Battle of Stoumont
December 19th, 1944
Kampfgruppe Peiper attacks the 119th, 3rd Battalion
It is hard indeed to find photos of actual combat in the ETO, but extremely rare to find film footage of combat. A German cine-cameraman caught the action as it happened on the morning of December 19th, 1944 as Peiper attacked Stoumont. The evening before Co. I of the 119th dug in to block N33 or #3 on map below. Co. K was on the right flank of Co. I facing south and Co. L was dug in at Rouat on Co. I's left flank.
I obtained the captured German film footage from the National Archives. The footage will play only on Windows Media player so if your computer does not have the player you must find one that does. I have included still shots with descriptions to help explain the film.
Battle of
Stoumont....Windows Media Player
(Click on link above to view)
Panther passes an abandoned 76mm anti-tank gun of the 823rd TD Battalion traveling into Stoumont along the N33, the road from LaGleize to Stoumont.
A Panther heads down the narrow Rue Village St. just northwest of the Stoumont church.
Just rounding the curve heading into Stoumont the leading Panther of 2.Kompanie is hit by the 143rd AAA 90mm situated next to the church. The Robinson house is just to the left of the tanks.
Same location today....Robinson house second on left.
With the Robinson house in the background a Panzer IV of 6.Kompanie approaches N33. SS grenadiers group along a hedgerow lining the main street as reinforcements move on the center of the village from the south. Smoke from the knocked out lead Panther can be seen to the right.
Fallschirmjager set up a machine gun.
SS-Sturmbannfuhrer Werner Potschke, Iron Cross around his neck, spots an unfired Panzerfaust and turns to retrieve it.
A Wirbelwind of SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 makes it way through town.
Men of 3rd Battalion, 119th taken prisoner....later freed in LaGleize.
Being marched back to LaGleize just leaving Stoumont.