Document Source: Interrogation Report on 8 Prisoners of War captured by Baker Co, 1/26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. 1/Lt William Boehme, QMC, Interrogator

Headquarters 26th Infantry Regiment
A.P.O 1, US Army
December 20, 1944

Subject: Interrogation Report on 8 Prisoners of War captured by Baker Co, 1/26th Infantry Regiment
To: Capt C. A. Lafley, Assistant S-3, 26th Infantry Regiment

(1) Todays Prisoners were from the following units:
Company 4, Regiment 8, 3rd Fallschirmjaeger Division – 1
Company 12, Regiment 8, 3rd Fallschirmjaeger Division – 3
Company 14, Regiment 8, 3rd Fallschirmjaeger Division – 3
AT Section 3, 1st Fallschirmjaeger Regiment – 1

(2) The Prisoners of War from Regiment 8, indicated that their mission was to secure the town of Ober Weywertz (887038). The attack was to take place at dawn this morning.

(3) The strength of this attacking force is uncertain, as some Prisoners mentioned additional companies in the 1st and 2nd Battalions, other than the 4th and the 12th Companies. The mission of the 4th Company was to take the height (579.2 M) and secure this position against penetration coming from the East.

(4) According to a few of the Prisoners, the 8th Regiment had approximately 180 men left after being withdrawn from the Höven-Düren area. They received an additional 700 replacements, mostly from the Luftwaffe in the vicinity of Junkersdorf just West of Cologne. On the other hand, the Prisoners of the 14th Company claimed they had received no additional replacement. The Prisoners came to our sector through Holzheim, where they had also seen a number of SS troops four days ago. The 14th Company arrived in Schoppen the night of December 18/19 and the 4th Company in Möderscheid the same night. Last night, they assembled just South of their objectives and the battalion Command Post was located in between the Railroad tracks and the Road in the vicinity of 89050305.

(5) The 4th Company was commanded by Lt Wetting FPN L49928 and had a strength of 70 men. The 12th Company was commanded by Capt Tillinger FPN L50771 and had a strength of 100 men. The 14th Company, commanded by 1/Lt Remisch had a strength of 35 men. Other personalities are Maj Schmidt CO of the 3/8 Regiment, and Col Erdmann, CO of the 8th Regiment.

(6) Both, the 4th Company and the 12th Company had only LMGs, the 12th Company had 3 Mortars. These former Heavy Weapons Companies were employed as rifle Companies. The 14th Company was equipped with LMGs and Panzerfaust/Panzerschreck (Bazookas). Only one of the Prisoners mentioned the presence of a Mark-VI-2 Tiger Tank in the immediate area.

(7) The morale of these troops was surprisingly high, as they appeared to have been inspired by their recent success. They were also extremely security conscious, three of them refusing to answer more routine questions, even under pressure. The Prisoner of the 1st Regiment was separated from his unit yesterday and attempting to relocate when captured. Thus it does not necessarily mean that this regiment is also in our immediate sector.

1/Lt William Boehme, QMC, Interrogator



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