Friday & Saturday

On Friday we drove into Belgium generally following the route of the 803rd.  Our only stops were in Amiens, France to see the cathedral and at Waterloo to see another, older battlefield. Checked into our B&B  in Couthuin, Belgium.  Again, another beautifully restored home.

Waterloo Battlefield taken from the Lion Mound
Battlefield is farmed and well maintained

Charmes d'hotes B&B

Saturday we did a loop drive covering three countries--Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands.  We drove through the villages in the Limburg District of southern Netherlands where the 803rd was attached to the 119th Infantry Regiment, 30th Division liberating villages as they advanced to attack the Siegfried Line (line of defenses between the German homeland and adjoining countries) in late September and early October, 1944.

In the Dutch village of Rimburg, we saw Rimburg Castle the site of a fierce battle as the 119th IR, 30th Infantry Division was advancing against the Siegfried line.  At that time the 803rd was attached and supported the 119th.

Rimburg Castle Gates--privately owned

Lunch was in the city of Aachen, Germany where we visited the Aachen Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that in 2000 celebrated it's 1200 year anniversary---Charlemagne began the construction and is buried there.

In the afternoon we drove eastward into the Hurtgen Forest area where perhaps the bloodiest battle in the European Theater took place.  Dad was in the forest with the 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th division for two weeks in November of 44.  His unit was coming from the earlier attack on the Siegfried line north of Aachen.
Driving through Grosshau and Gey it was hard to imagine a bloody battle taking place in such a peaceful setting.   By February of 45 the allies had finally driven the Germans out of the Hurtgen Forest but had paid a terrible price.  First Army had suffered 24,000 dead, wounded, captured or missing in action plus another 9000 disabled by non battle injuries.

Out of Grosshau we found a hiking trail and took a brief hike into the forest.  We think we were in the area that Dad advanced in.  We know he was in Grosshau.  The forest had been thinned; however, we did find an area that had not been cut and were able to see how thick, dark and foreboding  the woods were.

Patrick found a patch of "dragons teeth" on Google Earth for us to see in the southern part of the area.  The Siegfried Line or West Wall was a line of concrete dragons teeth, bunkers, etc. to prevent invasion.   Hitler said it would hold back any invader who wanted to cross into the "Fatherland".  It did make it tough for American troops to advance.

"Dragons Teeth" on Siegfried Line

"Dragon's Teeth"--not only on the surface but  they extend deep underground

Back late to our B&B and prepared to leave early the next morning for Luxembourg.