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Cranston Fine Arts  Military Art and Artists World War Two Campaigns  Ardennes |
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Tank Killers by David Pentland. Bastogne, Ardennes, Belgium, 23rd December 1944. Beleaguered U.S. Paratroopers of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division, defend against a German armoured attack. |
Act of Valor by Simon Smith. After single-handedly destroying a German Mark V Panther tank that had pinned down his unit, First Lieutenant James Maggie Megellas leads his platoon from the 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne towards the Belgian town of Herresbach, 28 January 1945, as the Battle of the Bulge draws to its conclusion. Minutes before, despite being vastly outnumbered in heavy snow and freezing conditions, the platoon had overwhelmed and completely defeated a large force of German infantry in a ferocious frontal assault, without losing a single man. Simon Smith's dramatic image picks up the story as, with the Panther rendered harmless, Megellas readies his men for their final advance into Herresbach. |
Holding the Line by David Pentland. Vielsalm, Belgium, 22nd December 1944. Men of the 508th PIR, along with the rest of the 82nd Airborne Division were rushed to the Ardennes and deployed in an attempt to halt the onslaught of the 6th SS Panzer Army. |
Jagdpanthers in the Ardennes, Ardennes Forest, Germany, December 1944 by David Pentland. Jagdpanther self propelled 88mm anti-tank guns of Heavy Anti-tank Battalion 519 attached to 6th SS Panzer Army during the ill fated Ardennes offensive. Only the 1st company commanded by Hauptmann Erwin Kressmann took part in the campaign. |
Winter Offensive, Ardennes Forest, Germany, December 1944 by David Pentland. Jagdpanther self propelled 88mm anti-tank guns of Heavy Anti-tank Battalion 519 attached to 6th SS Panzer Army during the ill fated Ardennes offensive. Only the 1st company commanded by Hautmann Erwin Kressmann took part in the campaign. |
Fire for Effect by David Pentland. Bastogne, Ardennes, Belgium, 20th December 1944. Newly arrived 81mm Mortars of 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division, fire in support of U.S. Paratroopers defending against German probes to the north of Bastogne. |
Helping Hands by David Pentland. Northern Ardennes, Belgium, 25th December 1944. M36 Tank Destroyers of A Company, 703rd TD Battalion are a welcome Christmas present for the Paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division. They would prove invaluable as they were the only US vehicle capable of handling the Panther or Tiger tanks. |
Holding the Line by David Pentland. Vielsalm, Belgium, 22nd December 1944. Men of the 508th PIR, along with the rest of the 82nd Airborne Division were rushed to the Ardennes and deployed in an attempt to halt the onslaught of 6th SS Panzer Army, specifically Kampfgruppe Peiper. |
The Battered Band by David Pentland. Bastogne, Ardennes, Belgium, 24th December 1944. Surviving U.S. tank crew from Task Force Cherry and Paratroopers of 101st Airborne Division take a break while awaiting orders for their next battle. |
A Short Respite by David Pentland. Bastogne, Ardennes, Belgium, 25th December 1944. U.S. Paratroopers of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division, enjoy a welcome lull in the battle for the besieged town. |
Night Drive to Manhay, Barkmann in the Ardennes, 24th December 1944 by David Pentland. Oberscharfuhrer Ernst Barkmann in Panther 401 accidentally found himself as the spearhead of the 2nd SS Panzer Divisions night assault on the crossroads at Manhay. Initially mistaking a lone Sherman of US 7th Armoured Division as that of his own commander, he pulled alongside the enemy tank, and only realised his mistake when he noticed its unusual red interior lights. In a brief close quarter fight he managed to destroy the M4 with the Panthers anti-personnel mortar (Panzergranate) He then proceeded along the moonlit forest roads past a succession of surprised American units to Manhay and on towards Liege, having left several destroyed vehicles in his wake. His appearance caused havoc in the US defences, culminating in a rout. |
Thunderbolts and Lightnings by Nicolas Trudgian. The relief of Bastogne turned the tide in the Battle of the Bulge and Hitlers final great offensive of World War II lay in ruins. P47 Thunderbolts of the 406th Fighter Group, in company with P38 Lightnings, support the advancing armor of General George Pattons US Third Army as they prepare to relieve the battered 101st Airborne Division from their heroic defence of Bastogne during the final climax to the Battle of the Bulge, 24 December 1944. The Battle of the Bulge was one of the largest land battles of WWII with more than a million American, British and German troops involved, incurring huge casualties on all sides and this release pays tribute to the sacrifice of Allied Forces, during this important milestone in World War II. Published 2005. |
Ardennes Offensive by Nicolas Trudgian. As 1944 drew to a close, Hitler made his final gamble of the war, mounting a massive strike force aimed at splitting the Allies forces advancing upon Germany. His armour, supported from the air, would rip through the Ardennes to Antwerp, capture the Allied fuel supplies, and cut off all the opposing forces to the north. Hitlers commanders were dubious of the outcome but nevertheless obeyed orders, and the operation was launched on 16th December. Allied intelligence had discounted any German counter-offensive and the initial wave, comprising 8 Panzer divisions, took the Allied forces completely by surprise. A parachute drop of English-speaking German soldiers in American uniforms behind the assault zone added to the confusion. Advancing some 30 miles, and almost in sight of the River Meuse, by 26th December the SS Panzers had ground to a halt with empty fuel tanks, and were at the mercy of Allied counter-attacks. By 16th January the German penetration was repulsed and Hitlers beloved Panzer units retreated in tatters. The Fuhrers last gamble had failed. Fw190s of JG1 provide close support to the 9th SS Panzer Division, as they spearhead Germanys final major offensive of World War II. Seen advancing on the 82nd Airborne Division, the King Tiger tanks, with the aid of Luftwaffe ground-attack fighters, drive the Americans back through the snowy fields of the Ardennes on Christmas Day, 1944. It was the last, short-lived and ultimately unsuccessful advance made by the German forces during World War II. Published 2001. |
In Contact by David Pentland. Northern Ardennes, Belgium, 21st December 1944. A patrol of the 504th PIR, 82nd Airborne Division call for support after coming under fire from enemy units south of the Ambleve river. |
Stopped Dead in Their Tracks by James Dietz. (AP) The 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment Seizes Goronne, Belgium, Battle of the Bulge 7 January 1945. Few men in the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) paid much attention to the distant artillery fire on December 16, 1944. Things had been relatively quiet along the front for the last four weeks while the Regiment rested and refitted at Camp Suippes, France, but their rapidly crumbling Allied front. Unbeknownst to the Allies, Adolph Hitler had deployed four German Armies for a bold counteroffensive through the Ardennes Forest. This German attack had to be stopped before it gained momentum. The 82nd and the 101st Airborne Divisions, the only reserves available to the Allies, were immediately committed to blunt this German penetration. The 82nd Airborne Division was initially deployed to the northern flank on the German attack, to counter the German main effort. The 505th PIR was assigned and occupied a 4.5 mile defensive line along the Salm River stretching from the Belgian towns of Trois-Ponts to Rencheux on 19 December 1944 and engaged in heavy fighting with elements of two German Panzer Divisions over the next four days. 2/505 occupied the Belgian town of Trois-Ponts on December 19, 1944. They immediately blew all remaining bridges, established defensive positions, and waited for a German attack that finally came on 21 December 1944. Using mortars, machine guns, bazookas and captured German Panzerfausts, the Panthers inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans, stopping repeated frontal attacks by the 1st SS Panzer Division. 3/505 fought a similar action at Grand Halleux when elements of the 9th Panzer Division attempted to cross the River Salm on December 22. Although 3/505 suffered heavy casualties, they stopped the German attack. During both battles not a single German soldier penetrated the Panther's defense. Their defense of the Salm River Line delayed the German advance and decisively disrupted their timetable, two factors which led to their eventual defeat. Most significantly, the Panther's defense of the Salm River Line sealed the fate of Battlegroup Peiper, the most powerful element of the 1st Panzer Division. The Germans were trying to breakthrough the Panther defense to rescue Peiper and his trapped Battlegroup. This rescue attempt, however, was stopped dead in its tracks by the 505th PIR and led to the destruction of Battlegroup Peiper two days later. On December 24th the 82nd Airborne Division withdrew from the Salm River and established a new defensive position several thousand meters to the rear. The new Division front was relatively quiet until January 2, 1945 when it was pulled off the line to participate in an allied offensive scheduled for January 3, 1945. The Division mission was to advance to the Salm River and reoccupy the positions vacated one week earlier. During this attack the Panthers would face two determined foes, weather and the 62nd Volksgrenadier (VG) Division. The weather was extraordinarily cold with snow piled two feet deep throughout the Ardennes; and the 62nd VG Division was a good unit well supported by a significant amount of artillery and armor. On January 3, 1945, the Panthers attacked and sustained more casualties than on any other day in its history. German artillery inflicted significant casualties in both 1/505 and 3/505 during their successful attacks on Reharmont and Fosse respectively. The Panters resumed their attack on January 4th seizing the high ground above Abrefontaine where they dug for a miserable night without overcoats or sleeping bags. Abrefontaine was occupied on January 5 and the men's overcoats, packs an sleeping bags finally caught up with them, enabling the Panthers to get their first real sleep in over 60 hours. The Panthers attack resumed on January 7, 1954. 2/505, supported by elements of the 628th Tank Destroyer Battalion, attacked across open ground to seize Goronne, Belgium from a company of the 62nd VG Division and four King Tiger tanks of the 501st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion. 2/505 suffered heavy casualties losing two tanks and two destroyers, but the remaining tank destroyers managed to knock out two German tanks with flank shots. The two remaining German tanks withdrew and the Panthers overran the town, capturing 100 prisoners. The day was a disaster for the battalion however, as their Battalion Commander, LTC Vandervoort, was seriously wounded and evacuated. His loss stunned the Regiment, as he was the longest serving Battalion Commander and the men considered him invincible. The fight for Goronne marked the end of the Battle of the Bulge for the Panters. During the night of the 10-11 January 1945 they were relieved by the 75th Infantry Division, boarded trucks and redeployed to Theux, Belgium where they were placed in XVIII Airborne Corps reserve. Although not as glamorous as the 101st Airborne Division's defense of Bastogme and largely ignored by historians, the battles fought over the last three weeks had cost the Panters dearly. The Regiment that boarded the trucks on 11 January 1945 was a mere shadow of the unit that left Camp Suippes on 18 December. Approximately 50% of the Panters were casualties; the enemy caused half of these casualties and the other half were non-battle losses. The past had finally caught up wit many of the old veterans. Exposure caused old wounds to flare up and triggered many relapses of malaria that had been contracted during the regiment's service in the Mediterranean theater. Some of the veterans were able to return after short stays in the hospital but most were gone for good with frozen limbs and wounds. The 505th continued to serve until the end of the war but the unit was never the same after the loss of so any of its' veterans during the Battle of the Bulge. This limited edition print is dedicated to the World War II veterans of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. We will never forget your valor and sacrifice made under the most trying of conditions. |
The 28th Division in the Defence of Hosingen, Luxemburg by James Dietz. No text for this item |
King Tiger 008 - Tribute to Joachim Peiper by Jason Askew. (P) King Tiger (officially Tiger II) of Joachim Peiper, Schwere SS-PanzerAbteilung 501 (Heavy SS Tank Battalion 501, during the Ardennes Offensive. |
Hold to the Last Round by James Dietz The 28th Division in the Defense of Hosingen, Luxembourg. On December 16, 1944, began the Battle of the Bulge, considered by many, including Sir Winston Churchill, as the greatest battle ever fought by the American Army. The 28th Division was positioned in the very center of the German attack, just west of the Our River in a front of about 25 miles. Since this was supposed to be a quiet sector where no enemy action was expected, the three Regimental Combat Teams of the Division could only defend this wide area by establishing isolated strong points to block the main roads leading from East to West. The distances between positions prevented them from being mutually supporting and thus easily surrounded and cut off from reinforcement. In the unlikely event of an attack, the plan was to withdraw and delay. When the German offensive opened, however, the order was changed to Hold at All Cost, and thus each of the strong points had to fight its own battle. Rather than giving terrain for time as initially intended, it now became necessary to sacrifice lives for time until reinforcements from reserve units could be brought forward. The strong points of the Division, although surrounded, cut off, and facing increasing enemy forces as the fight went on, held for almost three full days, thus upsetting the German timetable. This gave the Allies time to move major reinforcements forward to Bastogne and St. Vith. This print was taken from the magnificent painting depicting one of the great strong point actions which occurred in the town of Hosingen, Luxembourg, where K Company of the 110th Infantry Regiment and B Company of the 103rd Engineer Battalion (Combat) fought for the better part of three days. Although surrounded and greatly outnumbered, the soldiers of these two units held their ground with only a reinforcement of five tanks from the 707th Tank Battalion reaching their position. In this defense, these brave men inflicted an estimated 2,000 casualties upon their attackers and totally upset the German timetable. The 28th Division soldiers fought to the last round and were then authorized to break into small groups and escape as best they could. The gallant defense of Hosingen, which is depicted in this painting, like the action at the other strong points of the 28th Division, sacrificed men for time. This effort clearly helped save Bastogne, only 18 miles to the west, and bought precious time for the Allies. The painting and the limited edition prints are dedicated to all the brave men of the 28th Division whose courage and sacrifice delayed the German advance and contributed greatly to the final outcome of the Battle of the Bulge. |
Stopped Cold by James Dietz. 101st Airborne Division at the Battle of the Bulge. On 17 December 1944, the Artillery Battalions of the 101st Airborne Division were alerted and given 24-hour notice to move to positions in Belgium to assist in halting a massive German offensive through the rugged terrain of the Ardennes region. Hitler's last western Offensive, with the final objective being to seize the port facilities at Antwerpt, would become known as the Battle of the Bulge. The acting Division Commander of the 101st Airborne Division was the Division Artillery Commander, Brigadier General Anthony C. McAuliffe. He would lead the division to Bastogne and earn the Screaming Eagles a place in American military lore. Depicted in the work of James Dietz is the 321st Glider Field Artillery Battalion firing from their positions near the town of Savy, approximately one kilometer northwest of Bastogne, in direct support of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment who were heavily engaged northeast of the Bastogne perimeter. Not fully refitted from the Holland Campaign which occurred just weeks before, the 321st conducted the 107 mile road march from Mourmelon, France to the small village of Savy, Belgium and reported laid and ready to fire by 1330, 19 December. The battalion would occupy this position for 25 days providing intense fire support to all areas of the encircled Division perimeter. During the siege, the battalion endured constant enemy shellfire and was strafed and bombed by aircraft. Few casualties were sustained by the battle-hardened cannoneers due to excellent dispersal and well dug in howitzer positions. Fighting not only the Germans but severe cold, lack of protective clothing, food and constant ammunition shortages, the artillerymen waged a desperate struggle in providing a protective ring of steel around the besieged encirclement. Firing from the open field positions to gain 6400 mils capability the artillery battalions of the 101st fired countless thousands of rounds into the Nazi juggernaut. On Christmas Day, three German tanks broke through the Western line of defense and reached the woods 500 meters from the firing batteries of the 321st. Bursting through the wood line and into the open fields the tanks came spraying a hail of tracers. In just seconds the enemy armor was put out of action by a combined effort of American tank destroyers and artillery. In a Christmas greeting to the soldiers of his division, Brigadier General McAuliffe stated: ...We have stopped cold everything that has been thrown at us from the North, East, South and West. Enemy units, spearheading the last desperate German lunge, were headed straight west for key points when the Eagle Division was hurriedly ordered to stem the advance. How effectively this was done will be written in history, not alone in our Division's glorious history but in world history... The following day elements of the 4th Armored Division broke through from the South and broke the encirclement of Bastogne. This print commemorates the valiant actions of all the artillerymen of the 101st Airborne Division Artillery during the battle of the Bulge - the 321st Glider Field Artillery Battalion, the 907th Glider Field Artillery Battalion and the 377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion. |
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