Please note that during the discussion that follows this original post it was discovered by Ixion and Stikpusher that my photograph was actually a location 14 km from Bastogne instead of near the town of St. Vith. Ixion has provided a link to the actual location which will allow you to look around the intersection at a mix of newer and original buildings that existed in December 1944.
I‘ve started assembly of three models I intend to use in a diorama called ‘Road to St. Vith’. The event in history occurred on or about 16 to 19 December 1944, see Warfare History link below: I’m looking for clarification on who is in the Jeeps.
Fact checking: It sounds like the men in Jeeps along the road to St. Vith were U.S. Army liaison officers rather than military police? My understanding is that during the Battle of the Bulge military police were normally directing traffic and provided some reconnaissance, so to have liaison officers on the road instead of enlisted personnel would be unusual.
A Sherman tank of the 9th Armored Division heads into action against the advancing Germans during the Battle of the Bulge.
“The 424th Infantry had its back to the Our River, and if the Germans seized the bridge at Steinebruck and spread along the far bank his regiment would be hard pressed to effectively withdraw. Communications with division headquarters in St. Vith were limited to liaison officers running along a road now being shelled by the Germans.”
Enlarging that photo shows that the road on which the M4 is advancing is to Bastogne, not St Vith. Also the sun is out in this photo, as evidenced by the pronounced shadows, which pretty much rules out the early phase of the battle. The lack of snow matches the early days of the fighting in most areas. Something of a contradiction between those two points. This photo sure presents some questions… is it what the captions say it is? Yes it is in the Ardennes area, as evidenced by the road sign. But as to where specifically, what units are there, and when it was taken…
I’m attempting to locate the area where the photo was taken. If you examine the road sign, you can barely make out what I believe is “Grande Rosiere” and “Nives”. If you Google Maps; “Nives, Belgium”, and zoom in closely, you will find a nearby town of “Rosiere la Grande”, about 2 miles NW of Nives, which I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s the same town. I’m guessing this photo was taken near the town of Rosiere la Petite, which is in-between Rosiere la Grande and Nives, possibly on what is now “N85”, about 6 miles SW of Bastogne.
Ok, I did a little research based upon that road sign. The location is in the road between Neufchareau and Bastogne, near the village of Nives. The M4, probbably is from Combat Command A of 9th Armored Division, which was located southeast of Bastogne at the opening of the offensive. Combat Command B and Combat Command R were both to the northeast. CCB was sent as a blocking force in front St Vith, and CCR was sent as a blocking force in front of Bastogne (and pretty much destroyed in their delaying actions). CCA along with the 4th and 28th Infantry Divisions was on the southern shoulder of the bulge and was bumped west. The M4 has characteristics of the 9th armored division- camouflage painting, and sommerfield matting added for foliage attachment. But without seeing any bumper codes, it is not 100% definitely a 9th AD tank. But based off the known things in the photo, yes it is a Sherman, on the road to Bastogne from Neufchateau near Nives, and most likely from CCA, 9th armored division in the opening days of the Bulge. As to who is ithe jeeps? That will take more looking into…
This photo can be found on page 368 of Battle of the Bulge, Then and Now. It is identified as being from CCA of the 9th Armored, on N15, at Petite Rosiere, on or about Dec. 20-21. A present day photo of the location is also included. Looking at a higher resolution image confirms that the other, illegible road sign as being Neufchâteau. Not much else helpful in the accompanying text though…
Not a bad guess, Eh? [whstl] Ok, so I got the wrong road…[blkeye]
Not a bad bit of photo interpreting and such from the signs.
So that might be snow on the ground on the field in the background. But the sunshine was an oddity until the weather cleared and the sun came out around the 23rd.
Ok, I missed something here… I inferred the date from the text and the dates given for the actions here, but the photo caption states; “this Sherman of the 9th Armored Division’s CCA (switched from the east on December 25th) has reached Petite-Rosiere.” So this photo may actually have been taken at a later time than that of the initial advance on Bastogne. It’s not really clear from the text, as it doesn’t actually address this particular photo. Reviewing Google Maps, I don’t find an N15 in or near Petite-Rosiere, only N85, perhaps a typo in BoB, Then and Now, or they changed the name. [:^)]
Clearly our history detectives have discovered a problem with the text and the photo as it was represented in the Warfare History article, plus I added words under the photo in my post that were not in the original text because I believed the photo was taken outside the town of St. Vith.
Now the question is do I go ahead with the diorama which would hopefully represent the photograph and change the title, or do I stay with the objective which was to represent the defense of St. Vith during the Battle of the Bulge and change the diorama? I need to think about this a little more.
I purchased an M4A3 Sherman and two Willys MB Jeeps. I have also purchased a radio set and stowage for the Jeeps and tank, but nothing is lost here because all these items can be used no matter what I do.
Ixion and Stik, I like the photo and think I would rather change the title of my diorama. If I do change the title what would you recommend the title be based on your detective work?
The view in the photo is looking SSW along N85, also called the “Grande Route”, here is the ground view present day image, although the new buildings obscure the historic view;
It looks like there are still some historic building remaining despite the more recent development. The large white house just right and behind the barn with the tractor confirms with the photo taken in 1984 in BoB Then and Now, thus confirming the proper location.
[*-)] As for a name for your diorama, I’m not sure I’m of much help, maybe Stik can come up with one. I’ll think about it, and if those synapses in my brain fire favorably, I’ll circle back…
Wow that link you provided Ixion is great! So the location of my chosen photograph is 2 km from Nives, 14 km from Bastogne, 14 km from Neufchateau and 1 km from Grande Rosiere. Since the major offensive took place in Bastogne it would have the most historical significance and the title of my diorama could correctly be called ‘Road to Bastogne’. Am I correct?
I grew up in Hazel Dell in the 1940’s and early 50’s. My family had a small farm three driveways south of the original Hazel Dell Elementary School on the east side of what is now called Hazel Dell Avenue (Old Pacific Highway). There is a church and three or four newer homes on the property now, but when I lived there it was all orchards and farm land. The house we lived in is still there, but the barn and out buildings for farm animals are gone.
I lived on a old farm too, (with an actual Hazelnut orchard), a bit further north, near Columbia River HS. My father grew up nearby in Felida. All gone now, I can hardly recognize the area anymore…
This is really exciting Ixion, I was from the Class of 65, although I joined the Navy in 1963. Most of my classmates from Hazel Dell went to Columbia River High School the first year it was opened. I chose to attend the old Fort Vancouver High School because that is where my girl friend went to school. She is my wife now and we have known each other since we were 5-year old (we’re now in our early 70’s).
I will look in my Shumway Junior High year book for a picture of Larry. All the students who were Class of 65 at Columbia River and Fort Vancouver went to Shumway.
