My understanding is that the meeting took place in Ligneuville - in the hotel whose restaurant has a good reputation.Aida1 wrote: ↑30 Apr 2021, 19:52Not entirey correct. When the column was stopped, Peiper was further back discussing the overall situation with the division commander. He arrived late in the evening. Why the attack on Stavelot was not done then is explained in Men of steel Michael reynolds p 70 . The reasons were : expecting the bridge to be prepared for demolition and defended, the spreading out of the KG, the need for panzer grenadiere and engineers for the assault and finally fatigue. Even If the KG reached the Meuse, it would not have mattered in the big picture so this is a very theoretical discussion which is also very much unrealistic and in hindsight.Sheldrake wrote: ↑30 Apr 2021, 17:14I will go further. Peiper's command of his battlegroup were flawed. On the evening of the 17th Dec Peiper had achieved a breakthrough. His column had destroyed the artillery column at Bageuz and the damaged tank at Ligneuville and were on the country road to Stavalot. However, after bumping into a detachment of engineers a mile or so short of Stavalot his entire column seems to have stopped for several hours. It seems that Peiper went back to the excellent restaurant in Ligneuville for support with the Divisional commander. Had he pressed on during the night his column could have been on the Meuse by morning of the 18th.
In a vigorously conducted offensive, the leader of the leading battle group does not go back for meetings with the divisional commander. The divisional commander comes forward to see what is going on. The reasons given by Michael Reynolds are the same as those dismissed as feeble excuses when presented by the commander of FJR No 9 the previous evening at Lanzerath. Peiper has committed the same error the following night. My suspicion is that none of those involved had real confidence that the attack would succeed and the prevailing mood was Enjoy the War while it lasts; the Peace will be terrible. That fits with the battlegroup smoker in La Glieze the evening before they broke out on foot - as reported by the American PW.