commanding First Parachute Army
The 2nd battle for Eindhoven, dated December 29th 1944
General Student has been transferred to the East front.
Upon taking command I placed my troops in heavy defences along the 'West Wall'.
In the centre of my position was a large lake. On the left was the 422nd Infantry Division and the 101st Pz Brigade with two companies of Jg Panzer IVs defending a ridgeline and wooded ground. On the right, on a ridge covering the main highway was a Kampfgruppe consisting of units of the 16th Luftwaffe Division with some Panthers of 101st Pz Brigade and some armoured engineers protected by minefields.
The attack began suddenly with no preliminary bombardment, the British obviously hoping to achieve surprise. Fortunately it was after dawn before the attack developed and we were fully alert. Armoured and infantry divisions attacked both sides of the lake directly into the accurate fire of our units. The British took massive losses, battalions streaming back to their start positions all along the line and both attacks grinding to a halt. We had taken few losses but all our units were fully engaged by the enemy.
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The view from behind the German positions. The 422nd Infantry Division and the 101st Pz Brigade on the left have driven back most of the attacking units. The 16th Luftwaffe on the right are under heavy attack. The British amphibious infantry are about to cross the lake.At this point a large force of infantry in amphibious vehicles advanced rapidly towards the lake. Our units were unable to respond to this move. The amphibious infantry moved across the lake, through and behind our positions, capturing the Korps headquarters. This precipitated a retreat all along the line and I have had to withdraw to the Rhine.
There were many British spotter planes overhead but luckily the dreaded Typhoons didn't make an appearance.
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