October 1944

Western Europe

The boundary between the 21st and 12th Army Groups is moved back to its former position, giving the British the responsibility for the Peel Marshes corridor west of the Maas.

The VIII Corps takes command of the US 7th Armored Division and the Belgian 1st Brigade, including US attachments. These units, upon relief in their current positions by the 11th Armored Division, start the relief of the British units within their zone.

In the XIX Corps area, the 30th Division's hopes of making a speedy junction with the VII Corps at Wuerselen are soon dashed by enemy opposition on the eastern flank. The 119th Infantry, following the Wurm River valley southward, gets 1-1/2 miles beyond Herzogenrath. The 120th Infantry, whose relief at Kerkrade has been completed by the 29th Division, is committed between the 119th and 117th and takes 2 hamlets. The 117th Infantry, upon reaching the railroad west of Mariadorf, is counterattacked strongly by fresh enemy forces from Mariadorf, part of whom push to Alsdorf, where they are halted. Both sides suffer heavy losses and the 117th Infantry pulls back to the edge of Alsdorf. A battalion of the 120th Infantry moves up to reinforce the 117th Infantry. CCA, 2nd Armored Division, seizes Oidtweiler, northeast of Alsdorf.

In the VII Corps area, the 1st Division begins an attack to encircle Aachen in conjunction with the XIX Corps. While the 18th Infantry pushes northward through Verlautenheide, the 26th is getting into position to drive through the heart of the city from the east. The 16th Infantry holds a defensive line near Eilendorf. Tanks and tank destroyers arrive by nightfall to help the assault regiments of the 9th Division break out of the Huertgen Forest toward Schmidt.

In the V Corps area, the 28th Division encounters the outlying positions of the enemy's West Wall defenses.

In the XX Corps area, the 2nd Battalion of the 357th Infantry, 90th Division, fights from house to house within Maizières-lès-Metz for some time to come without clearing the rest of the town. Confused and bitter fighting continues at Fort Driant without much change in positions.

In the XII Corps area, after an hour of a preparatory bombardment, the corps begins a concerted drive toward the Seille River at 0615. The 6th Armored Division, making the main effort, takes Moivron, where it is relieved by the 80th Division. In conjunction with the 80th Division, the 6th Armored envelops and takes Jeandelincourt, clears Bois de Chenicourt, though the enemy retains the town of Chenicourt, and seizes Arraye-et-Han. To the left, the 80th Division's 318th Infantry takes Manoncourt. The 318th seizes Lixières, Mt Toulon, and Sivry. The 317th clears Mt St Jean. The 35th Division closes up the Seille on its left flank, taking Ajoncourt and Fossieux. P-47s assist with the attack on the heights between Moivron and Jendelincourt.

In the VI Corps area, the 7th Infantry of the 3rd Division moves from Vagney northeastward to Sapois.

In the II Corps area, the Algerian 3rd Division gains the crest of the Longegoutte heights after several days of bitter fighting.