Photoproject:

[woodhatcher]

Combat Patrol during the attack on Halle

 

 

 

After an exhausting night march during the night of April 14^th – 15^th forward elements of Task Force Kelleher, mounted on tanks, had reached Halle and were beginning the assault on the city. The main body followed these elements by truck.

The advance to Halle from the bridges over the Saale river to the North had not been without effort. Though most of the enemy forces were concentrated in the city, the advancing GIs were under constant threat from accurate sniper and rocket launcher fire. Some of these resistance points were dealt with by the tank mounted infantry, some were left for the truck mounted infantry.

 

 

Having almost reached the city, a squad from the 414^th Infantry Regiment’s 1^st Battalion has dismounted their trucks, slung their packs and are now advancing towards a possible enemy position.

 

The 1^st Battalion was part of Task Force Clark. With the attack on Halle on the way, the Task Force had been ordered to move to the East and Southeast of the city to set up roadblocks in order to prevent the enemy from fleeing and participate in the attack from those positions. Accordingly, orders were given for the troops to bed down for the night and prepare to march out at first light the following day.

Movement through the small hamlets surrounding Halle was not without danger.

Snipers could be hiding everywhere, even with the forward elements already having passed through.

 

 

The squad’s BAR gunner carefully checks the road ahead and prepares to cover the scout as he moves out to look for threats further up the road.

 

 

Once the scout reports no threats have been found, the squad marches out down the street in two columns. Although the weapons are slung, they still continue to keep a watchful eye.

 

 

After last night’s march, the troops are exhausted. They will need their rest as orders were given that members from this squad are to form one of the combat patrols tasked with leading the advance of the Task Force as it flanks East to Zoberitz. From here, the 1^st Battalion is to bank South and set up roadblocks.

 

 

Not all of the squad members will be able to get a full night’s rest though. There is always the possibility of an enemy counterattack. The automatic rifleman has set up a defensive position, covering the roads and fields in the direction of Halle. He and his assistant gunner and ammo bearer are to take turns keeping watch.

 

 

As night sets in on April 15^th the Northern edge of Halle was already under control of Task Force Kelleher.

Task Force Rouge (consisting of the 414^th IR’s 3^rd battalion amongst others) was sending out patrols into Halle to map out the city during the night.

On the 16^th, they would commence the attack on Halle on the western side of the Bernberger-Reil street, with Task Force Clark attacking the eastern part.

 

 

Orders came in on April 16^th. The squad was to form a combat patrol on the eastern edge of the advance of Task Force Clark towards Zoberitz. They are to move up through the countryside on the edge of the city and check for signs of snipers or enemy reinforcements.

 

 

 

The troops have packed lightly. With them are their weapons, ammo and supplies to allow them to remain in contact with the enemy for 24 hours. They aren’t expected to spend the night in the open. Once the battalion reaches Zoberitz they will flank South and attempt to maneuver around the city, effectively encircling it.

 

Most resistance the flanking troops encountered was made up of sporadic sniper fire. They reached Zoberitz by 0740 and would complete their encircling movement by the end of the day.

 

 

The patrol’s automatic rifleman holds a German sniper at gunpoint. Most of the German regular army troops surrendered to the GIs but fanatical SS and Hitlerjugend troops put up stiff resistance which meant the city was not declared taken until April 19^th 1945.

 

Editorial note: The weather during the battle of Halle was anything but sunny. Some extreme temperatures for the time of year where reached around the 18^th April, but these amounted to something around 20°C. Unfortunately for us, when we decided to do the shoot, we had an entire week of overcast weather and a weekend of constant sunshine and temperatures above 30°C. Hence the general feel of the photos is not what it should be. Our apologies for this.

 

For more pictures: http://www.trgb.org/apps/photos/album?albumid=15910580

[gwb123]

Nicely done!

[fstop61]

Great job!