I am currently building a BOB diorama which includes Eduard Stadler's Tiger II #204 near La Gleize. Various captions to the pic of the abandoned tank place it on the road between La Gleize and Spa, and at an unknown location near Ruy. Other references mention obscure points such as Gue, So L'Hesse, and Neuville. These last three are probably hamlets too small to appear on any map ( I've searched! ). This is my conclusion: Peiper set a roadblock near Borgoumont, less than 2Km north of La Gleize on the road to Spa to block US forces ( fact ), and Tiger 204 was part of this roadblock until it's abandonment on Dec. 24 ( conclusion). Reference to Ruy must be an error as it's on a different road, running in a different direction, and outside the area of Peiper's occupation. The road in the photo of 204 is on the side of a steeply sloped hill which coincide with the close contour lines and winding road between Borgoumont and Cour. I am presuming that Gue, So L'Hesse, and Neuville are among the many tiny villages and hamlets which dot the road and are too small to name on most maps. There was another unidentified TII knocked out on the road to Ruy at Moustre, near Roanne, but the topography here is much flatter with fields and forested areas both sides of the road. There was no roadblocks or advances along this road so I am discounting this area completely. As my diorama places #204 at the roadblock near Borgoumont I would like to be sure of my facts. Would anybody have any evidence or proof to support my claim, or to contradict me?

Hi Biggles2,

I've got some maps for you.

First a part of a map of 1939 which shows you the area where you were talking about. You should be able to locate all small village. However, I'm guessing that L' Hesse is La Hez and Gue I couldn't locate at all. Perhaps this is Coo??



This is a (modern) detail from the roads you describe.
These roads haven't changed in the last 60 years, so the still are there were they used to be.



Does this help or do you need more info?

Kris

The maps I was working from were a series of German maps in a large scale ( about 3cm/1km ) showing 1st SS Pz. Div's movements and positions on overlays from the beginning of the offensive until Dec 24. It also had the US Div's and Taskforces movements, but all notations on the maps were in German. I don't think I can post them because they will only open in Adobe Acrobat. Anyway, the scale is so large that individual buildings ( or groups of buildings) appear as dots along the roads. Sometimes locations comprising only a dozen or so buildings rate a name. That's why I think the names in question are somewhere between La Gleize and Cour on the road to Spa ( Route de Berinzerne). At any rate, Coo is too far to the south, on the route to Trois Ponts, and La Hez is north of Malmedy, at least ten kms from La Gleize. Any towns I'm looking for would be in a 2 - 3 km radius of La Gleize. By Dec 20 Peiper's remaining forces were surrounded and confined to that size an area around La Gleize. This whole action becomes a mere fly-speck in relation to the entire BOB.

I have a photo of 204 abandoned with a duce and a half passing it the country is hilly and wooded. the caption says it was abandoned on the roadside near Gue on the early hours of christmas eve after La gleize had been abandoned. It was later driven a short distance by U.S. troopsand is seen broken down along the road near RUY on the 4th January 1945. this comes from Steven Zalogas The Battle of The Bulge published by concord. hope it helps.

Just a little addition concerning Gue.

"gue" is a french word for river crossing.

Btw, Biggles if you don't object, you can always mail the PDF, and see if I can compare them to survey maps. (my mail can be found under my profile).

Kris

To Easy-co. Yeah, got that pic. That's about the only pic of 204 that shows up regularly. BTW, I think that's a Dodge 3/4 ton ambulance passing the tank