Part III: France 1944 – The Battle of Mousson Hill

An Insight into General Searby and Dave’s Account

of The Battle of Mousson Hill.

(Oral history August 2006)

Crossing France as part of the 3rd Army under General Patton:

…the General [Searby] used to go on reconnaissance so we’d get in the Jeep – he had to see the lay of the land so he could determine in advance where we were going to set up the artillery. So the three of us, the driver, the General, and … I used to sit in the back. We had a 50 caliber machine gun. And we’d go riding up to where the infantry was. In some cases we rode up and got ahead of the infantry. And the General, who was a very capable man, but he had a lousy sense of direction sometimes. And we’d go up a road and I’d say, General we’re on the wrong [unclear]. No! No! No!  I said, we’re ahead of the troops – and then we went over the top of a hill and there was a German tank there with 8 or 10 guys sitting around. He saw and I saw we were only about 75 yards away. So I took the machine gun and started firing at them. And they thought they were being attacked by a division so they held up their arms and they surrendered. So we turned around and we escorted the tank back with the prisoners to the front. But we had several other incidents where we were in the wrong place – and he was that kind of a guy.

The General’s need to get out in front with the troops and scout sites for the FA placed the two of them across the Moselle River on September 12, 1944.

We got on the other side and they established a circumference there so right away the General said we got to go over there. Ah approximately ½ mile back from the river there was a high hill like a small mountain called Mt. Mousson. There had been a castle up at the top and it was the only high piece of ground around there and it was about a half a mile past the river. And the infantry was making an assault on the hill. The General wanted to get up there because from there you could see miles in every direction. So he says, “We’ll go up with the infantry.”  I says, General we don’t have a rifle, we don’t have any guns. I had a 45 caliber pistol they gave you. He says, “That’s okay, we won’t need them.” So we went up with the infantry. Along the way I picked up a rifle from some soldier that was killed. We got up to the top and there was an area up there of approximately 3 acres. There was a wall approximately uh 46” high that had been the foundation of the castle years ago.  So it was just the entire top of the hill almost was walled in. There was 100 or 110 infantry men when we got up to the top and there was a Lieutenant of the infantry and there was supposed to be a forward observer for the artillery, but he never showed up. We never did find whether he got killed or whether he just got …couldn’t make it. So, once we got up there, it was like being in an airplane. You could see all the different troops, you could see their tanks, you could see their troops, you could see everything. So the General said, “Come on we gotta start firing.” So he was picking out the targets and I was giving the coordinates to the guns .. .you know the map coordinates – farthest – farthest, and we destroyed maybe 20 – 25 tanks that got set on fire and we got [caused] a lot of casualties because of the infantry and stuff. But then they counter attacked from the north and the south and they cut us off. They got in between us and the river. All we had up there was 100 men.  So we couldn’t get back. So they forced our troops down there back across the river.  So we were up there 3 days and what I did, I took every possible approach to the top of the mountain … there was one road coming up where the tanks would go. Where there were ravines where troops would come up, I fired a single gun until I hit the ravine … left, right, forward, back … and then I gave it a position like #1 and they [FA across the River] took the coordinates from about 12 areas where they [the Germans] could access the hill. So we had 12 targets – so as soon as somebody would hear troops coming they’d tell me if it was this particular hill I would tell [radio] …target so and so… 5 round, 3 rounds depending on how many people there were. Then we were able to protect…and we had to be careful ‘cause if they got close to the top and the round was higher it would come and hit us…come over the top. We were there firing and were able to maintain our position [So were you in contact with the guns….?] We had radio [Back of the line you could command that fire?] Yeah by radio and uh we could command the fire to the guns.  And of course, on the other side of the river they wanted to know what the hell was going on.  So then, the 2nd day, a tank got up to the top.  We knocked the wheels off it, but it was still above the parapet and they were firing their machine guns at us. So Searby he got frustrated and said, “I’m gonna get that son of a bitch!” and he took a rifle….we were down behind the wall…..and he stands up like he was shootin’ targets and he aims at the guy and a machine gun just literally cut him in half. He was dead before he dropped down beside me to the ground. So that left me in charge of the artillery up there and in the meantime I was firing and when I saw troops I would fire 2 or 3 battalions….12-14-24 guns….I fired one round and made sure I hit the target and then all the other guns are lined up and they are all…when you put the guns, they are not all in a row…they are spaced separate. Well the General was killed instantly and I was the contact with the HQ of the artillery on the other side of the river and I tried to let ‘em know what happened.  Course they told us you are not supposed to reveal information over the telephone or the radio because they will pick it up. So I said, He [Searby] is sick. “Who the hell is this?” I said this is his [Searby’s] little helper. (laughs) It just stuck in my mind that I shouldn’t mention the name. So finally they got the Div. Asst. Commander who was a pretty good guy, he was an older man and I spoke to him and he understood…and he said…you know…  He gave me all the help I could have. So we kept firing from time to time and then, the following day, we had a large group of tanks coming up.  I had 5 or 6 battalions concentrated to fire on them because you are…. [These are German tanks coming….Static?] So somebody at the other end said, “You’re wasting a lot of shots,” he says, “for Christ’s sake we’re low on ammunition.”  I said…. This is what he tells me over the phone… I said, I don’t know who you are but you’re full of crap. I said, Just fire what I asked you to fire and don’t give me any argument. And it turned out later that the guy that I was talking to was a Division Commander. So anyway, late that day, they were able to reinstate their position and they broke through and got up to the top and relieved us and we came back and I was pretty well exhausted because I was up almost continuously. So soon as I got back, I took some, went and took some (unclear) …hell they inquired about it and I told them and then I went to sleep.  When I woke up they handed me a first lieutenant’s bars and told me I had made a battlefield promotion and I was a first lieutenant so that was that.


Comments

12 responses to “Part III: France 1944 – The Battle of Mousson Hill”

  1. Gary Dellovade Avatar
    Gary Dellovade

    Hello,

    My name is Gary Dellovade I am sure that my Uncle John Lonick was with your son when my Uncle was killed. I do believe that General Searby and my Uncle John were killed together or in close proximity on the same day. John Lonick I believe was the 1st lieutenant before David.

    I have a file and pictures of my Uncle and will submit it to you I think its great that you are sharing this information about your father he had a great carreer and is certainly a hero

    Respectfully,

    Gary Dellovade
    202-528-2404

  2. I want to quote your post in my blog. It can?
    And you et an account on Twitter?

  3. Gary, this is vital information as we put together the history. Do your have an e-mail address? How can we share information and your photos?

  4. Milyn,
    Please provide us with your e-mail and more information. We will help you in any way we can.

  5. Gary Dellovade Avatar
    Gary Dellovade

    Its been a while since my last post Im still in the process of going through boxes and finding and forwarding pictures of John Lonick. I will forward more as I come accross.

    Thanks for your response and I hope you have a great new year

    Respectfully,

    Gary Dellovade

  6. Colleen Avatar
    Colleen

    Ed,
    I was very excited to come about this information on your father in-law. My father, Lt. Donald JD Mulkerne was also in the battle of Mousson Hill and told the story of General Edmund Searby and the day he was killed. General Searby told my father that he was going to recommend him for a medal for his act of bravery but was killed that afternoon. 56 years later, one of my sisters went about researching the incident, and my father was finally awarded a Bronze Star with the “V” device, February, 2001. I would imagine my father knew your father in law as well. My father was severly wounded on September 28, 1944 near Morey, France. I have alot of information and pictures I would like to share with you if you can provide me your email address.
    Gratefully,
    Colleen, daughter of Lt. Donald JD Mulkerne

  7. Ed,

    Finally, I have found the pictures of seargeant john lohnick. I will post them in the next couple of days. Thank you for your patience.

  8. Fantastic! We look forward to seeing them.

  9. Gary Dellovade Avatar
    Gary Dellovade

    David,

    For some reason I cannot post them to this site. Do you mind If I email them to you and maybe you can post them?

    at one point I did have a diary of a one of my uncles friends saying that he was killed with Serby however I do not have it at this time. Im wondering if my uncle did indeed know your son?

    Or please Email Me and I will respond gary.dellovade@acdellovade.com

    He was Sergeant John Lonick

    thanks

    Gary
    202-528-2404

  10. Hi all !

    I am french and i live 1 mile from mousson Hill. I’am very interested in information about this battle who took place 2 km away from my place.
    I would like to help all of you, identify the location of your pictures, send you pictures of the place today, show you the item i found on the battlefield… Feel all Free to contact me at Camille.jozwiak@laposte.net.
    Make us live together the memory of your soldier’s sacrifice for our freedom during this campaign.

    Bye bye !

  11. Hi,
    I am writing an article on General Searby cause we discovered his dogtag in Lorraine.
    Can you give me some information please ???
    Thank you in advance.
    Here is the picture of his dogtag on the website :
    http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=56375420&PIpi=91066166
    Best regards
    David (from France)

  12. Hi David.

    Sorry to be so long in responding to you. Unfortunately all of the information that we have about General Searby is on the website. Where were the dog tags found? It is great to have your photos. Thank you so much for sending them.

    I would be very interested to read you paper when you have finished.

    Good luck with your project!

    Best regards,

    Jo Hindlemann Berger

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