Follow the Links below left for more information on the following subjects:
- Historical Background
- Motorcycles
- Kübelwagen
- Flak weapons
- Panzers & other armoured vehicles
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"After thorough verbal directive by the Division Commander and corresponding organisation, the combat group attacked Lüttich from Battice via Herve - Micheroux - Fléron - Breyne. The enemy was already in possession of the towns before Lüttich and allowed himself to be celebrated as liberator by the Belgian population....It was growing dark, the towns we drove through were decorated with garlands. Left and right were American combat vehicles adorned all over with flowers. All soldiers were ordered to open fire with all weapons if enemy resistance was encountered. Combat group had just reached the little town of Fléron when we received rifle and machine gun fire. The tank in front answered by firing a shot. In the midst of the evening's victory frenzy in the village, the acoustical effects of the shot by themselves had such an effect that the street and the little village square looked like it had been scrubbed clean. All windows were immediately closed and blacked out; the flower-decorated American combat vehicles were abandoned; and nothing moved. Only the clatter of the tank tracks and the roar of the engines interrupted the eerie silence.
The spearhead of the combat group had already passed through Fléron, when the commander of the armoured reconnaissance battalion received the following radio message, 'Cease operation, encircled German troops have broken out!' To turn around in the narrow streets of the village was not possible. In an open area, outside the village, the spearhead executed an about face, just as if it were on a parade ground. With engines at full force, we reached our starting point with only insignificant enemy resistance. As booty, the Reconnaissance Company brought back twelve flower-decked American Jeeps!"
Major Eberhard Stephan, Commander, Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 116 (Armoured Recon Battalion) 8 September 1944
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