Operation Nordwind (Unternehmen Nordwind) was the last major German offensive of the Second World War on the Western Front. It began on 1 January 1945 in Alsace and Lorraine in north-eastern France, and it ended on 25 January. The attack by three Corps of the German 1st Army of Army Group G, was mainly against the thinly stretched U.S. 7th army. At least seventeen German divisions (including units in the Colmar Pocket) were engaged from Army Group G and Army Group Upper Rhine, including the 10th SS Panzer, 7th Parachute, 21st Panzer, and 25th Panzer Grenadier divisions. Another smaller attack was against the French positions south of Strasbourg.

The U.S. VI Corps, which bore the brunt of the German attacks, was fighting on three sides by 13 January. With casualties mounting, and running severely short on replacements, tanks, ammunition, and supplies, Eisenhower, fearing the outright destruction of the U.S. 7th Army, rushed already battered divisions hurriedly relieved from the Ardennes area. The German attack ran out of momentum on the 25th of January 1945 and came very close to acheiving the complete destruction of the U.S. 7th army and inflicting a devastating blow to the allied forces in Western Europe. Casualties were very high on both sides and although the campaign had bought Germany both time and space the price paid would ultimately prove to be too high.

The focus this month’s theme are the forces that fought in this battle and can include, German, French and U.S. forces. Guns, armour, softskins and their associated crew are all welcome and we hope to see a good spread of equipment from this popular late war period.