Mike Tolhurst - Saint Vith US 106 Infantry Division

Other guides in the Battleground Europe Series:

Walking the Salientby Paul Reed

Ypres - Sanctuary Wood and Hoogeby Nigel Cave

Ypres - Hill 60by Nigel Cave

Ypres - Messines Ridgeby Peter Oldham

Ypres - Polygon Woodby Nigel Cave

Walking the Sommeby Paul Reed

Somme - Gommecourtby Nigel Cave

Somme - Serreby Jack Horsfall & Nigel Cave

Somme - Beaumont Hamelby Nigel Cave

Somme - Thiepvalby Michael Stedman

Somme - La Boisselleby Michael Stedman

Somme - Fricourtby Michael Stedman

Somme - Carnoy-Montaubanby Graham Maddocks

Somme - Pozieresby Graham Keech

Somme - Courceletteby Paul Reed

Somme - Boom Ravineby Trevor Pidgeon

Somme - Mametz Woodby Michael Renshaw

Somme - Delville Woodby Nigel Cave

Somme - Advance to Victory (North) 1918by Michael Stedman

Arras - Vimy Ridgeby Nigel Cave

Arras - Gavrelleby Trevor Tasker and Kyle Tallett

Arras - Bullecourtby Graham Keech

Hindenburg Lineby Peter Oldham

Epehyby Bill Mitchinson

Riquevalby Bill Mitchinson

Villers-Plouichby Bill Mitchinson

Boer War - The Relief of Ladysmith, Colenso, Spion Kopby Lewis Childs

Boer War - The Siege of Ladysmith, by Lewis Childs

Accrington Pals Trailby William Turner

Poets at War: Wilfred Owenby Helen McPhail and Philip Guest

Poets at War: Edmund Blundenby Helen McPhail and Philip Guest

Gallipoliby Nigel Steel

Battleground Europe Series guides in preparation:

Walking Arrasby Paul Reed

Arras - Monchy le Preuxby Colin Fox

Somme - Following the Ancreby Michael Stedman

Somme - High Woodby Terry Carter

Somme - Gincyby Michael Stedman

Somme - Comblesby Paul Reed

Somme - Beaucourtby Michael Renshaw

Walking Verdunby Paul Reed

La Basse - Givenchyby Michael Orr

La Basse - Neuve Chapelleby Geoffrey Bridger

Isandhlwanaby Ian Knight and Ian Castle

Rorkes Driftby Ian Knight and Ian Castle

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Battleground Europe

BATTLE OF THE BULGE

SAINT VITH

106TH US INFANTRY DIVISION

Michael Tolhurst

LEO COOPER

COMBINED PUBLISHING
Pennsylvania

First published in 1999 by

LEO COOPER

an imprint of

Pen & Sword Books Limited

47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS

Copyright Mike Tolhurst

ISBN 0 85052 665 5

A CIP catalogue record of this book is available
from the British Library

Printed by Redwood Books Limited
Trowbridge, Wiltshire

For up-to-date information on other titles produced under the Leo Cooper imprint,
please telephone or write to:

Pen & Sword Books Ltd, FREEPOST, 47 Church Street

Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS

Telephone 01226 734222

Published under license in the United States of America by

COMBINED PUBLISHING

ISBN 1-58097-016-8

For information, address:

COMBINED PUBLISHING

P.O. Box 307

Conshohocken, PA 19428

E-Mail: combined@dca.net

Web: www.combinedpublishing.com

Orders: 1-800-418-6065

Cataloging in Publication Data available from the Library of
Congress

CONTENTS

THE GOLDEN LIONS
Birth of a Division

INTO THE LINE
Arrival in Belgium and the Ghost Front

THE GERMAN PLAN
Operation Watch on the Rhine

THE ATTACK
Saturday 16 December 1944

THE INEVITABLE
Surrender

THE AFTERMATH
Prisoners of War

Mike Tolhurst, author, and Pen & Sword Books Ltd have done an excellent job in this military history guide covering the actions of the 106th Infantry Division during the Battle of the Bulge in Battleground St Vith.

I met Mike, through correspondence, in the early 90s. He had been, and has been since, vacationing in the Ardennes area. He understands the 106th Infantry Divisions positions as well as any person I have ever met. His intimate knowledge of the area, gleaned over the years, makes him a good authority and a great choice for authoring such a fine history guide as Battleground St Vith.

St Vith was the primary objective for the Germans as they broke through the defences of the 106th Infantry Division, entrenched along the Schnee Eifel, 16th December 1944. St Vith, a transportation hub with a railroad and five main roads, was a major objective in the German Offensive time-table. Their Battle Orders dictated that it should be taken on the first day of battle. Had this been achieved their advance to the Meuse River would have been open. The Germans never seized St Vith until days later. Too much time, too many resources had been wasted because of the stubborn resistance of the 106th Infantry Division.

What would have happened at Bastogne had those German troops, held up at St Vith, been available for use in the fight for that town? The German General Staff realized that once their timetable had been thrown out at St Vith they would be unable to get back on schedule.

Mike Tolhursts use of veterans accounts makes his history very personal. Here you will read how it was from the soldiers that fought the battle. His intimate knowledge of the territory is invaluable to those who wish to browse the area, to feel and sense the happenings of those times. When you take the trails and roads through the battle area, you will, like me, wonder how the war was ever fought there. It is a fantastically beautiful country. It seems a pity that this land was raped by war.