Memorial

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A local civilian, Mr. J. J. Welberts witnessed what happened: On 27 September at about 13.00 hours an American patrol came to the house of J. Janssen. The Germans had their office in this house and four soldiers were in there. These four German soldiers didn't know what to do at first but then they tried to find a hiding place.

One of the Americans threw a handgrenade into a small window to hit the Germans and he threw a second one beside the house. The Germans had an enclosed foxhole behind a hedge in the garden of Janssen's house. From this enclosed foxhole the Germans shot at the Americans with a machine gun.

These two Americans were killed by the machine gun. Both were wounded in the head and died instantly.

When the fight was over we picked up the two dead bodies and layed them down behind our house on the grass and covered them with blankets. A few minutes later four German soldiers came to us and asked where the other four German soldiers were.

When they found them they all came back and looked at the dead Americans. What they did first was to take off his watch. I had to make a grave and the Germans carried the dead bodies into my work place and undressed them. When my son and I buried them the Germans put on their pants, sweathers and socks. One of the Germans told me: "this was an officer and one paratrooper".

The remains of Pvt Cleek were disinterred in February 1946 and registered as Unknown X-2795 and evacuated to Ardennes Cemetery, where they could be identified. He was given his final resting place in May 1950.