Bastogne: The Story of the First Eight Days - US Army Center Of ...

66 BASTOGNE
Colonel Sink, having carried out his independent reconnaissance,
had reached exactly the same conclusion. At around 1820
he called Division and said that it was getting very hot at Noville;
he urged that his forward battalion be withdrawn to a point north
of Foy.22 But in view of the fact that General Middleton had
ordered that Noville be defended and that the armor which had
gone forward in response to that direction was still acting under
Roberts's orders, it looked like a matter for decision by the higher
headquarters. General McAuliffe called General Middleton and
relayed Higgins's and Sink's reports of the situation, adding his
personal recommendation that the force be withdrawn. Middleton
said, "No; if we are to hold on to Bastogne, you cannot keep
falling back." Sink was called and told that the Noville force
would have to stick. 2S By then, Major Desobry had ceased to
worry about the local problem. He was unconscious when they
removed him from the CP to the nearest field hospital. He was
still out, when, a few hours later, the Gennans overran the hospital
and took him prisoner. 2 '