The La Gleize King Tiger

[Martin Bull]

I've been enjoying the thread about the Vimoutiers Tiger I and - unless I've been using the 'search' function incorrectly - noticed that the Forum doesn't seem to have a thread dedicated to the near-legendary King Tiger at La Gleize.

This wonderful machine just has to be one of the most-photographed WWII relics in Europe. The first time I visited it was in 1987 and I must have dozens of pics from every angle, so I thought I'd post just one here.



Taken on a trip to Ciney in 2013. According to legend IIRC, the local cafe owner 'bought' the tank from a US Army salvage crew in exchange for a bottle of cognac, which must make it one of the greatest militaria bargains of all time !

[Woolgar]

Sheer beauty

I believe this to be a wartime photo of her

Nick

[lebus12]

[oradour]

Sheer beauty .I believe this to be a wartime photo of her, Nick

That's where she sat when I first visited her in 1974 ! sat at the top of the hill near the church, where it had been left as in the above image.......opposite was the cellar of a guest house that was the original location of the museum.
Prost ! Steve.

[Larry C]

A lot of love went into the restoration of this great vehicle. A pleasure to see this large hunk of History to running like a top.

@ rebus thanks for the link..was great to watch it run. Regards Larry

[Danmark]

Fantastic Martin! ... and with a wholly more believable paint job on it than the poor old Vitmoutiers beastie.

Cheers, Dan

[Adam M]

Great pictures and video of a good looking tank

[Martin Bull]

A few more dug out from the photo album : -







And for some reason I like this one....I never got to have school outings like this..........

[Silberkreuz]

Hi all, what a great thread, just looked up where this is and found this..

Regards SK

.LA GLEIZE KING TIGER



Kampfgruppe Peiper, commanded by the veteran Jochen Peiper from 1st SS Panzer Division (LAH), crossed the border at the Losheim Gap at the start of Operation Autumn Mist on 16th December. His units captured a fuel depot near Honsfeld, and further along their line of advance at Malmady, some of his men took part in a massacre of US prisoners. As he reached Stavelot on 18th December, the Kampfgruppe met its first serious resistance. Peiper left some of his men to fight, while the main column diverted via the bridge at Trois Ponts. However, this had been blown and the Americans were resisting strongly here as well, so instead Peiper took the road to Coo and La Gleize.

La Gleize was reached, but efforts to push beyond it were thwarted. Peiper then found himself in defence of the village over the next few days, before the remnants of his Kampfgruppe sneaked through the American lines and escaped. In the process they leave behind 135 vehicles in and around the area. In La Gleize alone they abandoned:

47 half-tracks (SPW)
7 Panzer IV
12 Panther G
1 Panther H
6 Tiger II (King Tigers)
6 Bisons (150mm Hows)
3 Puma
1 Flak half-track
2 half track vehicles
4 Russian 120mm mortars
1 Flakpanzer IV
1 Steyr truck
1 Schwimmwagen
1 Ketten-Krad
1 BWM Motor Bike
3 cars (Steyr 1500 A/01)
1 75 mm cannon
1 flak cannon
1 US Jeep (captured and used by the Germans)
1 Dodge (captured and used by the Germans)
1 Dodge ambulance (captured and used by the Germans)
1 truck (type unidentified)

The Tiger II on display outside the La Gleize Museum was one of the six left behind by Kampfgruppe Peiper. This 68 ton tank had a road speed of 35 kmh, and a range of 170 km. It was armed with a 88mm KwK 43, and was proteced by 150mm of armour at the front, and up to 185mm on the turret. As such there were few allied guns that could hope to knock it out, and most of those left behind in the Ardennes had either shed a track, broken down or run out of fuel. In La Gleize one of the captured Tiger IIs was used as target practice by US troops once the village had been retaken. They fired bazooka after bazooka round at it - none penetrated!

This one was restored some years ago, the main gun being damaged. It was repainted, but the original tank number, '213' was keep. Vehicle 213 was part of 501st Abteilung, commanded by Dollinger, and was abandoned in front of the town hall. It was moved to its present site in 1951.

Link to the Tiger II pages of Acthung Panzer! web site:

Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger II Ausf. B Konigstiger / King(Royal)Tiger / Tiger II Sd. Kfz. 182

©Paul Reed 2002-2006

[Larry C]

A great thread indeed ..awesome photos..and SK your Bio data..is outstanding !! Regards Larry