November 14, 1944, shortly before the French offensive, the German Gen. Kdo. 63 A.K. under the command of General der Infanterie Friedrich August Schack, was newly lined up at the Belfort Gap. The 198. Infantry Division is now assigned to this Army Corps.

On November 19, the Division’s Ia, Major i.G. Robert Grauer arrives at the Division’s CP but the situation of the enemy’s assault is not clear yet. The only fact the Germans know is, that the French supply line is operating only along the Swiss border on a narrow path. The 198. Infantry Division get the order, after its assembly area south of Dammerkirch, to attack south and break through up to the Swiss Border. With this action, the enemy’s whole supply lint to support the French assault would be cut. The area between the French town of Courtelevant and the Swiss Border was assigned as the first assault objective. As supporting units, Grenadier Regiment 409, under the command of Major Georg Grossjohann as well as a Jagdpanther Battalion of the 654. Schwere Panzerjaeger Abteilung are assigned to the 198. Infantry Division

In the early morning of November 21, 1944, Grenadier Regiment 409 attacks the village of Suarce and takes it. Part of this outfit pushes on through the town of Lepuix-Dell up to the crossroad around 1500 meters south of the village.

In the meantime, Grenadier Regiment 308 has arrived and is on its way to Lepuix-Delle. However, a new Army Corp order requests a new regrouping in the night from November 21 to November 22, 1944 in which Grenadier Regiment will be relieved. Although very miserable weather conditions and pitch black night, the units arrive in the ordered assembly areas. The main task remains; to block the French used West-East streets and with parts of the Division to push on to the Swiss Border.

Grenadier Regiment 308, under the command of Major Gropengiesser, got the most difficult task, to block the road between Réchésy and Pfetterhausen directly at the Swiss Border.

In the early morning of November 21, 1944, Grenadier Regiment 409 attacks the village of Suarce and takes it. Part of this outfit pushes on through the town of Lepuix-Dell up to the crossroad around 1500 meters south of the village.

In the meantime, Grenadier Regiment 308 has arrived and is on its way to Lepuix-Delle. However, a new Army Corp order requests a new regrouping in the night from November 21 to November 22, 1944 in which Grenadier Regiment will be relieved. Although very miserable weather conditions and pitch black night, the units arrive in the ordered assembly areas. The main task remains; to block the French used West-East streets and with parts of the Division to push on to the Swiss Border.

Grenadier Regiment 308, under the command of Major Gropengiesser, got the most difficult task, to block the road between Réchésy and Pfetterhausen directly at the Swiss Border.

On November 21, 1944, the Grenadier Regiment 308 battle strength was down to 18 Officers, 49 NCO’s and 210 enlisted men. The Regiments armament in addition to assault rifles were 18 machine guns, 17 Panzerfaust’s as well as 48 rounds for the Panzerschreck. That was all! The 13th heavy Company was not available at this time. For support the following units have been assigned to Grenadier Regiment 308:

-       1 Platoon Combat Engineers

-       1 forward artillery observer of Artillery Regiment 235

-       1 communication platoon of Nachrichten-Abteilung 235

However, those supporting units have not been arrived  at 03.15 a.m. when the Headquarters staff was about to move out. At 01.00 a.m. a Division’s dispatch rider arrived in the Regiments CP with a very urgent order “immediate line-up, top urgent”. (the original intention of the Corps was to gather more troops to carry out this very difficult mission and attack in a combined force. However, A.O.K 19 had the opinion, that there was enough time left for this build up).

Because of the darkness and the unknown terrain, the arriving of 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Regiment 308 in Lepuix-Delle was delayed. Major Grauer, the Division Ia, urged his commander to move out only with the 1st Battalion under the command of Hauptmann Busch. This in order to reach the new assigned area of operation still under the cover of darkness. The 2nd  Battalion under the command of Oberleutnant Töppe was however at the meeting and knew the order.

The progress was very slow as the march went through marshes and thick brush-wood. At point 410, there was an enemy tank but this one was not knocked out so that the enemy will not be warned.

On November 22 at around 10.30 a.m, the outfit arrived the woodland north of point 455. The second Battalion, 308. Grenadier Regiment has not followed. It turned out later that it followed Grenadier Regiment 305 and was involved in a heavy firefight at point 410. The enemy was able to block the road and so 2nd Battalion had to wait for darkness before moving further and follow.

The regimental CO orders a recon patrol under the lead of Lieutenant Rödder, to check out the situation along the Réchésy-Pfetterhausen road and to observe the enemy traffic for a while as well as to find a good crossing point. Rödder returns around 12.30 p.m. and reports that the area up to the road is free of enemy forces, heavy traffic but know foot soldiers or  cyclists. An enemy check point has been established near point 455 and checks some individual cars. The wooded area on both sides of the road is perfect for the crossing, however due to the heavy traffic a crossing can only be done during darkness.

After an officer meeting in the early evening hours, 1st Battalion  secures the whole East- and Northfront while the engineer platoon and the cyclist platoon cover the Westfront. Every outfit sent out forward outposts and the commander of 14th Company prepared his tank killer teams and prepared the roadblock. The plan was to block the road with a big tree but there were no big trees on either side of the road. It was therefore decided to dig in on both sides of the road and block the road by knocking out the first car coming along. The following  car’s will be then destroyed by heavy machine guns and hand grenades. The commanding CP will be established around 400 meters south-east of point 455.

All German soldiers have been made aware of the importance of this mission as well as how to act at the Swiss Border and to avoid any Border incident.

At around 20.30 p.m. the road was crossed by the German attack force to move into the fighting positions north of the road. The French, unsuspecting and not aware of the presence of the Germans, continued to drive along the road with full lights. In the meantime, the German Grenadiers were digging in and ready to strike! Due to the darkness and the thick underwood, the communication between the outfits were lost from time to time and also the heavy traffic between Réchésy and Pfetterhausen slowed-down.

At daybreak, November 23, 1944, the French continued to carry their supply on this road. At 07.30 p.m. the first German Panzerfaust hit its target and from that point all hell broke loose! Machine gun fire, hand grenades and heavy defend fire from the French. A German radio squad, who managed to cross the road just before hell was released, has arrived as well at the Regimental CP. The first messages from the front line comes in: one armored car, 5 open trucks and 2 cars have been knocked out!

The French are trying to clear the roadblock immediately and counter-attacks but the Germans manage to repulse all enemy attacks but with heavy casualties. A first radio message to Division headquarter is sent out “08.45 a.m. ordered area have been taken, road has been blocked, no food, ammunition very short, Oberleutnant Töppe missing”.

In the meantime, movements  at the Swiss Border started as well. A Swiss Hauptmann requested to talk to a German Officer immediately. He told the German officer – Adj. Oberleutnant Albert - straight away, that the 1st Battalion/308 has been surrounded and cut off. Blocking the road is not possible as well. The Swiss Officer asked how many men the Germans have in order to organize their evacuation and request enough food for the fighting men. The Swiss Officer knows every detail of the German movement however, the Oberleutnant Albert gives not away any information. He however, requests that the Swiss will take care of the heavy wounded men. In order to do so, the barbed wire is removed to leave a gap of 4 meters and a German doctor as well as three Swiss doctors arrive in order to take the heavy casualties as well as one French P.O.W. into Swiss care. 

At 09.15 a French Sherman tank with supporting infantry shows up and attacks point 455 from the West. All French infantry is shot down by the German Grenadiers. At the same time, six armored recon cars arrives from the East, get into position 600 meters away and open up. At 10.00 a.m. an French infantry company from Réchésy is closing in and attacks point 455 from the North. At one point the French succeed to break through the Northfront and push forward to the road. However, the German resistance is stiff and the enemy infantry company is wiped out. In the meantime, 5 additional Sherman tanks arrived from the West and are shelling the German position with their 75mm guns as well as an enemy flak gun. The German ammo situation is very poor as no supplies arrive.

At the Swiss Border, several high ranking Officers turned up. They all indicate that the Germans had accomplished their order but now the time has come that any further resistance is useless. Therefore, they shall cross the Swiss Border and go into Swiss Internment but not one single German soldier met the Swiss demands!

In the early afternoon, the heavy infantry fighting slows down and the French only shell the MLR at point 455 with mortars. Around 14.00 p.m. active engine sounds from the West starts and shortly after the Germans got the news that the French unload more mechanized infantry. Another three Sherman tanks arrive from the West and take up position between the Swiss Border and the road and from East there is also enemy movement visible! The Germans request an artillery barrage against eastern sector of Réchésy and the western sector of Pfetterhausen.  The Division headquarter reply that combat engineers with mines will be sent during the night. At 16.00 p.m. a dispatch rider of 2nd Battalion arrives to bring the message that 2nd Battalion has arrived and has taken position in the Northfront. However, during the firefight with Grenadier Regiment 305, most of the ammunition has been already used! Order has been given to 2nd Battalion to stay in the Northfront during the night.

During the whole day rain fell and all foxholes have been filled up with water. At Dusk the remaining ammo is given out. All the whole Regiment has are 1’200 rounds. At 22.00 the French start again with artillery fire.

During the night to November 24, 1944, the German artillery shoots 10 rounds into Réchésy while the French artillery is shelling the German position since 07.30 a.m. in the morning. At 08.15 p.m. Hauptmann Hofmann, commander of an ammo supply platoon arrives. While the ammo is given out among the troops at around 09.00 a.m., the French artillery, with more than 2’000 artillery rounds, as well as all enemy machine guns open up. The 2nd Battalion of the French 6th Colonial Infantry Regiment together with French Resistance fighters of the Languedoc Brigade, 80th Infantry Regiment, starts the final assault!

Continuously the Swiss take the wounded Grenadiers through the gap of the barbed wire Border fence. The French are able to break into the Westfront first; the Germans sent in reinforcements under the command of Leutnant Braun to meet this thread. At the Northfront heavy fighting and close combat starts and the German ammo supply is soon exhausted.  Due to this lack of ammo the French manage to break into this position as well. In the meantime also in the eastern sector the assault of the French starts. The Battalion commanders together with the supply troops carry out several counter attacks. Even the Swiss side get hit by several artillery shells!

At 11.00 a.m. a hedgehog position is set up at point 500 just at the Swiss Border. The Swiss take care of all wounded regardless of the French artillery shelling danger close of their position. Leutnant Rödder is killed during the heavy hand to hand combat. A last radio message is set out “Superior enemy attack from all sides, no ammo left, close combat around the Regimental CP”.

At 12.00 a.m. Major Gropengiesser gives the order to retreat to the Swiss Border fence. There, all remaining weapons will be destroyed and the last survivors of Grenadier Regiment 308 will cross the Border to Switzerland. While the main part of the remaining men crossed the Border, a small rear guard fires the last rounds and after that it becomes silent! Only 16 Officers and 298 men of Grenadier Regiment 308 were left and went into Swiss Internment to save their lives!

The French check out the battle area for more Germans but none were found. The went to the Swiss Border Patrol, asked for Germans and were angry that the hated “Boche” escaped to Switzerland. The Battle was over!

Swiss Border town of Beurnevésin is the home of Grenadier Company 1 of the Swiss Army to protect the Swiss Border. 03.00 a.m., the Platoon of 23 men is ready to relieve Platoon Rentsch at point 500 at the Border. After a short march up the hill in pitch black darkness and rain, Platoon Breitenstein gets to point 500. The order is to prevent any armed trespassing of the Swiss Border from both war parties. The situation has been provided and we knew about the condition of the German soldiers just next to the Border. We also knew that the French assault was just about to begin.

The Swiss outfit gets into position with three groups about 120 meters behind the Border. In the middle of the position is a small tent for the wounded where a German doctor is taking care of the wounded.

The German doctors comes to me and requests to talk to a Swiss Officer. He asked me if we could take 5 severely wounded men as well as 11 slightly wounded into Swiss internment and for care. The approval for all member of Grenadier regiment 308 is present. I inform Hauptmann Steiger and let him know the kind of injury. After 30 minutes, the German stretcher carriers arrive at the Border. The German soldiers have to carry their wounded into Switzerland and after the left the wounded, some hesitate to go back. But a harsh command brings them back to the war zone. After the wounded Germans have been inspected, Hauptmann Steiger and Oberleutnant Lerch arrive with the medics to take care of the wounded men.

After that, our guard told me that the Germans have 3 prisoners, 3 French soldiers in US uniforms but expect from this no special event happens.

Around 09.00 a.m. the French artillery opens up. Is this the assault? I take my men back to 150 meters of the Border and in cover of big trees. I count about 5 to 6 rounds per minute. Suddenly one shell hit Swiss  territory very close of our position. And again incoming on Swiss territory. I order all men to take cover and take the telephone to report “shelling of Swiss territory”, one of my Grenadiers got hit by a shrapnel. Now, also small arms fire sets in and the French infantry charges in from West and North. The first German soldiers arrive at the Border. Weapons and equipment is thrown away and the men are ready to go into Swiss internment. Groups of 10 men are collected and taken to the small border house near Beurnévesin. The last group of about 50 German soldiers arrive at the Border to go into internment. Around 14.00 a.m the Battle is over.