IN THE THIRD BATTLE OF AACHEN
16 November to 3 December 1944
By Gerhard Engel, Generalleutnant a.D.
22 November
On 22 November, after a short pause, the attacks were begun with the former violence. Enemy artillery fire increased. Since the weather was fine, the fighter bombers became more active. The enemy had continuous control over the firing positions of our batteries. Fighter and "Lightnings" bombers flying in pairs and carrying 1 or 2 500-kg bombs, swooped down on the firing batteries, covered them with bombs and silenced them. Although strict fire control was greatly handicapped, the actual losses of personnel and materiel were strikingly low, because there were only a few direct hits.
From the right adjacent unit there arrived disturbing messages. Here the pressure was particularly strong against the line between the 3. Panzer Grenadier Division and the 12. Infanterie-Division. After morning the Americans launched violent attacks north of the autobahn toward Hehlrath and Röhe. Both villages were lost during the day after bitter fighting. The Feldersatz-Bataillon 12, which was doing spade work to help build up the Roer position, was previously detached from the 12. Infanterie-Division (GE) and assigned to the 3. Panzer Grenadier Division. The battalion was employed as part of the Panzer Grenadier Regiment 29, which had also suffered great losses. It was encircled and overwhelmed in Röhe, suffering many casualties and expending all its ammunition.
In the meantime the Americans prepared for a major attack against Eschweiler. Since morning Marauder formation were incessantly bombing Eschweiler. The last units of the Füsilier-Regiment 27 and Grenadier-Regiment 89 had left Eschweiler early in the morning according to plan, and were moving into the MLR east of Eschweiler. The expenditure of ammunition and the number of guns employed reached an unprecedented limit. Early in the afternoon the rear-guard units, which had feinted fire excellently, withdrew from the enemy in single groups and moved into the MLR east of Eschweiler. In the afternoon infantry belonging to the 104th Infantry Division (U.S.) and tanks of the 3rd Armored Division (U.S.) again attacked Eschweiler. They advanced hesitantly and occupied the western part of Eschweiler on the evening of 22 November. Meanwhile the new MLR had been fully occupied and the division was again reorganized for defense along the line: (right boundary) autobahn (southeast of Vöckelsberg) - factory at Hovermühle - Hücheln - railroad line Düren-Eschweiler (boundary with 47. Volksgrenadier-Division).
23 November
On 23 November the attacks were continued. As a result of the withdrawal from Eschweiler the width of the division sector had narrowed. This smaller front was welcome because the division's combat strength had decreased to such an extent that a longer front would be difficult to maintain continuously. The enemy now attacked on two main directions. In the right sector there were thrusts on both sides of the autobahn and in the left sector, especially at the left adjacent unit, through the Wenau forest toward Langerwehe and Düren. The 47. Volksgrenadier-Division had to withstand hard fights in the Wenau and Bovenberg Forest. On the 12. Infanterie-Division (GE) front the Americans attacked constantly from Eschweiler. The MLR, which consisted merely of strong points, was pushed back at several points, but little ground was lost. At the boundary with the 47. Volksgrenadier-Division the strong point established in the quarry was lost, but was recaptured by a counter-thrust carried out with two assault guns. Communications were again established with the Bovenberg farm and the 47. Volksgrenadier-Division. On the evening of 23 November the MLR ran along the eastern edge of Pützlohn (3. Panzer Grenadier Division) - west of the "Zukunft" mine - Hovermühle factory - eastern edge of Nothberg - the quarry -western edge of Bovenberg Forest (south or Bovenberg farm).
As always after days when the defense had been successful, the attacks were weaker on 24 November. The situation was dangerous only in the sector of the 47. Volksgrenadier-Division, where the village of Heistern was lost. The Americans took possession of the dominating hills around Heistern, but this position was not too dangerous for the front sector, for it was still covered by wooded hills. However, it was very ominous for the 12. Infanterie-Division (GE), for from this point, the enemy had full view of the entire division sector from the flank. Supported by three tanks, 104th Grenadier Regt of the 47. Volksgrenadier-Division started a counterattack to recapture Heistern; after initial success the attack failed and the enemy continued pressing toward Langerwehe. The division is now worried about the protection of its own left flank. During the night single thrusts of the enemy in the direction of Weisweiler were repelled.
In the report or the LXXXI Corps an urgent request was made for personnel replacements and, above all, assault guns. Both were indispensable if the defense of the division was not to be paralyzed completely. Strongly committed in many other places, the corps could not promise support and ordered that the present positions be held. At 2400, the 47. Volksgrenadier-Division which was severely battered, was placed under the 12. Infanterie-Division (GE). The Army Group formed the "Group Engel" with the 12. Infanterie-Division (GE) on the right and the 47. Volksgrenadier-Division on the left side. The command post of the group remains the command post of the 12. Infanterie-Division (GE) at Lamersdorf. The headquarters of the 47. Volksgrenadier-Division, whose commander was assigned elsewhere, remained at the former command post at Merken.
24 November
Compared with the previous days, 24 November had past quietly. The rather weak thrusts of the Americans had been repulsed; the expenditure of ammunition had been less. Obviously, supplies of ammunition were being moved up. The group gained valuable time to reorganize and strengthen the defense line of strong points.
25 November
On 25 November the American attacks became stronger, but fell far short of the intensity of previous days. Almost all were repelled. In the evening the line held was the western edge of Weisweiler - Hücheln (included) - western edge of Bovenberg forest - southern edge of Bovenberg - Schönthal (north of Wenau) - area north of Laufenburg.
26 November
The points of the main efforts on 26 November were at the Bovenberg forest and at Bovenberg. Bovenberg was lost, but recaptured and held by a strong counterattack by the 104th Grenadier Regiment. Strong armored attacks on both sides of the autobahn became so violent that in the evening Weisweiler was lost after hard fighting. The right adjacent 3d Panzer Grenadier Div also could not hold the MLR, losing Pützlohn. A breakthrough through the Inde valley toward Inden was forming. In the evening the MLR was followed the general line: eastern edge of Weisweiler - Bovenberg - Schönthal - north of Laufenburg.
27 November
As had been feared, the enemy succeeded in breaking through toward Inden on 27 November to menace the right flank of the 12. Infanterie-Division (GE). The village of Frenz was lost during the day, but the Frenzerburg, Weisweiler (southeast of Weisweiler) and Merberich farms were held. In heavy fights against the 47. Volksgrenadier-Division north of Schönthal and in the Wenau forest the enemy pushed toward Merode, advancing through the Merode forest. In the evening the enemy reached the northern edge of the Merode forest. Several counter-thrusts by the last forces scratched together by the 47. Volksgrenadier-Division brought temporary relief. One combat team even succeeded in pushing the enemy back into the forest south of Jüngersdorf. But there was no longer a continuous front. In the evening there were still heavy fightings west and southwest of Merode. With assault gun of the 47. Volksgrenadier-Division, however, the enemy was stopped there.
28 November
On 28 November bitter assaults for Langerwehe and Jüngersdorf began. Both villages were lost. The units of the two divisions no longer had the strength to stop the attacks, which were accompanied by strong artillery and air support. There was violent fighting for the Roesslershof farm, which was recaptured and held for a few hours by the counter-thrust of Grenadier-Regiment 89, but was finally lost again. In this area, where the wooded terrain obstructed the view, the close fighting was marked by a degree of animosity on both sides. On the whole the division's right sector was held. In spite of violent attacks Frenzerburg remained in our hands.
