St. Vith was on fire and in ruins. It was time to move on.

24.12.1944. Then came the big one. A huge mass of bombers flattened the whole town. Again I was right in the middle of it. I was taking shelter in the garage corner under a low window, when a bomb hit outside, close to the wall. There was a powder smell, smoke, and me covered by bits and pieces. The garage door was now inside, over the top of everything. I was OK, but the soldier who went outside a moment before the bombing started was never seen again; not a piece.

Outside were bomb craters all around. Shrapnel pieces went right through the cannon's protection shields.

25.12.1944. St. Vith was on fire and in ruins. It was time to move on. A captured Dodge pulled the cannon. Driving through town, another Jabo tried his luck. Running for my life around a corner of the nearest house, I fell flat bang on my belly. "BOOM," the third near miss for me.

Quickly we got into the car and off we went, before the plane returned. One of us found a packet of asthma cigarettes. I tried one of them; ugh! phew! They really tasted bad. Every time we passed foot soldiers we gave them a few. I wonder what they thought of us, after trying those awful smokes.

26.12.1944. Onwards we went, via Roth, Recht to Pont. In a side street with a couple of houses, I found my Company. Here were hills all round. The cannons found their place behind the houses, under trees. Our bedroom was in the cellar of the first house. Before our big retreat started from here, first another two of my well known behaviour actions or reactions were due.

In the rush of the past days my cap went missing. I was the only soldier walking around with a steel helmet on. That thing had a camouflage cover which I found somewhere. My mates told me to get rid of it; if the Yanks caught me with it they would shoot me, because it was from the SS. That thing went quick smart into the fire. The order came to look for another cap. Across the road was supposed to be a cellar, where that sort of thing could be. There was only one problem; this crossing was under enemy shelling. I would have to sprint to a little prayer building first and then on to the other side of the crossing.

Standing behind that refuge, I could hear 'bang, bang.' Cannons fired in the distance and "BOOM, BOOM" the bullets had arrived. Splinters flew over my head into the wall. Some of these gun shots exploded in the air above me, shrapnel coming by the hundreds from above, at the same time. Out in the open, they surely would have hit me. I came safely back, with or without a cap, I don't remember. But there was a strong smell of chlorine in the place over the road; do you know what that means? [Not sure, does anybody know what he means?]