Tip : the Tank

Description

Something else to see at the crossroads of the village of Celles is a Panther tank dating from the Second World War, and a stele. Go back toward the Way of the Cross, but continue straight ahead, then turn left on the main road. The tank is 500 metres further near the crossroads at the edge of the village.

This tank is a reminder that on December 24, 1944, while the Battle of the Bulge raged, the Second German Panzer Division was stopped by the brave soldiers of the 2nd Armoured Division and the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment.
There are several factors that contributed to stopping the offensive in Celles. First of all, the Germans were low on fuel, munitions, reinforcement, etc. They were stuck in Celles. After the weather cleared up, the allied aviation forces were able to get out and attack the Germans by air. To top it all off–and this story is a legend in the area–Marthe Monique, who owned a café that was referred to as the pavilion of the Ardennes, is said to have stopped the Germans by telling them that the road all the way to Dinant was a minefield. And since one of their tanks had just hit a mine right near the café…
After the war, the audacious Monique did not have a hard time convincing the Belgian army to place the famous tank in front of her café.
To get to the tank, take the first on the left, Rue de Vêves and follow the road until you reach the crossroads at the edge of the village.