| The Christmas I Remember Most |
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| Ten days before Christmas 1944, Hitler and the German Army started a large counter attack against the American forces in a forest of Christmas trees called the Ardennes. This battle later became known as the “Battle of the Bulge.” |
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| Several hundred American soldiers were cut off in different sectors and taken prisoners of war. I was one of those unfortunate soldiers on December 18, 1944. |
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| Several hundred American soldiers prisoners of war. |
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| On Christmas Eve, after many miles of forced marches, we found ourselves hungry, cold and crowded into dark, unheated building trying to go to sleep. I’m sure the other guys felt as miserable and depressed as I did. |
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| Stalag IVB at Muhlberg |
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| Then something happened; one of the GI’s started singing “Jingle Bells” and some others joined him and then everyone in the building was singing. The singing continued until we had sung’ every Christmas carol that anyone ever knew. Someone started repeating the 23rd Psalm I and everyone joined him. Then it was quite, and I’m sure everyone, including myself, dropped off to sleep thinking private thoughts of past Christmas holidays and of family and friends. |
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| Source: The Bulge Bugle August 2011 |
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| By Cpl Frank E ROYER |
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"K" Company
9th Infantry Regiment
2th Infantry Division
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Campaigns
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Battle of the Bulge,
Belgium
   
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