William Cavanagh Battlefield Guide - Presents Bulge and Normandy battles - The Battle Of The Bulge and Normandy Battles

William Cavanagh Presents Bulge and Mormandy Battles

The Battles created many heroes, charactors who for the most part have gone pretty much unsung. One of the most fascinating elements of looking back at these times is the stories, real life tales, that relate to the people who experienced them.

In the coming months, I'll bring you a selection of stories about these people. I would like to throw these stories over to you, for in many cases, it's you who can probably throw more light on the outcome of some of these extraordinary individuals.

Angel Anne

On 9th September 1944 the tankers of 3rd Armored division liberated the Belgian town of Verviers. Among the tank crews was a soldier nicknamed "Angel Anne".

My mother's sister took his photograph and it hung in her shop for over 50 years. He is wearing a German medal and a small guitar. They never knew his real name. Can anyone recognise him and tell me what his name is ?

That same day another American soldier from 3rd Armored Division gave my mother his canteen on which he engraved his name Delaigle. I still have that canteen and also wonder what became of him.

Can you help?
Do you know what became of 'Angel Anne"? Please let me know by emailing me through the contact page. I would love to update this story and finally discover the real story behind this fellow.

Contact me here.

Deputy Judge Advocate's Office 7708 War Crimes Group 20 October 1947

HONSFELD

Combat Group Peiper proceeded without any incident from the Blankenheim area to Honsfeld , Belgium. American troops assigned to various units of the 612th Tank Destroyer Battalion were located in the area.

In the early morning hours of 17th December 1944, the Germans attacked the various positions occupied by the Americans. In one instance a house containing 18 enlisted men and 4 officers was surrounded by troops of the 1st SS Panzer Division and was in the process of being destroyed by "88's" when a white flag was displayed from a window and firing on both sides ceased. A group of 12 Americans, holding a large white flag, walked out of the house and were shot down "in cold blood" by the Germans. Later a German soldier went into the house and marched the remaining men out of the house to apparent safety where they joined a group of about 200 prisoners. This group was later joined by other prisoners from time to time and were marched to the rear. A German tank opened fire on the column and two American prisoners were killed.

This practice continued as the column of prisoners marched along the road. In the vicinity of Honsfeld, about 0800 hours 17 December 1944 , the bodies of 15 or 20 American soldiers were seen lying close together, apparently dead. Inquiry by accused Sprenger revealed that the soldiers had been shot from accused Goldchmidt's troop carrier. About 15 or 20 metres from the American bodies there was a large white cloth about the size of a bed sheet thrown over a bush.
Member of the 3rd SS Panzer Company saw in the same vicinity where the Americans lay , 6 to 10 Americans standing in front of a house with their arms raised in surrender.

In the afternoon of the same day 7 bodies of American soldiers were discovered in front of this house by a Belgian civilian. This civilian was told by an SS man of the 1st SS Panzer Division that those Americans had been lined up in a row and shot.