AFTER ACTION REPORT

WESTEN FRONT

EFFINGHAM, IL 2000

LSSAH War Diary 7.I.44

Ardennes

I cannot sleep for the fear. Our glorious offensive has faltered, and each day and night is filled with heavy fighting. When will we be relieved? Will we never again see the lush gardens and valleys of our beloved Fatherland? We must prevail.

The morning air is crisp, and as the sun rises, a silent sentry, ever vigilant, stands resolutely at the edge of our encampment. Slowly the soldaten rise, solemnly preparing for another day of fighting. Many of the men are still weary from a brief and highly successful action the night before.

The night before, with temperatures dropping and a moonless night, SS-Rttf Lewis approached the well-hidden fire, where LAH men warmed chilled fingers and spoke quietly amongst themselves, as he whispered softly of his plan. He asked the gathered men to volunteer for a midnight excursion behind enemy lines, the purpose to capture and interrogate allied soldiers as to the whereabouts and battle plans of their armies. Three men came forward, buckling on gear and checking their actions. SS-Strmn Varga and two new SS-Anwärter followed SS-Rttf Lewis silently through the bitter forests, eyes watching sharply for any sign of the enemy.

Suddenly SS-Strmn Varga’s fist shot straight up, and the group halted, scarcely breathing, as his hand slowly pointed to a light, scarcely visible, flickering behind some withered pines. The light moved, and soundlessly the brave men sank to the ground, watching intently as the light grew closer. On cats paws the fighting men of the elite Leibstandarte crept forward to the enemy encampment, breath pluming in the cold January air.

SS-Rttf Lewis brought the group to a halt just outside the encampment, quickly sketching out a plan that would provide both covering fire and warning in case of the enemy approaching from farther West. SS-Rttf Lewis and SS-Strmn Varga leaned their battle worn k98’s against a nearby tree and unholstered their Walther P38s, quickly checking the actions, as the four took their positions. With two candidates providing cover they moved swiftly into the encampment, capturing four Americans as they slept! The candidates new better than to move from cover, and watched with eagle eyes the surrounding woods during the interrogation of the Amis. With horror the gallant soldaten listened to the rumbling of an American armored car growing nearer, thinking to let it pass they motioned the Amis to remain silent. It was then that the awful realization came upon them that two k98s rested against a tree on the road, well within view of any passing car!

No words were needed as the fierce men of the LAH awaited the car to slowly approach, leaping out at the vehicle and taking all crew and a ground escort hostage! The Amis were terrified as the Sig-runen flashed in the lights of their vehicle, and put their hands up immediately when approached by the four soldaten. The interrogation proceeded and the camp was secured. What luck! An officer was captured, and after grueling moments of intense questioning, he confessed knowledge of his troops’ whereabouts, and reported that they had dug-in earlier in the day, but pleaded that he knew no more. Making a note of the positions the soldaten took what they could from the camp, and left the Amis secured in their encampment, to be found later by the International Red Cross.

The action was a success! Cautiously the victorious men of the LAH crept back to the friendly lines, to regale the restless few with stories of their catch! As the glowing embers of the fire faded to gray, and wisps of wood smoke stretched to the moonless night, not a sound could be heard, but the steady breathing of tireless sentries.

"Stehen Sie auf! Wir ziehen heraus in nur einige Minuten um! Stehen Sie auf! Erfassen Sie Munition! Erhalten Sie in der Anordnung!" shouts SS-Uscha Grear. Quickly we stuff some bread and cheese in our pockets, and check our feldflasks for water. It is time to move out.

Hobnails clatter on steel and wood as the men scramble into the back of a transport. The smell of sweat is heavy in the air, though it is scarcely above freezing. Landsers whisper prayers, or stare at the things around them, some for the last time. Candidates grasp rifles, and constantly count munitions, or finger combat knives nervously. The transport drives on, each second taking them closer to the front, closer to the Americans, closer to an uncertain future.

SS-Untersturmführer Templer signals the column to a halt as he and SS-Oscha Cornell go over the battle plan once more, scanning the trees, fields, and roads for any sign of the Amis. With only a few short commands the grenadiers quickly move to the sides of the dirt road, and there they crouch, restless and waiting. Slowly the soldaten begin to move forward, as the Aufklarüng reports are radioed back by SS-Strmn Varga and his volunteers. The vehicles rumble steadily in the background as the LAH moves off to war again.

SS-Uscha Grear volunteers his squad to take a strong position to cover the advance of the rest of the column and they race across and open field, crouching low, weapons at the ready, eyes everywhere. They storm the position and scan the area for the enemy before signaling the column forward.

Suddenly SS-Strmn Varga reports that the column is under enemy surveillance, and rapid reports of the enemy positions and strong points. Thinking quickly SS-Untersturmführer Templer outlines a plan to flank the enemy position and the attack is on! Hurriedly the grenadiers rush up the side of a tree-covered hill, heedless of thorns tearing uniforms and faces, roots reaching out and grabbing legs and equipment, and the fear that as one climbs, they move into the enemy’s sites.

Suddenly the unmistakable sound of a M1 Garand shatters the air, and the soldaten bravely return fire as they continue up the hill. After a fierce barrage the Americans pull back, and the LAH presses the advantage, rushing up leave-strewn paths, no doubt used for years by Frenchmen walking cows to market, and now the seen of a vastly growing battle.

The Americans have established a large front, and although moving rapidly at the beginning, and pushing the Americans back, they have now regained their footing, and fire mercilessly at the advancing soldaten! Quickly the LAH counters and begins a fierce flanking maneuver, paying blood for each metre of ground won. By noon the courageous men of the LAH have taken the enemy positions, and lie waiting for the enemy to counterattack.

Men move slowly about, shoring up positions with rock and dividing up American rations. The LAH struck so quickly that the Amis fled from their bombed out house leaving most of their food, and a few rifles behind.

Suddenly the forest grows still. The men cease their quiet conversation and grasp rifles tightly; leaves rustle in the distance. Suddenly a grenade soars through the air and the loud report of American weapons echo through the trees! Taken by surprise the grenadiers counter attack viciously, spurred on by the memories of their dead kameraden. The barrels of their k98’s steam in the cold air as shell casings form small mountains next to each determined soldat. In the merciless hail of bullets the allies are beaten off, and they drag their dead and wounded behind them as they run to safety. Quickly a group of kandidats and grenadiers are assigned to another position, to give advance warning of they enemy. They secure another ruin of a house, concealing themselves in the foundations and waiting.

Behind them comes the sound of battle, and they tense. The possibility of sending out a sniper is discussed, but eventually ruled out, as the enemy position is relatively unknown, and the sniper would be totally cut off from the rest of the unit. The kandidats scan the scabrous trees nervously, check their ammo pouches and adjust their helmet straps. The grenadiers re-assure them with quiet words, and put them to work strengthening and concealing the position. Behind them the battle grows quiet, no more grenades are heard, and only random shots. Suddenly a green helmet appears behind a tree, khaki uniform, three American soldiers chewing gum and talking. Americans, not a professional soldier amongst them! Three shots ring out, and three Amis fall to the ground. Several more Americans appear, moving more cautiously as they see the corpses of their comrades. First one, than another, and several more walk directly into the deadly field of fire set up by the men of the LAH. With swift shots the Americans are felled, but several are not hit, and seek cover amongst the rocks and trees, shooting back with aplomb.

The battle behind the group begins to rage again, and the men of the LAH begin fighting a rear-guard action, falling back and shooting, waiting in ambush, as the Amis push them from the hard won position. The Amis advance again, moving out from the safety of the rocks, and one kandidat, felled first one man and then missed the next. However, grenadiers engage the man, and a furious fight ensues. The kandidat recklessly charges forward keeping the trees between himself and the American, bravely running to the man he places his rifle at his back and shouts, "Hande Hoch!" Thus the first American prisoner was taken. While bringing the prisoner back, another grenadier mistook the situation and fired on and killed the American, and soon after the LAH was forced to retreat, each man taking a turn covering the retreat of the others.