​​Tank Monument, Beffe​

​​With the German breakthrough across the Ardennes region, forces of the US 3rd Armoured Division were quickly put into action to counter the German advances. The Division, known as the Spearhead Division, was divided into ‘Task Forces’. The role of the task forces was to advance forward and stop the Panzers tanks of the German Army that were breaking through the large front line. One of these task forces was ‘Task Force Hogan’.

​Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Mason Hogan led this counterattack. They began around Hotton, advancing through Beffe and onwards towards La Roche-en-Ardenne. Their objective was to setup roadblocks against the German advance in the village of Dinez.

On 21 December, in Beffe, Hogan spotted a small group of American soldiers with military vehicles. Amongst the men in American uniforms were two in German uniforms, he believed them to be prisoners of war. Hogan felt something was not right with this and held back from the group. Very quickly, the group opened fire on Hogan and his troops, forcing them to abandon their vehicles and head for cover in the woods. There, they remained until 22 December when they made their way to Marcouray to join others of the 3rd Armoured Division.

​Over the next few days, Task Force Hogan setup roadblocks and resisted numerous attacks from German Troops. On 26 December, after withdrawing, they fell back behing Allied lines.

Today, the actions carried out by Task Force Hogan in slowing down the down German advance are honoured by a plaque on the Sherman tank memorial that stands at the crossroads.

The memorial also honours the US liberators, with a hope for peace. The plaque reads (in French):

NO MORE WAR 
‘To the American people, those brave liberators of January 1945 
The municipality of Rendeux is thankful 
July 1985’ 

A third plaque on the memorial remembers the prisoners, combatants and deportees of Beffe in both World Wars.​