Henri Mignon Bastogne Bulge Easy Company Tours
Henri Mignon
16B route d'Assenois
B6600 Bastogne
Tel. 0032 (0) 61 21 35 020032 (0) 61 21 35 02
Cell. 0032 (0) 473 59 24 650032 (0) 473 59 24 95
Then and Now
A young captain Guide on the
A long time ago! Battlefield
Battle of the Bulge, Easy Company and Hürtgen Forest Guided Tours
My website is not sophisticated, but basic although I could write down hundreds of testimonials and recommendations. This is not necessary, and you will understand why.
My experience of the Battle of the Bulge is UNIQUE: all my life I have been involved in the Battle of the Bulge.
I was borne on the Bulge battlefield in 1936 in Houffalize, close to Bastogne.
I spent 6 years studying Greek and Latin in the “Petit Séminaire de Bastogne” which became the Headquarters of the 501st (101st Airborne) during the siege of Bastogne.
I studied the Battle of the Bulge at the prestigious Belgian Military Academy (cole Royale Militaire) and became a career artillery officer.
I was posted in Germany until 1965. I was then posted in Bastogne in the Belgian Barracks where MacAuliffe had his Headquarters during the battle.
I have accompanied American veterans on their battlefields for years.
The Battle of the Bulge is my life.
I don’t guide; I re-live the battle that I experienced in my village re-occupied by the Germans.
I am a guide WITNESS of the Battle of the Bulge.
When I talk about a tank attack, I know how it was: I saw the tanks deployed attacking towards our home.
When I talk about airstrikes, I know how it was: I saw the fighters (P47 and P38) diving on their targets.
When I talk about a plane crash I know how impressive it was: I saw several plane crashes during the war and during the Battle of the Bulge.
When I talk about the SS’s , I know how bad they were: I saw them: they “shared” our home during the battle.
When I talk about the wounded, I know how much they suffered: I saw the German wounded in our home used as a first aid station and later the American wounded in our church used as their first aid station
When I talk about the killed in action, I know how sad it was: I saw a lot of American and German bodies on the battlefield
When I talk about “collateral” damage, I know what it is: I saw my father killed by a shell fragment dying in our presence
When I talk about artillery fire: I experienced it: our home was hit three times by artillery shells and eventually put ablaze: we lost everything
Re-live the battle under the leading of a witness with a strong professional military background.
CONTACT: henrimignon@hotmail.com
DAY 1 PROGRAM : Bastogne and the surrounding area.
We meet either at your hotel or at the tourist office in the town centre to start the visit.
Presentation on the MacAuliffe Square at the American Sherman tank (11th Armored Division)
First Aid station of the 10th Armored Division (Doctor PRIOR)
Patton monument
Saint-Peters church
The “Petit Séminaire”, HQ of the 501st Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division
I can guide you there through the exhibition “I was 20 in Bastogne in 1945”.
The Belgian Barracks, HQ of the 101st Airborne Division and the historical place where MacAuliffe pronounced the famous “NUTS” and an interesting display of WWII armoured vehicles.
The American Memorial (Mardasson) and its beautiful crypt.
Bizory, Peace Woods, monument of the “Easy Company (E Cy)”, Bois Jacques and foxholes of the E Cy, Foy, Recogne, Cobru, Noville, Rachamps (last village liberated by the E Cy)
German cemetery, monument indicating the location of an American temporary cemetery, monument to the Native Americans.
Longchamps, Rolley (HQ of the 502/101, Col Chappuis)), Longchamps, Champs, Flamierge (17th Airborne Division), Assenois and fort Boguess( breakthrough by the 4th Armored Division), the Harlange Pocket with the 35th Infantry Division (Inf Div).
Combat Teams of the 10th Armored division: Desobry in Noville, O’Hara in Wardin, Cherry in Longwilly.
If we have enough time, we can quickly visit either Clervaux (28th Infantry Division), or La Roche (84th US Infantry Division and 51st Scottish Highlander Division) or Houffalize my home town where I experienced the allied air bombardment that flattened the town in January 1945
DAY 2 PROGRAM: the Northern Shoulder and Kampfgruppe Peiper’s itinerary from the Siegfried Line to La Gleize –Stoumont.
We start at the Sherman tank on the MacAuliffe Square in Bastogne and have a long trip across the Battlefield.
Parker’s Crossroads defended by Major Parker of the 106th Infantry Division
Monument in honour of the 82d Airborne Division in Sart
Vielsalm, Saint-Vith, 7th Armoured Division and HQ of the 106th Inf Div
Wereth where 11 Afro-Americans were murdered by the SS
In Germany, the Siegfried Line or West Wall with the “Dragon teeth”
From the German border we follow the attack route of "Kampfgruppe Peiper", spearhead of the 1st Panzer SS Division and of the entire German attack plan.
The Losheim Gap, Lanzerath ( Lt Bouck, 99th Inf Div)
The Twin Villages, Krinkelt and Röchrath (99th and 2nd Inf Div), the Elsenborn Ridge
Bullingen, Bütgenbach (1st Inf Div, the Big Red One)
Baugniez, place of the infamous "Malmedy Massacre", Ligneuville another massacre
Stavelot, Trois-Ponts. LaGleize where Peiper was definitively stopped by the 30th Inf Div, the 82nd Airborne and the 3rd Armored Div. The King Tiger tank (Mark 6).
Werbomont, HQ of the 82nd AB Div
On our way back to Bastogne, we stop in Houffalize, junction point of the 1st and 3rd US Armies in the counter-attack, on 16 January 1945. A last stop to watch a German Panther tank (Mark 5).
DAY 3 PROGRAM: the Southern Schoulder.
We start at the Sherman tank on the MacAuliffe Square in Bastogne.
The American Cemetery in Hamm, Luxembourg, with General G.S. Patton’s grave
The German Cemetery in Zandweiler
Echternach, a famous tourist resort, which was the Southern Shoulder of the Battle of the Bulge
The “Little Switzerland” with gorgeous deep canyons, 4th Inf Div
Some forts of the Siegfried Line
Diekirch where we visit the exceptional National Military History Museum
The “Sky Line Drive” Hosingen, 28th Inf Div
The bridging site of Dasbourg, 2nd Panzer Division, Marnach
Clervaux, the castle, HQ of the 110th Regiment of the 28th Inf Div, a 88 mm gun
We continue towards Bastogne through Antoniushof, Fe'itsch, Longvilly, Mageret and Neffe and study on site the action of the Combat Team Cherry.
THE HURTGEN FOREST (“GREEN HELL”)
We start at the Sherman tank on the MacAuliffe Square in Bastogne.
The American Cemetery in Henri-Chapelle
Eupen, Monschau (Montjoie), 99th Inf Div
A stretch of the Siegfried Line (Schill Line) in Paustenbach, 9th Inf Div
Lammersdorf, Raffelsbrand, Simonskall
Vossenack, German cemetery with Field Marshal Model’s grave, monument of the 116th Panzer Dision
Mestrengermühle, the famous Kall Trail, 28th Inf Div, Schmidt, Kommerscheidt, Schwammenauelsee
Hürtgen, German cemetery, Brandenberg and Bergstein taken by the 2nd Rangers Battalion the same that attacked Pointe du Hoc in Normandy
During the visit we see American and German foxholes, some forts (most of them destroyed), and plaques in memory of soldiers killed in action whose bodies were found years after the war. The terrain is sometimes rather hard, but if an old chap like me can do it, you can as well. Anyway we can adapt the itinerary.
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Official Memorial
Battle of the Bulge
MARDASSON
Official Memorial
Battle of the Bulge
Bois Jacques, Easy Company
Under snow like in December 1944
German Panther Tank (Mark IV)
Houffalize
LANZERATH
Lt BOUCK, 99th Inf Div
German KING Tiger tank (Mark VI) in LaGleize
A survivor of the Kampfgruppe PEIPER
Dragon teeth of the SIEGFRIED LINE
West Wall, sector of the 99th Infantry Div
General PATTON'S Grave
Hamm (LUX)
American Cemetery in HAMM
LUXEMBOURG
Monument in memory of the crewmembers of a B24
Stretch of the Siegfried Line
Sharnhorst
Sector of the 99th Inf Div