Bulge Today : 'Hogan's 400' & Beffe Sherman M4A3(76)
Ever since reading about 'Hogan's 400' in Toland's classic 'Battle' back in the 1980s I've wanted to see the scene of the action. Briefly, Task Force Hogan with 12 tanks and 400 men became lost early in the fighting and became cut-off and surrounded in the village of Marcouray by elements of 116th Panzer Division . Following abortive resupply attempts by air they were ordered to destroy their equipment and pull out which they successfully accomplished by a gruelling cross-country march on Christmas night with the loss of only one man. Texan Lt Col Hogan is another of the 'characters' of the Ardennes.
As is the 'Beffe Sherman' featured lying in a ditch on the cover of a very early After The Battle magazine. It's another genuine Bulge survivor , a M4A3(76)W of 771st Tank Bn attached to the 84th Division (and as such not directly associated with TF Hogan's actions despite what's said on some websites, possibly misled by the attached plaque ). It wasn't lost in a firefight ; it slid into a ditch in the icy conditions of 8th Jan 45 and as it was being recovered, it ran over some German mines, killing the driver. After 40 years lying at the roadside, it was recovered in 1984 , partially restored with a new (non-original) engine cover and placed in the nearby village of Beffe.
Which is a short drive from Marcouray. This turned out to be possibly the sleepiest of all sleepy Ardennes villages I've been to. Just a church, a couple of farms and a handful of stone cottages. I knew there was supposed to be a monument somewhere but these are usually marked by flags. No flags. I drove around a couple of times without seeing anything so parked by the church and walked. I finally found it - a very small plaque on a cottage wall nearby. It's set back from the road behind a gravel drive and front garden -the cottage is now a restored holiday 'gite'. Too far fromthe road to photograph . I looked around : no parked cars,no-one in sight so - guilty admission !- I nipped up the driveway and grabbed a couple of pics. The cottage was indeed Sam Hogan's CP so I'll make up for my transgression by advertising the fact that you can book a holiday here and soak up the 'Hogan's 400' atmosphere !
Job done......
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