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The fighting in the village of Samrée

At the start of the Battle of the Bulge, a depot of the 7th American Armoured Division stationed at Saint-Vith was located in the village of Samrée. This open-air site contained supplies, equipment and petrol. Taken by storm on 20 December 1944 by the 116th German Armoured Division, the village regained its freedom on the morning of 10 January.

On December 20, the 116th Armoured Division crossed La Roche-en-Ardenne towards Hotton. At Samrée, it encountered resistance from the depot guards. German troops finally gained control of the village in the afternoon. Task Force Tucker intervened but was outmanoeuvred and retreated. By 6pm, the village was still under German control.

General Maurice Rose, determined to regain control of the village, sent in Lieutenant-Colonel Orr's reserve units at around 10.30pm. They failed to achieve their goal. A final unsuccessful attempt was made the following morning. The American units finally withdrew on learning of the arrival of the first German forces near Hotton. Six houses were burnt down in the operation and seven Sherman tanks destroyed.

Although German units had been sitting in the village since Christmas, the American artillery retaliated on January 6. On January 8, the 2nd Armoured Division counter-attacked, supported by the 335th Infantry Regiment of the 84th Infantry Division. The Allies suffered heavy losses. The next day, they were still unable to hold out against 300 German soldiers and Panther tanks. The town, perched high on the Ardennes plateau, seemed impregnable. The snow on the ground prevented any rapid advance and the road leading to the village was too exposed. 

On the night of the 9th to the 10th of January, the American artillery bombarded the positions held in the village. Early in the morning, the final assault was launched by all the units present. The village was liberated from German occupation on 10 January 1945. Like many other localities, Samrée suffered the consequences of the Battle of the Bulge. The parish report of the events indicates that the fierce fighting claimed the lives of eight people and caused six serious injuries.

6980 Samrée
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