The attacks south of Metz were carried on with redoubled fury. The Corps plan of attack now
was to race another five miles east in Nied river and to seize any bridge left intact by a surprised enemy.
Two armored columns spearheaded the way to Dain-en-Saulnois, early on the morning of November
12th, while infantry took over the high ground flanking the highway at Beux. The route of advance
brought the attacking columns under heavy fire from enemy batteries located along a defense line 3000
yards to the north of Aube, overlooking the Nied River.
The armor knifed forward to positions looking down on the river at Ancerville. The 5th Division
troops promptly surged into this riverbank town and secured it for bridging operations.
The bridge at Ancerville was blown by the enemy, and Corps engineers, sent up to prepare a
crossing site, came under heavy mortar and machine-gun fire. Infantry troops accordingly made an
assault crossing during the night, and secured a small bridgehead, enabling the engineers to construct a
treadway bridge under cover of darkness.
A combat command of the 6th Armored Division, while making a reconnaissance for a crossing
site, seized the bridge and Sanry-sur-Nied just as an enemy patrol was about to blow it up. A small
force was crossed and held a shallow bridgehead while preparations were made for crossing in force at
dawn, November 12th.
The XX Corps master plan for the reduction of fortress Metz assigned to the 5th Division the
mission of securing a bridgehead over the Nied River. This plan had a double purpose: first, to cover
the wheeling movement of the tanks of the 6th Armored Division back to the XII Corps zone, and
second, to cut the main escape route of the hard pressed to German garrison in Metz.
This operation was accomplished through close cooperation between the two divisions in an
outstanding example of the armored infantry teamwork that was so much a trademark of XX Corps
tactics. The tanks aided the infantry in the seizure of Sanry-sur-Nied, Bazoncourt, and Vitoncourt, while
the infantry guarded the exposed left flank of the armored column. After a brief bitter skirmish Sanry-
sur-Nied was taken at 0800 hours, November 12th. The armor followed closely but ran into heavy anti-
tank gun fire and thickly mined roads in the advance to Vaucremont. Infantry aid and heavy Corps
artillery support eliminated the enemy resistance and by 2100 hours the town was captured. The armor
was now free to resume its turning movement to the south.
The enemy made his counterattack on the Sanry-sur-Nied area the next day. Following a heavy
artillery preparation the enemy attack came in at 1400 hours against the right flank. The enemy
formation was spotted as it left the cover of the woods and all available fire from artillery, mortars, tank
destroyers, and tanks cut down the attacking formation.
While this attack was being met on the right, the heavier counterattack was made from
Domangeville. Artillery fire came too late and the enemy overran the observation post on the western
hill and got within 500 yards of the town. But the right flank defense placed a large volume of fire on
the Hill and forced the enemy to withdraw.
At 2200 hours another attack broke loose from the northwest and northeast under a heavy
artillery barrage. At first, darkness prevented the forward observers from spotting the enemy attack
formation. A house to house defense within the town stopped the counterattack at close range and
forced the Germans to pull back.
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