Am now at this point in my Regt history (April 45) and found something a little bit puzzling to me. The Regt crossed into Germany on 31st March-1st April, but 2 days later were ordered back to Holland to support the HLI and 3rd Cdn Div (The Water Rats) 8th and 9th Brigades Operation "River 1+2" the taking of Zutphen and the areas up to Nijverdal which took them up to the 10th-11th April. As these areas are to the NORTH and NE of Arnhem, my question is were the Allies trying to put Arnhem (the jewel in the crown) into some sort of "Pocket" with no way out for the enemy, before the start of "Anger+Quick Anger" on the 12th by 49th Div PB's to take the city from the South+SW. Rob.
Rob D As the Allied armies moved eastwards, they still had the German Army in Holland along what was nicknamed the Long Left Flank. The Canadians by pushing Northwards as well, helped to cut off the retreat and also the supply lines of that same German Army. Comparing the same dates, my Dad's unit were also backwards and forwards like a fiddlers elbow between Germany and way to the west of Arnhem. For example, my Dad's battery took out Enemy OP's in church towers in Tiel and Ophemert with their Bofors in late April 1945. That is way to the South & West of where your own Dad's unit were around the same time. If you look at this site and scroll down to the dates you are interested in, it is a little more informative. Juno Beach Centre - Liberation of the Netherlands and capitulation of Germany Rob.
Cheers Rob the link is just where I want to be. Just looking at this from another source; Rob During Plunder the II Canadian Corps under Lt General Guy Simonds, seized Emmerich and struck west, approaching the River IJssel from the right to secure the land east of Arnhem.[9] Crerar saw an opportunity to take Arnhem and open a route between the city and Zutphen to the north, and ordered his two Corp commanders to co–ordinate their advances accordingly.[8] However, he was wary of trying to seize Arnhem before the Ijssel had been bridged further north.[10] I Corps launched Operation Destroyer to clear the Nijmegen Island on 2 April, carefully timing the initial attack to coincide with II Corps clearance of the east bank of the IJssel at Wehl.[11] The island was seized in two days and the Allies occupied the southern bank of the Lower Rhine in preparation for the assault on Arnhem. On 11 April, II Corps launched Operation Cannonshot, the crossing of the IJssel further north at Deventer, prior to striking west toward Apeldoorn.[9]
