Henri Mignon Bastogne Bulge Easy Company Tours

Henri Mignon

16B route d'Assenois

B6600 Bastogne

Tel. 0032 (0) 61 21 35 020032 (0) 61 21 35 02

Cell. 0032 (0) 473 59 24 650032 (0) 473 59 24 95

henrimignon@hotmail.com

Then and Now

A young captain Guide on the

A long time ago! Battlefield

6600 Bastogne

My website is not sophisticated, but basic although I could write down hundreds of testimonials and recommendations. This is not necessary, and you will understand why.

My experience of the Battle of the Bulge is UNIQUE: all my life I have been involved in the Battle of the Bulge.

I was borne on the Bulge battlefield in 1936 in Houffalize, close to Bastogne.

I spent 6 years studying Greek and Latin in the “Petit Séminaire de Bastogne” which became the Headquarters of the 501^st (101^st Airborne) during the siege of Bastogne.

I studied the Battle of the Bulge at the prestigious Belgian Military Academy (cole Royale Militaire) and became a career artillery officer.

I was posted in Germany until 1965. I was then posted in Bastogne in the Belgian Barracks where MacAuliffe had his Headquarters during the battle.

I have accompanied American veterans on their battlefields for years.

The Battle of the Bulge is my life.

I don’t guide; I re-live the battle that I experienced in my village re-occupied by the Germans.

I am a guide WITNESS of the Battle of the Bulge.

When I talk about a tank attack, I know how it was: I saw the tanks deployed attacking towards our home.

When I talk about airstrikes, I know how it was: I saw the fighters (P47 and P38) diving on their targets.

When I talk about a plane crash I know how impressive it was: I saw several plane crashes during the war and during the Battle of the Bulge.

When I talk about the SS’s , I know how bad they were: I saw them: they “shared” our home during the battle.

When I talk about the wounded, I know how much they suffered: I saw the German wounded in our home used as a first aid station and later the American wounded in our church used as their first aid station

When I talk about the killed in action, I know how sad it was: I saw a lot of American and German bodies on the battlefield

When I talk about “collateral” damage, I know what it is: I saw my father killed by a shell fragment dying in our presence

When I talk about artillery fire: I experienced it: our home was hit three times by artillery shells and eventually put ablaze: we lost everything

Re-live the battle under the leading of a witness with a strong professional military background.

CONTACT: henrimignon@hotmail.com

DAY 1 PROGRAM : Bastogne and the surrounding area.

We meet either at your hotel or at the tourist office in the town centre to start the visit.

Presentation on the MacAuliffe Square at the American Sherman tank (11^thArmored Division)

First Aid station of the 10^th Armored Division (Doctor PRIOR)

Patton monument

Saint-Peters church

The “Petit Séminaire”, HQ of the 501^st Regiment of the 101^st Airborne Division

I can guide you there through the exhibition “I was 20 in Bastogne in 1945”.

The Belgian Barracks, HQ of the 101^st Airborne Division and the historical place where MacAuliffe pronounced the famous “NUTS” and an interesting display of WWII armoured vehicles.

The American Memorial (Mardasson) and its beautiful crypt.

Bizory, Peace Woods, monument of the “Easy Company (E Cy)”, Bois Jacques and foxholes of the E Cy, Foy, Recogne, Cobru, Noville, Rachamps (last village liberated by the E Cy)

German cemetery, monument indicating the location of an American temporary cemetery, monument to the Native Americans.

Longchamps, Rolley (HQ of the 502/101, Col Chappuis)), Longchamps, Champs, Flamierge (17^th Airborne Division), Assenois and fort Boguess( breakthrough by the 4^th Armored Division), the Harlange Pocket with the 35^th Infantry Division (Inf Div).

Combat Teams of the 10^th Armored division: Desobry in Noville, O’Hara in Wardin, Cherry in Longwilly.

If we have enough time, we can quickly visit either Clervaux (28^th Infantry Division), or La Roche (84^th US Infantry Division and 51^st Scottish Highlander Division) or Houffalize my home town where I experienced the allied air bombardment that flattened the town in January 1945

DAY 2 PROGRAM: the Northern Shoulder and Kampfgruppe Peiper’s itinerary from the Siegfried Line to La Gleize –Stoumont.

We start at the Sherman tank on the MacAuliffe Square in Bastogne and have a long trip across the Battlefield.

Parker’s Crossroads defended by Major Parker of the 106^th Infantry Division

Monument in honour of the 82d Airborne Division in Sart

Vielsalm, Saint-Vith, 7^th Armoured Division and HQ of the 106^th Inf Div

Wereth where 11 Afro-Americans were murdered by the SS

In Germany, the Siegfried Line or West Wall with the “Dragon teeth”

From the German border we follow the attack route of "Kampfgruppe Peiper", spearhead of the 1^st Panzer SS Division and of the entire German attack plan.

The Losheim Gap, Lanzerath ( Lt Bouck, 99^th Inf Div)

The Twin Villages, Krinkelt and Röchrath (99^th and 2^nd Inf Div), the Elsenborn Ridge

Bullingen, Bütgenbach (1^st Inf Div, the Big Red One)

Baugniez, place of the infamous "Malmedy Massacre", Ligneuville another massacre

Stavelot, Trois-Ponts. LaGleize where Peiper was definitively stopped by the 30^th Inf Div, the 82^nd Airborne and the 3^rd Armored Div. The King Tiger tank (Mark 6).

Werbomont, HQ of the 82^nd AB Div

On our way back to Bastogne, we stop in Houffalize, junction point of the 1^st and 3^rd US Armies in the counter-attack, on 16 January 1945. A last stop to watch a German Panther tank (Mark 5).

DAY 3 PROGRAM: the Southern Schoulder.

We start at the Sherman tank on the MacAuliffe Square in Bastogne.

The American Cemetery in Hamm, Luxembourg, with General G.S. Patton’s grave

The German Cemetery in Zandweiler

Echternach, a famous tourist resort, which was the Southern Shoulder of the Battle of the Bulge

The “Little Switzerland” with gorgeous deep canyons, 4^th Inf Div

Some forts of the Siegfried Line

Diekirch where we visit the exceptional National Military History Museum

The “Sky Line Drive” Hosingen, 28^th Inf Div

The bridging site of Dasbourg, 2^nd Panzer Division, Marnach

Clervaux, the castle, HQ of the 110^th Regiment of the 28^th Inf Div, a 88 mm gun

We continue towards Bastogne through Antoniushof, Fe'itsch, Longvilly, Mageret and Neffe and study on site the action of the Combat Team Cherry.

THE HURTGEN FOREST (“GREEN HELL”)

We start at the Sherman tank on the MacAuliffe Square in Bastogne.

The American Cemetery in Henri-Chapelle

Eupen, Monschau (Montjoie), 99^th Inf Div

A stretch of the Siegfried Line (Schill Line) in Paustenbach, 9^th Inf Div

Lammersdorf, Raffelsbrand, Simonskall

Vossenack, German cemetery with Field Marshal Model’s grave, monument of the 116^th Panzer Dision

Mestrengermühle, the famous Kall Trail, 28^th Inf Div, Schmidt, Kommerscheidt, Schwammenauelsee

Hürtgen, German cemetery, Brandenberg and Bergstein taken by the 2^nd Rangers Battalion the same that attacked Pointe du Hoc in Normandy

During the visit we see American and German foxholes, some forts (most of them destroyed), and plaques in memory of soldiers killed in action whose bodies were found years after the war. The terrain is sometimes rather hard, but if an old chap like me can do it, you can as well. Anyway we can adapt the itinerary.

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