The museum
Présentation du musée
Welcome on website : "The Battle of the Bulge"
WHAT DISTINGUISHES USThe La Roche Museum of the Battle of the Ardennes is the only Battle of the Bulge museum to present a British section.
Of course the American and German army with their respective arms and vehicles are well represented in attractive dioramas and showcases. The museum has however decided to put the accent on the British participation during the Allied counter-attack (3 to 16 January 1945) and the liberation of La Roche and the villages of the left bank of the River Ourthe.
The British veterans have appreciated the fact that the museum is giving them a well deserved representation and they regularly come back to La Roche to visit. Veterans and regiments implicated in the liberation of La Roche have also donated uniforms and equipment that can be seen on the fist floor of the museum.
Let’s highlight some of them:
- The combat jacket of lieutenant-colonel Catheart, commander of the 7th Battalion, the Black Watch, 51st Highland Division. See
- The combat jacket of lieutenant-colonel Lord George Scott, second in command of the 1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry during the battle. See
Copyright : Musée de la Bataille des Ardennes
En collaboration avec :
Gilles Bouillon - Administrateur et conservateur du musée
Michel Baert - Guide de la Bataille des Ardennes
Guy Blockmans - O.P.T.
The museum
Covering close to 1500 square meters, spread over three levels reached by a large staircase and an elevator for the less valids. The visitor will discover over 120 mannequins of American, English, German and even Scottish soldiers with their equipment and armament, as well as uniforms donated by veterans of the Battle of the Bulge. He will also discover an important collection of light and heavy arms, photographic documents, personal objects and equipment found on the battlefield. Also some 20 military vehicles.
To Be Seen :
"The Gun Room " : exhibiting some 90 rifles, pistols, revolvers and the famous Enigma decoding machine of Polish origin.
"The Veterans Room" were the donations by veterans of the Batlle are assembled.
Wall maps of the successive stages of the Battle of the Bulge
Film with period pictures of the liberation of La Roche in January 1945.
