Battle of Bure

Battle of Bure
Part of Battle of the Bulge
British Airborne Sniper in snow camouflage with Lee–Enfield rifle in the Ardennes, 14 January 1945
Date 3–5 January 1945 Location Bure, Rochefort, and Grupont Belgium 50°05′20″N 5°15′35″E / 50.088759°N 5.259762°E / 50.088759; 5.259762Coordinates: 50°05′20″N 5°15′35″E / 50.088759°N 5.259762°E / 50.088759; 5.259762 Result Allied victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom  Belgium	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Nigel Poett	Unknown
Units involved
5th Para Brigade 5th SAS	Elements of Panzer Lehr Division
Casualties and losses
250 casualties 16 tanks damaged or destroyed	500 killed, wounded or captured 11 tanks

The Battle of Bure was part of the Battle of the Bulge, which lasted from 3rd to 5th January 1945 during the final months of the Second World War. The battle was fought as part of the allied counterattack to rid the German held ground of the 'Bulge' which forced them on the defensive. British XXX Corps with British 6th Airborne Division attached was tasked with clearing the area East of Dinant, Rochfort, Gupont and Bure. In a tough battle Bure was secured after nearly three days of heavy fighting whilst Gupont and Rochefort were both cleared with little resistance and the advance continued.

In December 1944, the German armies launched a massive counter-attack through the forests of the Ardennes. The plan was to drive across the River Meuse and on to Antwerp to split the Allied armies and their lines of communication. As part of the First Allied Airborne Army, 6th Airborne Division was available as a component of the strategic reserve for the Allied forces in northwest Europe. The other two divisions available in reserve, the American 82nd and 101st Airborne, were already at Rheims in northern France. A the same time the 6th Airborne rested and re-trained after their success in Normandy was sent from England by sea to Belgium to assist in the defence.

On Christmas Day the 6th Airborne Division moved up to take position in front of the spearhead of the German advance. By Boxing Day they had reached their allocated places in the defensive line between Dinant and Namur along the River Meuse. Soon after British XXX corps eliminated the most furthest Western German penetration and thus advanced. The 3rd Parachute Brigade were on the left, 5th Parachute Brigade on the right, and the 6th Airlanding Brigade in reserve. By the time they arrived in position the German advance had faltered.

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