assembly area near Grand Hoursinne at 2400 hours having marched 20 miles. The firing batteries were still enroute at 2400 hours.

The instrument corporal sat up his aiming circle with frozen hands. He cursed in the darkness. His feet were so cold that stamping no longer helped. He swung the head of the instrument around and bumped against it, toppling it over in the snow. He could have sat down and cried. Slowly, he set up again and fumbling, he read a deflection to the nearest gun section, God, what a march. that had been. The narrow roads were torturous with curves and the whole way was a sheet of ice. All along the way tanks and guns were in ditches, had rolled down steep banks and overturned. A huge 8 inch gun carriage and prime mover lay on its back 40 feet down in the creek bottom. The column halted. Half an hour later he had broken from his drowsiness and found the driver asleep. Every one was asleep in the halftrack ahead. In panic, he pulled the blankets off the muffled figures and got the column started. Thank God they had been only a couple of minutes behind. It was 4:30 and bitter cold. The corporal laid the last M-7 and stumbled toward the halftrack. "Battery laid and ready," he murmured to the recorder and hardly wrapped the blankets around himself in the seat before he was deep asleep.

3 January 1945
All firing batteries were in the assembly area by daylight hours. The batteries closed in surveyed positions at Grande Hoursinne. Although this march was made under extremely adverse conditions, equipment losses were limited to three damaged trailers, all of which could be repaired.
Task Force Lovelady attacked at 0830 hours and advanced against stubborn opposition from dug in infantry, mortar and small arms fire. Inadequate roads and tick woods slowed the advance, but at the close of the day the town of Malempre was secured and an outpost line established south of the town. Battery A displaced as the advance guard battery and fired close support missions for Task Force Lovelady throughout the day direct through Second Lieutenant Meek (9). Battery A fired 3 missions this date: 1 on infantry, 1 harassing mission, and 1 registration. Total founds expended-397. Mission on infantry was reported very effective.
Battery A closed in position on the crest of a hill a Tri-la-Cheslaing at 1400 hours and received light mortar fire. Battery A then withdrew to positions near Vaux Chavanne, away from the crest of the hill. The battery had no sooner displaced from the crest of the hill when a heavy concentration of mortar fire fell in the former positions.
Task Force McGeorge attacked at 0830 hours on the left of Task Force Lovelady. The advance was hindered by extremely difficult terrain. Mines slowed the advance and two road blocks were encountered, one defended by small arms and the other by anti-tank guns. The advance through the mine field was successful. Task Force McGeorge was stopped about 2000 yards north of Malempre. Infantry and engineers were brought forward to reduce the road blocks. The 83rd Armored Field Artillery Battalion was in direct support of this task force and fired many close support missions during the day.
Fire direction center, survey and reconnaissance sections of Headquarters Battery and Batteries B and C displaced at 1330 hours and closed in positions at Vaux Chavanne for the night at 1700 hours. The remainder of Headquarters Battery and the "A" Trains displaced at 1600 hours and closed in positions with the battalion at 2ooo hours. Defensive fires planned for the night were at short ranges-from 1700 yards to 4000 yards.
The cannoneers were gaunt, blackened creatures. With movements o f tired mechanical men, they serviced the piece. Automatically the hand holding the lanyard jerks. The gun tube recoiled and coughed. Another 35 pounds o f steel and death went searching for Krauts. The snow blackened a little more as the smoke scuttled away across the trampled ground. "OK, shake it up, we've got a big shift to the left."

4 January 1945
At 0800 hours Task Force Lovelady attacked but encountered a minefield. Two tanks were knocked out by direct fire from dug in tank about 400 yards south of Malempre, in the vicinity of the minefield. Progress in clearing the minefield was slow due to anti-tank, mortar and artillery fire placed on it by the enemy. Infantry of the Task Force advanced through the minefield while the remainder of the force remained north of the minefield' for the night.
At 0800 hours Task Force McGeorge attacked and reached Croukray where a blown bridge was encountered and the road beyond the bridge was blocked by felled trees. Task Force McGeorge by-passed these obstacles and made contact with CCA at Jevigne. At 1550 hours Task Force McGeorge reached Baneux and engaged in a fire fight with enemy infantry holding the town. At the close of the day the town of Baneux had been mopped up and forward elements were holding positions south of the town.
The battalion remained in positions at Vaux Chavanne to support the attack of CCB. The battalion fired 20 missions this date: 1 on a crossroad, 1 on a town, 3 TOT'S, 12 harassing missions, and 3 registrations. Total rounds expended this date-1213.
Elements in the town of Malempre received heavy mortar, artillery and rocket fire throughout the day and night. Captain Peters (liaison officer with Task Force Lovelady) section was hit by mortar fire in Malempre in the late afternoon and 2 men were killed and 3 lightly wounded and evacuated. The crew was replaced during the night. Close in defensive fires used for the night of 3-4 January were used for the night 4-S January with a few additions. At 1400 hours Task Force Hogan was ordered to move to assembly area in the vicinity of Manhay preparatory to launching an attack at 050800 from front

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