 Accordingly, many men were on leave or pass, the Division Commander was in the United States, the Assistant Division Commander was in England (leaving the Artillery Commander, General McAuliffe, in command), and there still were major shortages of equipment and supplies that had not been replaced after the Netherlands.The division was ill-prepared for the word they received in the late evening of 17 December.The Germans had launched a major offensive at dawn on 16 December through the Ardennes in the lightly held sector of VII Corps.