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Bob's Battle of the Bulge Tours

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Manhay
Bob's Battle of the Bulge Tours

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31/10/2024

***POW at Dom Butgenbach***
Joe Manoni was part of E company/ 26thIR/ 1stID when the Battle of the Bulge broke out. His unit was sent to Camp Elsenborn and from there via Butgenbach to Domane Butgenbach. Company E dug in in an open field, right in front of the Domane, out in an open field. German troops from the Hitlerjugned attacked their positions several times. On 21 December two German tanks broke through and Joe got captured. He spent the rest of the war in Stalag IVb, near Muhlberg on the Elbe River.
A few weeks ago family visited the area for the first time.
Pic 1: Camp Elsenborn; Pic 2: former positions of E company; Pic 3: idem; Pic 4: Canon company at Domane; Pic 5: Domane Butgenbach; Pic 6: idem; Pic 7: visit private museum.

30/10/2024

*** 293rd Ordnance Medium Maintenance Company ***
The last two weeks we had a lot of Battlefield Tours. This one was with a daughter of a veteran of the 293rd Ordnance MM Company. With the papers she brought, we could follow several footsteps her father made. You can find inserts in the pictures. These are really interesting. Especially the ones in the pictures of Camp Elsenborn.
Pic 1 and 2: Elsenborn; Pic 3 and 4: Westwall at Udenbreth; Pic 5: Krinkelt Rocherath/2ndID; and Pic 6: Station sankt Vith

24/10/2024

***NEW: Escape from the Malmedy Massacre, the Ted Flechsig story***
A few weeks ago, my friend and colleague David Martin from Whitecross Battlefield Tours contacted me with a strange request. There was a family coming over from the U.S., and they had two wishes: Finding the bike, used by their (grand)father on 17 December 1944 and meeting the families of two brothers that had helped him.
Read the whole story here: https://www.battle-of-the-bulge.be/escape-from-the-malmedy-massacre-the-ted-flechsig-story/

10/10/2024

We are heading to the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge.
One of the events that will take place is a unique tour in the footsteps of Kampfgruppe Peiper. The event is hosted by experts Danny Parker, Ann Hamilton Shields and Jens Westermeier.
Date: 6, 7 and 8 December 2024!
This unique tour brings you to unique places, like chateau Froidcour, Stoumont sanitorium and Lanzerath.
Only a few places are left!
Please contact Erik Wuite at [email protected]

30/09/2024

***Dom Butgenbach***
This week we did a reconnaissance tour for a family who will be coming in October to find out where their father was captured during the battle for Dom Butgenbach. It is incredible to see there are still a lot of traces to find in the woods.
With al the documents, mpas and personal information, we were able o find the place where this soldier was captured.
(Many thanks to !)

29/09/2024

***87th Cavalry Recon Squad***
Two weeks ago I guided family of John Twa, who was in F company/ 87th Cav Rec Squad/ 7th Armored Division. We followed the route from Poteau (where we found shrapnel) to Sankt Vith and then in his footsteps from Rodt to Commanster, Vielsalm and Manhay. It is always an absolute honor to guide families in the former battlefields.
www.battletour.be

28/09/2024

***The return of the missal of Sainte Barbe of Foy***
Last week a ceremony was held in the Sainte Barbe chapel in Foy. On 18 January 1945 Alden Todd and Frank Marchese found a bell and a missal in the ruins of the chapel. Both men were part of the 502ndPIR/ 101st Airborne.
Some 40 years ago the bell was returned to the chapel. The missal was returned last week by the son and grandson of Frank Marchese.
On friday a short ceremony was held at the former cemetery of Recogne.
A plaque was inaugurated at the Saint Barbe chapel.

26/09/2024

Pvt. Robert Calvert, Buffalo, N.Y., keeps on alert as his buddy, Pvt. Charles Lock, Jufaula, Ala., sleeps in Houffalize Sector.
They are with the 41st Armored Regiment, 2nd Armored Division. 16 January 1945

21/09/2024

***Praying for his fallen buddies***
This one of the most iconic pictures I made during the years.
May 2010: 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion veteran Joe Cichinelli is sitting in the chapel of US cemetery Henri Chapelle.
Outside there are hundreds of people getting ready for Memorial Day.
On Joe's request we closed the door so he could pray for his fallen buddies.
14 men of the 551stPIB are buried on Henri Chapelle.

16/09/2024

***Bob goes digital!***
After travelling for 14 years with heavy photobooks, and constant warnings of his physiotherapist, Bob started to use a tablet a few months ago.
Since then all the tours are on this multi media device and he added a lot of extra tools. During the tour you will see more pictures, more maps, more documents (like after action reports, morning reports, etc) and....video's from Signal Corps!
With this device, Bob is taking his Battlefield tours to the next level!
www.battletour.be

13/09/2024

*** 17th Airborne Division/ 193rd Glider Infantry Regiment***
Another impressive tour I had, was with family of Richard. P. Wehn of the 17th Airborne Division. It costed us some time to find out in which unit he was. With the help of Footsteps Researchers we could locate him. Richard fought around the Bastogne area with the 193rdGIR. His unit started in Sibret and had their baptism of fire in Mande Saint Etienne and Flamisoul. We found back the foxholes of his company C between these two villages. After these fightings they were sent in the direction of Bois Fazone and Compogne. From there they were rushed in a complete other direction: The border with Luxembourg. Richard fought his way to Huldange and was wounded there on 25 January 1945, the exact date the Battle of the Bulge ended. It was an impressive day, including a visit to the 101stAB museum in Bastogne, where we found the name and helmet of one of his buddies, Donald Archer who was KIA on 8 January 1945.

08/09/2024

*** Visit of family of G-3 General Halley Maddox***
Another very interesting tour I recently had, was with the grandson and son in law of General Halley Maddox. Maddox was General George Patton’s G-3.
Maddox prepared the route that Patton’s 4th Armored Division took, trying to break through the encircled town of Bastogne. My guests had a copy of the maps he made and wanted them to stay here in the Ardennes. After my suggestion, they were donated to the 101st Airborne Museum.
During the day we visited several places. One of them was Chateau Rolley where we were welcomed and guided by Bernard. A fantastic day, full of stories and full of great meetings.

06/09/2024

Last couple of weeks I guided around several families of veterans.
This one was a hard one: Raymond Dawson of the the 13th "Lancashire" Battalion/ B company/ 5th Parachute Brigade who fought in the area of Bure (Rochefort/st Hubert) and became a POW on 3 January 1945.
The battle of Bure, 3-5 January 1945, was an intense battle and the losses where enormous. It was the bloodiest battle in the Ardennes campaign for the British troops.
With the family I visited the former battlefields in and around Bure, the Hotton cemetery and the outstanding museum in La Roche en Ardennen (http://www.batarden.be/).
Many thanks to Micheld Bourland and Geert Mertens for all the help.
If you want to know more about the Battle of Bure, here is an interesting video about it: https://youtu.be/v6Jykol7hEM?si=uM6YELqjUAczZOmf

26/08/2024

While coming back from a shortbreak in the Moselle area, we made a quickstop in Prüm.
In the church you can find this remarkable plaque, dedicated to Josef Kaspar Zilliken.
Josef was a Catholic priest who was imprisoned in a concentration camp during the N**i era. After years of surveillance and harassment, he was arrested by the Gestapo for not properly saluting Hermann Göring (1893-1946) during a chance encounter. He died in Dachau, faithful to the Church, weakened by inhumane living conditions. He is considered a resistance fighter and "martyr priest."
Josef was one of the men who stood up against the N**i oppressors and paid the highest price.
May we never forget.

08/08/2024

Rachamps, then and now.

26/07/2024

This rare picture shows soldiers of the 630th Tank Battalion cover the approach to Bastogne with M-20 and Rifles. This picture is made on 20 December 1944 by T/5 Wesley B. Carolan / 165th Signal Photo Company.
(Many thanks to Footsteps Researchers )

27/06/2024

*** The Incredible MHM44 Museum! ***
In the hamlet of Grandmenil, you will find an exceptional museum that tells the story of the intense battles that occurred in December 1944. Grandmenil and the surrounding villages became pivotal points in the mid-sector of the Battle of the Bulge.
You will find stories and stuff about the 2ns XX Das Reich division, 75th Infantry Division, 3rd Armored Division, 106th Infantry Divison, etc, etc.
Do not forget to visit the shop!
Are you looking for an exceptional museum? This is one of them!
Al information about the museum: www.mhm44.be
All information about the area: www.grandmenil.com

24/06/2024

*** 16 January 1945, La Gleize/ Belgium ***
Men of a reconnaissance platoon of the 82nd Airborne Division are testing an American and German bazooka on one of the King Tigers that was left behind by Kampfgruppe Peiper. Deepest pe*******on made by either weapon was only four of the seven inches of armor on front of the tank.

22/06/2024

*** The 101st Airborne Museum Bastogne ***
An absolute must see, when you are visiting Bastogne, is the 101st Airborne museum. The museum contains tons of information about the fightings in and around the town, excellent mannequins, gear, weapons, etc. Do not forget to visit the basement!
Go there, you will not be disappointed!
A visit to this museum is integrated in the battlefield tour.
The adres: Av. de la Gare 11, 6600 Bastogne and website https://www.101airbornemuseumbastogne.com/

18/06/2024

The reason we visited Auxias/ Normandy, was not only to attend the 83rdID commemorations and stand still by the enormous sacrifices the men have made. I also needed to go back to the place where one of the main characters I have researched many years, was traumatised on 4 July 1944: Harry E. Shoemaker. We researched the area last year, but needed more information.
With help of Glyn Nightingale, I was able to visit the Ferme des Ormeaux again with familymembers of the 83rdID. Together we explored the farm and surroundings.
We also visited the psychiatric hospital in Carentan where Harry was hospitalised for three months.
The results will be published later.
The article about Ottré is published here: https://www.battle-of-the-bulge.be/the-ottre-massacre/

17/06/2024

We just came back from France, visiting the beautiful area of Saint Malo and a few days later Auxais. Besides a long week of holiday, we did a lot of research too.
And this year we participated in the commemorations for the 83rd Infantry Division.
The division fought in both areas in the summer of 1944 and has a very strong connection with the events that took place in the Ardennes.
In the Saint Malo area you still will find numorous bunker complexes and a fantastic museum, just outside the city. (https://www.saint-malo.fr/accueil/sortir/musees/memorial-39-45/)
In the last picture you see men of the 83rd near Saint Malo, behind, what is now, restaurant Le Sillon.

30/05/2024

Getting ready for the next event: the 80th Anniversary of D-day.
This year we will be following the footsteps of the 83rd Infantry Division in the region of Carentan and Auxais. I hope to finish a research I started last year with the help of Glyn Nightingale and Myra Miller of Researchers. We're also going to see a lot of friends from France, Holland, England and the US.
We're starting out trip in Saint Malo.

17/05/2024

*** Mission Failed! ***
One of our favorite hobbies is to go out with friends and look for unidentified pictures. A couple of times we succeeded: two times in Hotton and one time in Stoumont. It gives great Then and Now pics.
Last week, we went for a really difficult one: The 75th Infantry Division in Salmchateau with two men and a 30 call machine gun, hanging out of a window. Only a few details and zero surrounding buildings.
I made previous then and nows a while ago and I researched this picture with customers on Battlefield Tours. Without succes.
So this time I brought the experts, Ron, Lenie and my wife Eveline. We walked every street, saw all houses, barns and stables in this village and after several hours we had to conclude: Mission Failed.
Still had a great time.
We have two options left:
- The house was near the baily bridge and gone
- Or it is one of the houses looking in the direction of the hill of Beche ad in a backyard.....
No, we will not give up and will be back another time.
Many thanks to Research for providing this picture!

16/05/2024

A while ago I was contacted by Backroads, a US travel organisation specialised in hiking and biking. They invited me to come to Manoir de LeBéoles (near Spa) for seven lectures of one hour.
Seven times I stepped in my old profession of teacher.
It was great to tell impressive stories of the Battle of the Bulge that I have gathered during almost 16 years of research, talking to veterans, families and civillians.
Looking back at 7 great meetings!
You can book me for a lecture via my website: https://www.battletour.be/lectures/

Adres

Grandrue 15
Manhay

Openingstijden

Maandag	09:00 - 17:00
Dinsdag	09:00 - 17:00
Woensdag	09:00 - 17:00
Donderdag	09:00 - 17:00
Vrijdag	09:00 - 17:00
Zaterdag	09:00 - 17:00
Zondag	09:00 - 17:00

Website

http://www.battletour.be/

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Video's

Several years ago I wrote an article about an English hero: Corporal of Horse John Jenkins, who was fighting in Rochefort in the early stages of the battles. One of the guys that helped me out was Brian Rogers. Today I found some film of the attacks on Rochefort and finally in a good quality. Link to the article: https://www.battle-of-the-bulge.be/corporal-horse-john-jenkins-a-forgotten-hero/