24.09.1944
I./Grenadier-Battaillon.1024, 85.Infanterie-Division
OB West

	At approximately 0920 hours, the battaillon approached the unobserved village of [NAME] from the west and northwest with one zug of Sturmgeschützen in support. Temporary control of the area was necessary in order to clear a line of retreat for the rest of the regiment eastwards. Contact was rapidly established with a sizeable American armored contingent covering the advance of the enemy's own panzergrenadiere (about two kompanien) with the battaillon's StuGIIIs achieving a host of successes in the opening minutes. 1, 2.Kompanien advanced in loose column directly towards [NAME] through several belts of wooded terrain whilst a s.MG zug took up positions on the right flank. Around 0925, StuG nu. 202 is frontally knocked out on the main east-west road by a 7,6cm equipped Tommy Cooker.

	It became quickly apparent that the Amerikanische infanterie had already broken into and occupied the eastern buildings of the village, and quickly expanded their foothold – eventually occupying nearly two thirds of [NAME]. 8,1cm and 12cm granatenwerfer fires are brought down on the eastern and central portions of the village starting around 0930, as the leading zuge of 1.Kompanie make the initial dash in the western-most buildings while knocking out an overly aggressive M8 Panzerspahwagen with panzershreck fire. Sturmgeschützen 201, 203 and 204 proceeded north and eastwards along the reverse slopes of the low hills north of [NAME] until cresting to the south, affording them excellent sight lines down into the enemy's right flank. Several more armored vehicles are knocked out in this manner.

	Responding to the appearance of the StuGs, a pair of Amerikanische panzer began manoeuvring up the hill to fire upon 203 and 204. Intense but brief gunnery duals saw both enemy panzer knocked out for the loss of both sturmgeschützen, leaving StuG nu. 201 alone on the reverse slope before it began moving further east and south – moving up behind the enemy advance. In [NAME] proper, the majority of 1.Ko had taken heavy casualties in exchange for a notable toehold in the western/central houses; s.MG zuge at this point to the north and south of the village (both approximately 400-500m out) had established considerable bases of fire, and provided a modicum of relief to the beleaguered grenadiere tasked with pushing deeper into [NAME].

	3.Kompanie saw little action during the battle, instead providing covering fire and flank protection for the northern s.MG zug in a belt of tall pines along the southern slopes of the “StuG hügel”. By 0935 2.Kompanie was required to pass through the now stalled 1.Ko in order to continue with the dislodgement of the enemy panzergrenadiere. Several SPWs are destroyed by panzerfauste in the advance, but a charge towards the church by a gruppe of 3.Zug/2.Ko is shot to pieces and thrown back despite heavy suppressing fire on the structure. At or about 0937, a massive detonation envelopes a resting zug 150m west of [NAME], destroying several small sctructures and obliterating an entire gruppe; it was later determined that the explosions were in fact fire from enemy siege-howitzers (20cm+).

	While the bulk of the enemy AFVs were destroyed by this time, at around 0940 an Amerikanische “Jumbo” uparmored panzer began to fire into the left flank of 2.Ko's advance, inflicting substantial casualties. Quickly coordinating via wireless, the two operational Sturmgeschützen – nu. 201, 205 – executed an enveloping movement in order to force the enemy armor to expose its flanks to at least one German barrel. 205, utilising its smoke dischargers in order to throw off the “Jumbos” aim, kept its attention to the front whilst 201 rapidly manoeuvred around to the machine's right flank (200m east of it) and brewed it up after three impacts.

	Shortly thereafter, the now armor-less and heavily demoralized enemy panzergrenadiere began streaming out of [NAME]'s houses and into the open terrain from which the originally attacked across. Many surrendered on the spot. I.Battaillon completed its objectives, and the rest of the regiment filtered through the well-preserved hole in the Allied lines in good order.


DEUTSCHE TÖT u. VERWUNDETEN
31 u. 55 Grenadiere
3 StuG
1 s.MG42

FEINDLICHE
20 u. 42 Infanterie (110+ Gefangenen)
8+ Panzer, 1 PSW, 12+ SPW
4+ s.MG “M2”