from Eaglesham and with some help, Gottfried is now in touch with the King family and exchanging pics and messages. Gottfried is not really fit to travel, but may be his daughter will visit Scotland one day in the future. Stefan.
Made a trip to the Huertgen Forest recently. This was a 'helluva' battle, which chewed up a large numbers of US and German troops. Gottfried is lucky to have survived the battle.Thank you for sharing his story. See for some pictures of my trip: http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/56948-battlefield-tour-huertgen-forest-2015/
Hi Stefan, Thank you for sharing Gottfried's experiences. As I said back in January, it is always interesting to here from 'the other side'.
