Battle of Fort Driant
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Fort Driant was a constituent battle in the 1944 Battle of Metz
, during Lorraine Campaign
and the greater Siegfried Line Campaign. The battle was on occupied French territory
between the liberation forces of the United States Third Army under the command of George S. Patton
and the occupation forces of Nazi Germany
. It is the site of one of Patton's few setbacks in World War II, along with the rest of the Metz battle.
, the fort was continuously reinforced throughout World War 2 by both the French and German armies. Fort Driant was made from steel reinforced concrete surrounded by a deep dry moat and barbed wire. It housed five main gun batteries of 150mm guns, infantry
trenches, and armored machine gun and observational posts. From its commanding position, it could turn on a curtain of fire down the Moselle Valley
. The fort could bring down flanking fire and was producing heavy casualties amongst General Walton Walker's
men of the XX Corps (United States)
.
and had been fortified by the Germans in World War I
. However, after World War I, the string of fortresses were left in ruins.
When the U.S. Third army under George S. Patton arrived at the city of Metz, they were quickly drawn into a stalemate with the German defenders for weeks over control of the city and its perimeter. Upon heavy losses attacking the fortifications, it was clear that Fort Driant would have to be taken to establish an effective control of the fortifications around Metz. George S. Patton declared the fort an easy target, and committed elements of the 5th Infantry Division for the attack.
immediately began firing upon the advancing troops. Most of the fort was masked below ground causing the tank destroyers to be ineffective against the armored pillboxes. After the initial attack faltered the Americans retreated back to the original position at 1830hrs. The attack resumed on the 29th with bulldozers to fill in the fort's trench line and explosive filled pipes called snakes. The bulldozers and snakes proved little help as during the second wave the bulldozer experienced mechanical difficulties and the snakes were either damaged (bent) or lost. Upon reaching the perimeter, the German defenders were ready. A hand-to-hand fight with grenades and gunfire began between the two forces. E Company managed to capture the southernmost barracks
or barracks R and found and underground passage. The passage was heavily defended by machine guns and sniper fire making exploitation of the tunnel an impossibility. The Germans lost roughly a quarter of the fort before the Americans withdrew with heavy losses of 21 officers and 485 men. The further attack on Fort Driant was deemed too costly as German fire proved too accurate for a successful attack to occur.
, along with the remnants of the German 1217th regiment and the III Battalion of the Officer Training Regiment, which may have contributed to the German's heavy resistance.
Battle of Metz
The Battle of Metz was a three-month battle fought between the United States Army and the German Army during World War II. It took place at the city of Metz following the Allied breakout after the Normandy landings. The attack on the city by the U.S. Third Army faced heavy resistance from the...
, during Lorraine Campaign
Lorraine Campaign
Lorraine Campaign is a term used by U.S. Army historians to describe operations of the U.S. Third Army in Lorraine during World War II from September 1 through December 18, 1944. Official U.S. Army campaign names for this period and location are Northern France and Rhineland. The term was...
and the greater Siegfried Line Campaign. The battle was on occupied French territory
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
between the liberation forces of the United States Third Army under the command of George S. Patton
George S. Patton
George Smith Patton, Jr. was a United States Army officer best known for his leadership while commanding corps and armies as a general during World War II. He was also well known for his eccentricity and controversial outspokenness.Patton was commissioned in the U.S. Army after his graduation from...
and the occupation forces of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. It is the site of one of Patton's few setbacks in World War II, along with the rest of the Metz battle.
Location and Fortifications
Fort Driant was located, 5 miles southwest of Metz, just west of the Moselle River. Originally built in 1902 and named after Colonel Émile DriantÉmile Driant
Émile Augustin Cyprien Driant was a French nationalist writer, politician, and army officer. He was the first high ranking casualty of the Battle of Verdun during World War I.-Biography:...
, the fort was continuously reinforced throughout World War 2 by both the French and German armies. Fort Driant was made from steel reinforced concrete surrounded by a deep dry moat and barbed wire. It housed five main gun batteries of 150mm guns, infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
trenches, and armored machine gun and observational posts. From its commanding position, it could turn on a curtain of fire down the Moselle Valley
Moselle valley
The Moselle valley is a region in north-eastern France, south-western Germany, and eastern Luxembourg, centred on the river valley formed by the Moselle...
. The fort could bring down flanking fire and was producing heavy casualties amongst General Walton Walker's
Walton Walker
Walton Harris Walker was an American army officer and the first commander of the U.S. Eighth Army during the Korean War.-Biography:...
men of the XX Corps (United States)
XX Corps (United States)
The XX Corps of the United States Army fought from northern France to Austria in World War II. Constituted by redesignating the IV Armored Corps, which had been activated at Camp Young, California on 5 September 1942, XX Corps became operational in France as part of Lieutenant General George S....
.
Background
Third Army's intelligence section had already determined that the Germans intended to make the most of the ring of forts around Metz, the ancient gateway city through which so many invading armies had passed. Metz was to be the linchpin in the Germans' defensive strategy. An army had not directly taken Metz since 1552. It had been captured after a 54-day siege during the Franco-Prussian WarFranco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
and had been fortified by the Germans in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. However, after World War I, the string of fortresses were left in ruins.
When the U.S. Third army under George S. Patton arrived at the city of Metz, they were quickly drawn into a stalemate with the German defenders for weeks over control of the city and its perimeter. Upon heavy losses attacking the fortifications, it was clear that Fort Driant would have to be taken to establish an effective control of the fortifications around Metz. George S. Patton declared the fort an easy target, and committed elements of the 5th Infantry Division for the attack.
Battle
At 1415hr on September 27, 1944 P-47's from the XIX Tactical Air Command began bombing Fort Driant. E Company, G Company and the 818th Tank Destroyer Company began their attack on Fort Driant. Small arms fire, machine guns and mortarsMortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
immediately began firing upon the advancing troops. Most of the fort was masked below ground causing the tank destroyers to be ineffective against the armored pillboxes. After the initial attack faltered the Americans retreated back to the original position at 1830hrs. The attack resumed on the 29th with bulldozers to fill in the fort's trench line and explosive filled pipes called snakes. The bulldozers and snakes proved little help as during the second wave the bulldozer experienced mechanical difficulties and the snakes were either damaged (bent) or lost. Upon reaching the perimeter, the German defenders were ready. A hand-to-hand fight with grenades and gunfire began between the two forces. E Company managed to capture the southernmost barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
or barracks R and found and underground passage. The passage was heavily defended by machine guns and sniper fire making exploitation of the tunnel an impossibility. The Germans lost roughly a quarter of the fort before the Americans withdrew with heavy losses of 21 officers and 485 men. The further attack on Fort Driant was deemed too costly as German fire proved too accurate for a successful attack to occur.
Aftermath
By October 9th, Patton chose to bypass Driant. The men of Patton's 5th Infantry Division were thought to be becoming too battle fatigued and other line correcting operations were taking place around Metz with much greater success. Major General S. Leroy Irwin was given blame for the failure of Fort Driant being stated as "moving too slow" and "removing the drive" of the battalion early during the initial attacks in September. When the city of Metz fell in December, 1944, Fort Driant capitulated to the 5th Infantry Division at 3:45pm on December 8, surrendering uncaptured. It was discovered among the prisoners that there were several units of the 17th SS Panzer Grenadier Division17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen
The 17. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Götz von Berlichingen was a German SS panzergrenadier division which saw action on the Western Front during World War II.-Formation and training:...
, along with the remnants of the German 1217th regiment and the III Battalion of the Officer Training Regiment, which may have contributed to the German's heavy resistance.