December 23, 1944: The Germans defeat the Americans in Manhay

Parkers Crossroad

Baraque Fraiture On December 21 and 22, one of the oldest pantzerdivisies of the Waffen SS, 2nd Pantserdivisie "Das Reich" joined forces to overwhelm Baraque de Fraiture. Led by Heinz Lammerding, Das Reich took the crossroads on December 23 after a fierce battle. (Lammerding gave the order on June 10, 1944 to in Oradour-sur-Glane. More info: click here)

The N15 road , was of crucial importance to Hitler: it was one of the main roads to Bastogne and Liege. The intersection was taken. The 106 th infantry division and other small units, led by Major Arthur Parker, lost about 200 soldiers. The intersection is also now known as "Parker's Cross Road".
With the release of Baraque, the gateway to Manhay was fairly simple. The N15 winds through dense forests.
The pantserdivision, led by Lammerding, wanted to secure Manhay, Malempré and Vaux Chavanne and then take Grandmenil. The Americans weren't at full strenght after the battle of st. Vith.

On December 23 at 21.00 armored Grenadiers headed towards Manhay. Lammerding had a captured Sherman tank and led the platoons of the 4th SS Panzer Grenadiers towards Manhay. Vanwege een tekort aan brandstof bleven veel van Lammerdings tanks in de bossen achter. Due to a shortage of fuel many of Lammerdings tanks remained in the woods behind near Manhay. During the attack a strange accident: Sergeant Ernst Barkmann was suddenly in front of the column and noticed too late that his panther 4 was between American Shermans tanks. At first he thought that the tanks were German. After disabling a Sherman, he drove to Manhay, wich caused great panic among the Americans who were totally surprised.

Barkmann: "We were at the crossroads (Manhay). The left side led to Grandmenil and Erezée, wich was our goal of the attack. From this side three sherman tanks came on us. I drove to Liege (road direction Harre) and later turned again, to join the others and tried to make radio contact. As I drove back to the crossroads I triedto count the tanks I saw. I gave up: it must have been 80 tanks or more. We had no choice but to drive. American soldiers jumped aside, they did not notice that we were German! When they discovered our German tank, we heard their tanks start behind us and the tank focused on us. Fortunately there was a tank stanidng in the way, so they couldn't shoot. Op een gegeven moment rijdt er een Amerikaanse jeep onze kant uit, de bijrijder is een officier die ons met een signaallamp wil laten stoppen. At one time, a American jeep drives our way and the crew member, an officer with a signal lamp, wants us to pull over. We step on it and the jeepdriver is in a critical situation. He drives the jeep in reverse. A wild chase begins and eventually we hit the car with our right crawler belt and driving over the jeep, while the occupants tried to jump out. Because of the hit the side of our tank ends in a ditch and hits a Sherman. Then all hell breaks loose outside as the Americans started to shoot at us. The driver tries to start the engine again. After a few attempts the engine starts and we drove away. We drive towards Liège as we discover that we are haunted by the Americans. We shot at them and disabled them. A little later we heard panther tanks Manhay drive into Manhay. The Americans think that these are Tiger tanks, but these weren't in this region at all. (See also: "Tigers, Tigers!")

Shermans at Baraque de fraiture (07-01-44) Ernst barkmann

Battered and injured Barkmann finally pulled back after he had destroyed seven tanks, two tank destroyers and other equipment . SS Sergeant Major Franz Frauscher destroyed five Shermans that Barkmann passed. On the U.S. side many casualties were counted during the attack. The Americans pulled back to Grandmenil.
In Malempré and Odeigne a fierce battle was fought and the Americans had to retreat.

Evacuation of villagers from Manhay; december 1944

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