Last Act In Lorraine

For nearly a month the US 4th Armored Division had been fighting in difficult terrain to clear Lorraine. On 6 December, in an attempt to take Bining and Rohrbach and reach the River Sarre and the German border, Lt. Col. …

1944-12-06

31

For nearly a month the US 4th Armored Division had been fighting in difficult terrain to clear Lorraine. On 6 December, in an attempt to take Bining and Rohrbach and reach the River Sarre and the German border, Lt. Col. Creighton Abrams’ tank battalion was broken into two combat teams to facilitate its advance. Sweeping north, the leading task force came under heavy direct and indirect fire from the direction of Singling, a village occupied by elements of the 111th Panzergrenadier Regiment. Abrams decided on his own initiative to attack the town and attempt to hold it while the remainder of his force turned toward Bining. Cpt. Leach, in command of Company B with armored infantry aboard, was given no time to scout enemy positions or make plans. Spreading his command into a line abreast formation, Leach led them in a grand charge over the crest to the south in finest cavalry tradition, while supporting artillery poured smoke and HE into the town to mask his approach. The neat American formation was soon broken, as two tanks lagged behind and the leading tank was hit by three AP shells. With that, the armored battle became a confused free-for-all in the streets and alleys of the picturesque French village. The infantry had dismounted as the tanks passed the hedge bordering the houses on the south and had swept the village free of German infantry while avoiding the worst of the armored battle. Only a volley of enemy mortar rounds on the square checked their advance. A stalemate soon developed. At dusk, the Americans - since reinforced by a further armored battalion - were ordered to pull back and corps artillery put a heavy barrage on the town.

Singling, France

The Lorraine campaign was the operations of the U.S. Third Army in Lorraine during World War II from September 1 through December 18, 1944. Official U.S. Army campaign names for this period and location are Northern France and Rhineland. The term was popularized by the publication of the volume The Lorraine Campaign by the U.S. Army in 1950.

Wikipedia: Lorraine campaign

American

German