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‘At 5 o’clock it seemed that all hell broke loose. “They’re coming”, my gunner shouted. He fell into position behind his gun. Crouched white shapes moved toward us across the snow-covered field … The roar of their guns was deafening. Fire was coming from two tanks at very close range …:’

S/Sgt Raymond E Hodde, 2nd Platoon, D Company, 242nd Infantry Regiment (Pommois p247)

 

‘(Our) order to attack came at 0500. (We) The Germans came out of the woods and ... were greeted by an intense artillery barrage. They were pinned down and they suffered their first casualties almost immediately. At dawn, (we) could see the pillbox (ED: Casemate #2) still 250 meters away … at the end of the day, (my) 6th company had suffered 54 wounded and 9 killed.’

Hans Weiss, 6 Company, 119th Panzergrenadier Regiment (first combat at 19 years old) (Pommois p250)

 

‘In the early hours of January 9 I awoke to the sound of heavy firing and Sgt Whitaker and myself were directed to leave the pillbox and see if the men in the surrounding foxholes were all right. Outside was a maze of bullets and tracers and the heavy machine gun in the pillbox was firing ... We determined that it was a very serious situation and we ended up behind a small mound just outside the pillbox …’

Don Segel, B Company, 242nd Infantry Regiment (Pommois p247)