Vector: The first American attempt to cross the River Mark
In the early morning of 31 October 1944, a group of American troops rowed across the River Mark. Their aim was to surprise the German defenders and form a bridgehead on the north side of the river.
From there, many other American soldiers were to follow. However, this ended in defeat for the Timberwolves Division.
After a brief preparation, American forces crossed the River Mark with two units near Boschlust Farm on the Goudbloemsedijk road in the early morning of Tuesday 31 October 1944. Altogether, about 300 American soldiers managed to cross the river in small rubber dinghies. The group was led by commanders Fox and Squier. Although the American forces tried to make the crossing as quiet as possible, the German troops discovered the crossing almost immediately, firing mortars and machine guns at the American forces. This immediately put the Timberwolves in a difficult position, and German artillery also became involved in the crossing attempt. German fire on the crossing destroyed many rubberwolves and damaged the American telephone lines that had just been laid. This both prevented new troops from crossing and destroyed the connection with the supporting artillery, which was set up around the town of Oudenbosch.
This con…
From there, many other American soldiers were to follow. However, this ended in defeat for the Timberwolves Division.
After a brief preparation, American forces crossed the River Mark with two units near Boschlust Farm on the Goudbloemsedijk road in the early morning of Tuesday 31 October 1944. Altogether, about 300 American soldiers managed to cross the river in small rubber dinghies. The group was led by commanders Fox and Squier. Although the American forces tried to make the crossing as quiet as possible, the German troops discovered the crossing almost immediately, firing mortars and machine guns at the American forces. This immediately put the Timberwolves in a difficult position, and German artillery also became involved in the crossing attempt. German fire on the crossing destroyed many rubberwolves and damaged the American telephone lines that had just been laid. This both prevented new troops from crossing and destroyed the connection with the supporting artillery, which was set up around the town of Oudenbosch.
This conflict made expansion of the bridgehead across the Molendijk road toward Standdaarbuiten village and Zevenbergen city impossible. The American forces came under further pressure in the afternoon when German mechanised artillery (Sturmgeschütze) was deployed against their foxholes (holes in the ground used by troops as a shelter against enemy fire or as a firing point). This was observed from the south side and they immediately requested air support to eliminate the attackers, however it was not possible because the weather was bad and the Air Force could not send planes into the air. The American commander still considered sending reinforcements across the Mark, but due to the lack of new rubber boats this did not go through. From his command post in the parsonage of Hoeven, Division Commander Allen therefore decided late on Wednesday night to evacuate the bridgehead. However, this was easier ordered than carried out.
From the south side, with the few boats still available, relief troops were sent to help their comrades to leave their positions. Most of the transferred Timberwolves had been wounded and as many as 66 comrades needed medical attention. Furthermore, it appeared that 121 others could no longer be reached, and commanders Fox and Squier were unable to be contacted. Their fate and that of their men remained unknown for a long time.
All in all, it was a considerable defeat for the 104th U.S. Infantry Division and a firm dash to the plans to reach the Hollands Diep River quickly. Moreover, the Timberwolves' losses were substantial, and the same was certainly true of the German attackers, although exact numbers of these are unknown.
How did the group of Fox and Squier fare? To the great surprise of the American forces, on the morning of Friday 3 November a group of soiled and hungry soldiers turned up along the Molendijk. They had managed to withstand all German attacks and had fed on sugar beets that still grew on the land. However, Fox and Squier's group had been decimated by the German attacks: they had been reduced to only 65 American soldiers, which meant that about 60 men had been captured or killed by the German forces. In 1988, Squier returned to the area where he and his men had faced so much hardship before being freed by their own troops.