Engineer Combat Company (Winter)

The 291st joined the 51st and 202nd Combat Engineer Battalions, forming the 1111th Engineer Group attached to the US V Corps. The group followed in the charge across France, rebuilding bridges destroyed by the Germans.

December 1944 found the 291st sprawled across a large but relatively quiet sector in Belgium. Elements were stationed in Malmédy, Stavelot, La Gleize, and Trois-Ponts among other smaller outposts.

As far as the engineers knew, they were safely tucked away behind the 106th Infantry Division, several miles back from the front lines.

Like other US forces in the Ardennes, the German attack left the engineers isolated from V Corps and on their own. Confused and often conflicting reports drifted into Colonel Pergrin’s headquarters, but he quickly worked out that the Germans were up to something big. He collected his battalion from their remote outposts and established roadblocks at key locations such as Stavelot, La Gleize, Trois-Ponts, Amblève, and Malmédy.

Soon, the engineers had platoons of the shattered 106th Infantry Division and the counter-attacking 7th Armored Division passing through their position. Pergrin pleaded in vain with both divisions to spare men to stay and help defend the town. None stayed, however he did inherit several abandoned anti-tank guns, a vital boost to his force that had minimal anti-tank assets.

Includes:

one Company Command Carbine team

2iC Command Carbine team

two Platoon Command Pioneer Rifle teams

two Engineer Combat Platoons with two Operating Squads & one Weapons Squads

four optional Operating Squads

three Booby Trap tokens

four Small three-hole bases

four Medium four-hole bases

twelve Medium five-hole bases.