Villers-la-Bonne-Eau was a section of the city of Bastogne and the site of a vicious battle between elements of the U.S. 137th. Infantry Regiment, 35th. Infantry Division and numerous German forces including elements of the 7. Armee Oberkommando and 6. Panzerarmee. From December 28, 1944 to January 10, 1945, the two sides fought back and forth to the point that little was left of Villers-la-Bonne-Eau when the 137th. Infantry Regiment finally evicted the Germans from the village on January 11, 1945.
Involved in the combat was Schwere Panzer-Abteilung 506 (s PzAbt 506; Heavy Tank Battalion 506) that fell under the order of battle for the 6. Panzerarmee. The unit transitioned to the Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B (better known as the “Königstiger” [“King Tiger”] or simply Tiger II) tank between August 20, 1944 and September 12, 1944 when it received 45 of them and soon after, s PzAbt 506 was involved in numerous skirmishes with 36 tanks operational just before the battle for Villers-la-Bonne-Eau.
Following the withdrawal from Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, s PzAbt 506 was down to 33 tanks (despite a report by an inspector stating the unit was at full strength!). Tiger II “03” in the photograph belonged to the Stab eines Panzerbataillons (Battalion Staff) of s PzAbt 506 which consisted of three Tiger II tanks in all (“01” and “02” being the others). It was abandoned outside Villers-la-Bonne-Eau sometime around January 13, 1945 when it broke down due to damage to its final drive. An attempt was made to recover it but was unsuccessful and so the tank fell into U.S. hands more or less intact.
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