| The Battle of Jebsheim, France- from a French point-of-view. Page 5 |
| 24 January 1945: All day long on the 24th, American and Legionnaires, who try to advance in their respective sectors are blocked or forced back to their point of departure, with considerable losses. The situation is about to become one of a battle of attrition. We are marking time! Should we dig in or await more favorable weather? Will this become trench warfare? General de Monsabert's will is not at all shaken. We will move forward again tomorrow morning at dawn. 25 January 1945: On 25 January, the 5th Armored Division is ready to advance, although the 1st DMI and the 3rd DIUS has not advanced as much as had been hoped. Commanded by General de Vernejoul, the 5th Armored Division includes the three combat commands previously mentioned, the 4th, 5th and 6th. The 67th CC is to bear down on Jebsheim, then Durrenentzen. In spite of certain gaps that have not yet been filled, its fighting elements are impressive: 36 medium Sherman tanks; 17 light tanks; 9 tank destroyers; plus one motorized battalion and the 1st Regiment of paratroopers of Lt Colonel Faure. The 4th squadron of the Foreign Cavalry Regiment and the 1st squadron of the 6th Regiment of African Riflemen are assigned to assure the liaisons with the nearby units. At 11:00 AM, only a part of the 6th CC has been able to cross the Ill. The roads are icy and steep, Six tanks have slid into ditches from which they must be pulled with great difficulty. What's more, the strength of the temporary bridges over the Ill is insufficient. Therefore that are major problems in getting the entire 5th Armored Division to the eastern side of the Ill. Contact with the enemy occurred quickly. It is serious,. The entire German menagerie lies in wait in the woods carefully camouflaged. Panthers, Tigers, Rhinoceros, painted white with black zebra strips, all blend in with the snow and the woods. Soon Sub-Group R has lost two tanks and a tank destroyer. The group does not succeed in crossing the gap at the Riedbrunnen. Slipping towards the South, under the protection of smoke screens, it is forced to find a point where it can break free, so that it can correct its marching direction and try to take the Mill of Jebsheim. It finally succeeds in passing the Riedbrunnen and is soon engaged in violent combat with German tanks of the Panther type, discovered because of their glow. Colonel Lavilleon follows the fighting on the wireless and directs the tank-destroyers to the Panthers that have been located. At 1500 hours (3:00 PM) two Panthers are burning, covered with red flames and black smoke, characteristic of gasoline burning.. Sub-Group R, pushing ahead vigorously, soon takes the Mill of Jebsheim, at the same time as an element of the 254th US Infantry Regiment and several American tank-destroyers of the 3rd DIUS. Commander Remond du Chelas takes over the mill where he immediately receives enemy fire. He has the paratrooper battalion with him. With nightfall, the wind shifts again to the north, bringing with it a glacial cold. But, apart from the taking of the Mill of Jebsheim, no progress has been made during the day by the other units. It is already the evening of 25 January and the 2d Army Corps is still far from Neuf-Brisach!. On the other side of the Pocket of Colmar, to the south, the situation is not any better. The 1st Army Corps is fighting fiercely to move to the north. Separated by more than 35 kilometers, the two Army Corps are not about to join together!. 26 January 1945: At 0300 (3:00 AM) 26 January 1945, the 254th US Infantry Regiment, which has been reinforced, announces that it is attacking Jebsheim; THE BATTLE OF JEBSHEIM BEGINS! The Battle of Jebsheim will be very, very hard. Two raging wills are at odds; one wants to pass and the other to prevent the first from passing. The village of Jebsheim is in the midst of the gigantic fight. And, because of the snow and severe cold, the combatant who has a house at his disposal ( and this is not the case of the attacker) has an important trump card in the fight. General O'Daniel throws the west wing of his American Division (the 254th US Infantry Regiment) into Jebsheim, while General Garbay throws the right wing of the 1st DIM at Grussenheim. Between the two of them, Colonel de Lavilleon of the 6th CC has known for a long time that Grussenheim cannot be taken by a frontal attack (The Blind River is there) and that to approach it, Jebsheim must first be captured, then the troops must swing back to the north and take Grussenheim from the south, coming from Jebsheim. He offers to do this, by aiding both the 254th US Infantry Regiment aimed at Jebsheim and the 1st DIM aimed at Grussenheim. It is 0700 (7:00 AM) on 26 January and the Americans announce that they have entered Jebsheim and hold half of it, which is denied shortly afterwards. Rumor has it that at the same hour the Americans took Riedwihr. This too is unfounded! Towards 1730 hours (5:30 PM), the Germans launch a powerful counterattack against Maison Rouge, The attack , coming from the south, between Houssen and Holtzwihr, is a danger to the rear and to all the units in front of Jebsheim. Colonel de Lavilleon orders his Sub-Group V and the tank-destroyers to pivot and face southward. But shortly afterwards, the German attack is repulsed by the Americans. Once again it is nightfall. No progress, or nearly none, has been made. The situation is practically unchanged. The 6th CC has not been able to move out and push southward, because its communications would be too seriously imperiled; Grussenheim not having been taken by the 1st DIM nor Jebsheim by the 254th US Infantry Regiment. The commander of the 6th CC therefore decides to help these two large units in the task of opening the door that remains closed behind the German tanks. He offers everything at his disposal- tanks, legionnaires and paratroopers. |
