Operation Plunder: The British and Canadian Operations

by Tim Saunders

  Panzerwerfer 150 mm ten-barrelled rocket mortar the nebelwerfer.

  Generalmajor Fiebig commander 84th Division.

  This total did not include the more manoeuvrable and even more difficult to locate, medium mortars and Nebelwerfers which were, throughout the North West European Campaign, the weapon system that inflicted the greatest casualties amongst the Allies.

  15th Division’s Training and Preparations

  The two formations of the 15th Scottish Division selected to spearhead the assault across the Rhine, were the 44 Lowland and the 227 Highland Brigades. These two formations were programmed to carry out two full-scale practice crossings on the River Maas (Exercise BUFFALO):

  ... the first, a daylight exercise on 14th March; the second, a night exercise on 15 March.

  Under command for this exercise the 15th Scottish Division had the following formations and units, which were to remain under it until it crossed the Rhine: the 4th Armoured Brigade, of which the 44th Royal Tanks were equipped with DD Tanks (Shermans), fitted with water-wings and propellers which enabled them to swim under their own power; the 11th Army Group R.E. (A.G.R.E.); an S.P. Anti-Tank Battery; and a ′Bank Group,’ composed of signals, medical, recovery, and traffic control sub-units grouped round the 5th Royal Berkshire [115 Brigade]. For the exercise, as for the real crossing, two squadrons of the Royal Dragoons and about fifty officers from Reinforcement Holding Units were given to the Royal Berkshire in addition. The Bank Group thus disposed of about a hundred officers – enough to allow for an officer at every small control-post. This Bank Group was to function in much the same way as a Beach Group and to control the forward passage of troops, vehicles, and stores across the river obstacle.

  The Division had in support, as was usual for any major operation, Hobart’s Funnies attached from 33 Armoured Brigade. Besides the two squadrons of DDs, there were the usual flails, Crocodiles, and Kangaroos, for the later stages of the operation. There were of course two regiments, 11 Royal Tank Regiment (11 RTR) and the East Riding Yeomanry, both equipped with LVT Buffaloes. The historian of 2 Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders commented:

  The yeomanry responsible for the actual crossing were a delightful lot to work with, with a fine cavalry dash and a persistently horsey outlook, even in the water, when the squadron commanders were heard urging their drivers to ′get their whips out’.

  Loading of a carrier, the largest vehicle that the Buffalo could carry during training on the Maas.

  The marshalling of all these troops during the daylight exercise was a success but the night exercise was conducted ‘in the worst possible conditions of fog and darkness. Much went wrong in consequence, but the snags that had been revealed were duly dealt with after the post-mortem’. Exercise over and no opportunity for a re-run, the even more complicated process of concentrating the Division on the Rhine began. The LVT loading tables were almost as complicated as those of the Normandy D Day, with infantry companies having to give up a specified number of places on their six Buffaloes to members of the Bank Group and other specialists who were needed across the river as soon as possible.

  Royal Tank Regiment East Riding Yeomanry

  15th Division’s Plan

  See map on page 148

  Major General Barber’s task was, on a two brigade frontage, to establish a bridgehead between Bislich and Vynen, ‘preparatory to securing the area of Bergerfurth along with its bridge’, which is referred to as Bridge A. This bridge was important, as the old course of the Rhine was, in effect, a second obstacle or potential line of resistance to be crossed before the Scots could reach 6th Airborne Division in the area of Hamminkeln. If not already secured, 15th Division was to go on and capture the bridges over the Issel. No less than six field regiments, four medium regiments, two heavy AA batteries and a pair of heavy or super heavy batteries would support each of the assault brigades. The crushing weight of fire delivered by these guns would be supplemented by those of the remainder of the Army Group’s Royal Artillery in the case of emergency. The apogee of the British artillery’s power was the ‘Pepperpot’, where all available guns were concentrated in an annihilating strike against specific targets, built into the general fire plan to maximise effect on key points.

  5.5 British artillery piece on the west bank of the Rhine lays down covering fire.

  An important part of Major General Barber’s plan included 100 Anti-Aircraft Brigade. In addition to its normal role of protecting the ferry and bridging sites from enemy aircraft, this brigade was also to provide river security by coordinating the efforts to prevent the Germans from destroying the crossing sites and bridges with mines and divers swimming downstream.

  44 Lowland Brigade – Codeword POKER

  See map on page 150

  On the Division’s right flank, the Lowland Brigade was to cross the Rhine and capture and hold the area Schuttwick, Loh and Bislich. 11 RTR were to lift the two assault battalions, with 6 Royal Scots Fusiliers (6 RSF) being right assault and 8 Royal Scots (8 RS) left. Their initial objectives were to clear the line of the Bund immediately west of Bislich, between Fahrhaus and Ronduit and to occupy the western half of Bislich. Thereafter, 6 King’s Own Scottish Borderers (6 KOSB) was then to pass through 6 RSF and seize the remainder of Bislich, after which the whole brigade was to advance north and east to the Diersfordterwald, where it was anticipated they would link up with the British and American airborne troops.

  With news circulating of the success of the initial crossing by fellow Scots in 51st Highland Division to their north and the Commandos just to their east, ‘soon after midnight 23 / 24 March the assaulting battalions embarked in their allotted LVTs in the Marshalling Area’. The divisional historian explained that the planning staff had allocated:

  ... six LVT to an infantry company, with a further twelve per battalion carrying Bn HQ and supporting weapons, including detachments of medium machine guns of 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment (1 MX). In addition, the assault wave LVTs carried RA Observation Parties, advanced parties of the Bank Group (5 Berks) including medical personnel, RE and DD reconnaissance parties.

  ... a proportion of LVT had been loaded with the minimum vehicles essential in the assault stages of the operation. The stowage of LVTs in the assault waves had been worked out in detail by HQ XII Corps and though there was some slight variation between battalions, the following allotment of vehicles was generally adopted:

  6-pounder A/Tk guns and towers, 4

  Jeeps 3 (one each for CO, medical officer, RE recce officer), 4 Carriers (two for reserve ammunition and one each for the RA OP party and battalion signal officer).

  6 BRIT AIRBORN DIV

  Typically heavily laden infantry mounting LVTs in the assembly area.

  Under the cover of the sound of fighting to the flanks and their own ‘Pepperpot’ barrage falling on the opposite bank the two regiments of Buffaloes each set out for the river, in a single file, at 0330 hours. Lieutenant Peter White recalled that ‘One felt a sense of privilege at being present as another milestone of history was heaved slowly and massively into position for its unveiling in the coming hours.’ And then at 0155 hours ‘... waves of tightly packed Buffaloes roared, squeaking their way through gaps blown by the REs in the dyke wall to splash towards their objectives.’ Here ‘the columns paused momentarily ... to check timings, and then the first flights, comprising three companies per assaulting battalion, passed through the gaps, fanned out into line and entered the water’ at H Hour (0200 hours).

  BBC reporter, Wynford Vaughan Thomas, was recording a live report in one of the Buffaloes.

  BBC reporter, Wynford Vaughan Thomas, was recording a live report in one of the Buffaloes:

  The driver feels for the edge of the water – we’re guided up right to the very edge by a long line of small green lights that have been laid to take us to the jumping-off ground: we’ve reached the water’s edge and we see the Rhine – not running, as we thought it would, bright under the moon, but running red; because rig
ht on the opposite side of the village every single house and haystack you can see is burning, beaten down by the fury of our barrage. We can’t tell whether there’s anything coming at our boys: we hope all the stuff that we hear is going into Germany.

  The Buffaloes, having been carried downstream to the approximate area of their proposed landing, headed for the bank and started to climb out of the river. At this point, it was intended that the soldiers would be led into battle by a battalion piper. Wynford Vaughan Thomas was aboard an LVT with the Commanding Officer of 6 RSF (the battalion commanded by Winston Churchill in the Great War), who:

  ... gave the signal, the piper lifted his pipes to his lips, and he blew, and only an agonised wailing came from his instrument. Again he tried, and again the wail. If ever a man was near to tears, it was our piper. His great moment, and now, as he cried in despair ′Ma pipes, man, they’ll no play.’

  Battalion records, however, show that Piper McGhee played the regiment march Cutty’s Wedding. The piper recalled ‘There was nothing to it, but I was a bit scared when I first boarded the Buffalo. There was a good deal of sniping and mortar fire, but the actual crossing wasn’t too bad.’

  The leading companies were all across on time, around dawn, having disembarked ‘dry shod’. There was some desultory shelling and mortaring and both 6 RSF and 8 RS reported ‘a certain amount of trouble from light automatic fire’. On the Brigade’s left flank, 8 Royal Scots made a good landing on the east bank, having, according to the Adjutant, Captain Fargus:

  Spasmodic mortar and shellfire was directed at the LVTs as they approached the river and during the crossing, some very inaccurate Spandau fire was opened. This caused no casualties and the crossing was accomplished without incident.

  Three defended houses on the dyke overlooking 8th Royal Scots’ crossing point. The centre house was used as their tactical HQ for some time.

  The Royals crossed the river in three waves at four minute intervals, with each wave heading for their own landfall. A and B Companies led off from their drop off point and took their objectives without great difficulty, ‘although some of the Spandau posts dug in on the farther side of the dyke defended themselves stubbornly, having suffered little damage from our artillery bombardment’.

  C Company met the fiercest opposition and had great difficulty in overcoming one particular resolute post. The company commander and another officer became casualties. Soon all the rifle companies were on their objectives and ‘patrols were sent out to clean up any enemy who might be lying up in houses or entrenched in their respective areas’.

  D Company sent a platoon to B Company’s area to allow B Company to extend to Gossenhof farm, which was captured after a sharp fight with a group of enemy, including an artillery OP party, who were all either killed or captured. The Adjutant, Captain Fargus, was holding the prisoners of war near Battalion Headquarters in the cover of the dyke:

  Isolated Spandau posts dug in on the slopes of the bund, gave some trouble. As anticipated, all the prisoners came from 84th Infantry Division, except for one soldier whose soldbuch showed a formation unknown to the intelligence officer. The mystery was solved when he stated that he was on leave from the Eastern Front, and had no intention of fighting on the Rhine.

  ...8 RS completed Phase 1 of the operation without great difficulties. No mines were met in the flood bed as had been feared and the initial objective around the Ronduit Bridge and track junction were taken.

  Meanwhile, on the right flank, 6 RSF sustained casualties from anti-personnel mines around the ferry jetty and suffered significant casualties in D Company, when two British heavy shells fell short.

  Major Bokenham, Officer Commanding D Company, described the action once he and his men were ashore:

  Our objective was a bund 500 yards inland, but to gain it we had to cross a nearer and smaller bund, a road, and then move up between a narrow orchard on the left and a small wood on the right. The Buffaloes took us about 75 yards inland, when they came under Spandau and rifle fire from the nearer bund. Immediately the two leading platoons leapt out and charged. On the top of the bund, they encountered two rows of barbed wire, overcame the opposition easily and took about 30 prisoners. They then pushed on to the further bund and crossed the road without casualties, although it was found later to be heavily laid with Schumines. They pressed on to their objective, came under fire from it, successfully assaulted and gained it, and consolidated about 75 yards apart. Just beyond this bund were three houses from which fire was being directed at the platoons. Under Lieutenant Murphy 16 Platoon quickly cleared one, while 17 Platoon under Sergeant Linard cleared the others, taking in all twenty-five prisoners.

  A farm just inland from 6 RSF’s landing point that was held by the Fallschirmjäger.

  A 25-pounder gun crew from 15th Scottish Division firing a barrage in support of the infantry east of the river.

  Simultaneously, 18 Platoon followed up and cleared an orchard and houses on the left. Then, led by Lieutenant Binge, they passed over the bund between 17 and 16 Platoons, cleared it and linked up with C Company about 200 yards to the left; after which they went into reserve behind 16 and 17 platoons, clearing a Spandau post on the way and taking eighteen prisoners. D Company dug in awaiting the order to move to the intermediate objective, which was 500 yards to the right along the bund. Casualties so far had been light, but unfortunately, Fusilier Rogers was killed, and Sergeant Bell and Fusilier Murphy wounded.

  By 0330 hours, 6 RSF’s initial objectives had been taken; Major Bokenham’s D Company then started its move to its intermediate position on the Brigade’s right flank:

  Orders came to move to the intermediate objective at H plus 90, and exactly at that time, when the company was moving off, tragedy occurred. Two of our own artillery shells, which had been falling close for some time, dropped short and landed in the middle of two of the platoons. Casualties were high ... [three] were killed; ... [ten] were wounded.

  It was now that the men of the company displayed their greatness. With so many casualties, two platoons were at half-strength. Corporal Crearie, the senior surviving NCO, did magnificent work in rounding up the remnants and forming them into one platoon of approximately eighteen men. Sergeant Curran, too, now commanding 16 Platoon, was stoutly rallying his men. The company thus pushed on to the intermediate objective, Corporal Crearie’s platoon along enemy’s side of the bund clearing all buildings, and Sergeant Curran’s on the river side. This phase of the battle was completed successfully because of the fine leadership of the two new platoon commanders. The company dug in on the intermediate objective, having taken some 30 more prisoners. The only additional casualty was Fusilier Moffat, wounded.

  Even with casualties amongst the company’s leadership, it was with considerable dash that the Jocks went on to clear and occupy the western outskirts of Bislich. Here they had ‘a sharp hand-to-hand struggle for a house that had been converted into a strong point, which ultimately yielded some forty prisoners’. Bislich was not yet entirely under the RSF’s control as ‘mopping up was still continuing, some enemy parties having gone to ground in cellars’.

  While D Company was moving to its objective, ‘wonderful bravery was being shown by Captain Mann and the company stretcher-bearers, who were evacuating the wounded to the river’s edge and thence to the regimental aid post’ ... the available stretchers were quickly used up and improvised ones made. Even so, the casualties could not all be got back. Company Sergeant-Major Black and Fusilier Williams in particular distinguished themselves by making repeated journeys under small arms and artillery fire carrying wounded across on their shoulders.

  Some hours earlier, when the message had come through to HQ 44 Brigade, at 0305 hours, that the leading assault companies were established ashore, Brigadier Cumming-Bruce ordered 6 KOSB to cross. They had already marched on foot down to the storm boat waiting area at Luttingen, ‘where they sheltered from desultory shelling in the houses and cellars’. At 0330 hours, C and D Companies starte
d crossing and, suffered the usual breakdowns of the unreliable storm boat engines. Eighteen-year-old Private Frederick Hambly recalled his trip across the river:

  The noise of the battle raging overhead was terrific as we approached the area of embarkation. We, D Company, 6th Bn KOSB embarked on our frail craft, cast off from the west bank. We were nearly halfway across when the engine cut out. We watched as our landing area on the far bank, with its white tapes denoting that that area has been cleared of mines, receded from us, as being without engine power we were swept by the strong current, broadside towards the North Sea!

  Infantrymen of 15th Scottish Division disembarking from a storm boat after dawn on 24 March 1945.

  We were however fortunate enough to be spotted by another boat returning for its second run, and its skipper manoeuvred around the stern to our port side, lashed the two boats together and steadily moved upstream to our disembarkation area.

  Despite the unreliable engines, 6 KOSB were complete on the eastern bank by 0415 hours and with the banks having been cleared of defended posts, snipers and mines, the battalion did not suffer a single casualty to enemy action during the actual crossing.

  Having formed up and crossed the flood plain and the dyke, A and B Companies of the Borderers were to press on and clear the north east part of Bislich and Feldwick. Here they met some resistance put up by 1062 Grenadier Regiment but by 0700 hours, they were secure in the village