Bridge at Neustadt - April 1945

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by Capt Bill, Apr 6, 2010.

  1. Capt Bill

    Capt Bill wanderin off at a tangent

    Has anyone read of/know of this incident in the beginning of April 1945 when a bridge was blown up, resulting in the death of 22 paras?

    Its part of a thread from one of the Smollan brothers - Harold the youngest of three brothers killed during WW2.

    He rests in peace in Becklingen Cemetery in germany - so my guess would be that the incident happened around that area.

    Yours,

    Bill :thankyousign:
     
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  2. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    Geoff's Search Engine found these in Geoffs site 18 Paras out of the list of 26 shown buried in Becklingen cemetery all killed on 7.4.1945 and all from 7th Battalion Parachute regiment.Also another 3 who died on the 8th and 1 on the 10th
     
  3. TomTAS

    TomTAS Very Senior Member

    HI Bill & wtid,

    Going there on tuesday next week they are all already on my list...

    Cheers
    Tom
     
  4. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    And from Para by Peter Harclerode this "Meanwhile, 7th Parachute Battlion was advancing on Neustadt after clearing the airfield at Wunstorf with the help of 13th Parachute Battalion having reached the town, it found the bridge intact.B company commanded by Major 'Tiger' Reid, was in the lead. As it started to cross the bridge Corporal Taylor, one of the sappers from 591st Parachute Squadron RE attached to the company , spotted that the bridge was prepared for demolition and shouted a warning .Tragically he was not heard.Seconds later as the leading platoon was halfway across the enemy blew the bridge, killing 22 men and wounding several others. However a bridgehead was established by Captain E.G. Woodman, Lieutenant G.B Gush and two men who had been the first to cross the bridge and thus escaped injury".
     
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  5. Capt Bill

    Capt Bill wanderin off at a tangent

    wow - thanks gents

    another piece to the jigsaw
     
  6. Capt Bill

    Capt Bill wanderin off at a tangent

    HI Bill & wtid,

    Going there on tuesday next week they are all already on my list...

    Cheers
    Tom

    [​IMG]
     
  7. Capt Bill

    Capt Bill wanderin off at a tangent

    wtid45 kindly dug up some info for me

    from Para by Peter Harclerode this "Meanwhile, 7th Parachute Battlion was advancing on Neustadt after clearing the airfield at Wunstorf with the help of 13th Parachute Battalion having reached the town, it found the bridge intact.B company commanded by Major 'Tiger' Reid, was in the lead. As it started to cross the bridge Corporal Taylor, one of the sappers from 591st Parachute Squadron RE attached to the company , spotted that the bridge was prepared for demolition and shouted a warning .Tragically he was not heard.Seconds later as the leading platoon was halfway across the enemy blew the bridge, killing 22 men and wounding several others. However a bridgehead was established by Captain E.G. Woodman, Lieutenant G.B Gush and two men who had been the first to cross the bridge and thus escaped injury".

    does anyone have any photos of the bridge? before/after? further citations? etc
     
  8. Capt Bill

    Capt Bill wanderin off at a tangent

  9. Capt Bill

    Capt Bill wanderin off at a tangent

    note added by son of a surviver:-

    Harry Smollan did not die on the bridge at Neustadt.
    He was blown up by a mine on the road between Neustadt and Wuntsdorf on the morning of April 7. My father was his friend in the 7th Parachute Battallion and witnessed his death.
    In 2005 I took my father back with the Heroes Return campaign to the spot and an elderly German came out and filled in the gaps.
    Harry Smollan was buried by the family in their garden. He laid there until the mid-1950s when he was reinterred at Becklingen.
    My dad formed a friendship with the family who buried him. We have just been back (dad is now 84). Dad says a prayer over the spot where he was blown up and then visits him in Becklingen.
    If anyone, such as the Smollen family, wishes to know more about Harry's final days get in touch via this thread.
    Dad witnessed the Neustadt bridge blown up later on the 7 April. he then buried the corpses on a small piece of ground by the bridge. We have photos of that if anyone wishes to get in touch. In particular Dad remembers Edward 'Lofty' Wagstaffe, his great friend who was blown up. Both he and dad were both 18.
    the battallion ended up deep in East Germany at Wismar. They had to pull back a fortnight after VE Day and the land was handed over to the Russians.
     
  10. Capt Bill

    Capt Bill wanderin off at a tangent

    Im digging deeper into this - so much so that Im planning to go and interview Mr Lockwood (it would be rude not to as it appears he only lives about 5 miles from my door!)

    I have the location of where Harold died, courtesy of a boobytrap

    Has anyone read/copied the war diaries for this action? and would like to assist me?
    Im happy to swap notes on Mr Lockwoods interview
     
  11. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Bill,

    Good luck with your enquiries.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  12. Capt Bill

    Capt Bill wanderin off at a tangent

    more info and photos to follow but here is a quick overview

    7(LI) Parachute Battalion on the morning of 07 April 1945 moved in battle order towards Petershagen. The Canadian forces had taken a bridge, and the 7(LI)PB were moving through Canadian lines when it was found that the bridge was of little significance (a canal bridge). 7(LI)PB withdrew and advanced on Wunstorf Aerodrome.

    With Lt Col Pine-Coffin taking the lead, they moved on the aerodrome and were ambushed. They successfully fought through but took many casualties, including Pte G Jamieson one of two medics, both brothers!

    They were then given orders to take the town of Neustadt, just north-east of the aerodrome. A & C Company took the direct route into town, whilst B Coy moved along the eastern bank of the river.
    It was on the approach to the outskirts of the town at approx 3pm that the germans attempted to detonate three boobytraps hidden under the road in culverts. Only one detonated, killing Pte Harold Smollan. If all three had gone off, one casualty would have been Brigadier Poett, commander 6 Airborne

    As the Battalion moved into the town, the bridge was blown as the troops stormed it at approx 11pm. This resulted in the death of 22 Paras.

    It is noted that only 4 from this assault made it to the opposite bank - one of which was A Coy 2IC Capt Woodman, who as he ran over the bridge was kicking out the detonators from the explosives. It is presumably this action that only resulted in one of the three bridge arches being destroyed.
     
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  13. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Bill.

    If you know the names of anyone awarded medals I'm happy to dig out the citations for you.

    Andy
     
  14. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

    more info and photos to follow but here is a quick overview

    7(LI) Parachute Battalion on the morning of 07 April 1945 moved in battle order towards Petershagen. The Canadian forces had taken a bridge, and the 7(LI)PB were moving through Canadian lines when it was found that the bridge was of little significance (a canal bridge). 7(LI)PB withdrew and advanced on Wunstorf Aerodrome.

    That was probably the canal bridge at Lahde, across the Mittellandkanal.

    But the chronology does not make sense to me. It is 40km by road from Petershagen to Wunstorf.

    I used to go to school in Petershagen, and grew up in Loccum, half-way between Wunstorf and Petershagen.

    All the best

    Andreas
     
  15. Capt Bill

    Capt Bill wanderin off at a tangent

    That was probably the canal bridge at Lahde, across the Mittellandkanal.

    But the chronology does not make sense to me. It is 40km by road from Petershagen to Wunstorf.

    I used to go to school in Petershagen, and grew up in Loccum, half-way between Wunstorf and Petershagen.

    All the best

    Andreas

    Hi Andreas

    He didnt mention the date of the Canadian canal bridge incident, but the date on taking the Wunstorf airfield is correct

    Just found this -

    taken by 5 Army Film and Photography Unit on 08 Apr 45
    The hangar had a Ju 88 and a few Bf109's
    [​IMG]

    this is an old shot of the bridge from the Stadts archive
    [​IMG]
    this photo is facing south, A & C Coy came along the route to the right of the photograph

    the blast destroyed the arch to the right of the picture

    the house on the left (opposite bank) the woman gave first aid to the injured troops. she was osterocised by the locals for many years after.

    7 (LI)PB held the town, and 15 Scots came through and continued the advance whilst 7 rested and waited for reinforcements
     
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  16. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

    Ah okay.

    This explains it. Seems to have been 5 April in Petershagen, which does make sense.

    Rhine to Elbe 1944-5

    All the best

    Andreas
     
  17. Capt Bill

    Capt Bill wanderin off at a tangent

    [​IMG]
    photo taken by Lt Col RG Pine-Coffin on 08 Apr 1945
    severe damage done to one arch, with substantial damage done to the middle arch
    Bailey bridge used to enable the use of the bridge

    the trees to the left of the picture highlight the force of the blast

    the bridge as it is now - clearly showing the damage to the first arch

    [​IMG]

    extract from unit diary

    7th April 1945
    Place: Petershagen
    0945 - Bn moved off in TCVs and proceeded EAST until engaged by enemy defending airfield at 1430-1530.
    2000 - Airfd and several planes captured after a battle. Casualties - 6 killed, 21 wounded.

    Place: Neustadt
    Bn moved forward cleared MOURSDORF and captured river bridge at NEUSTADT. Bridge blown up by when 2 pls of B Coy were across and one pl was crossing. Casualties 19 killed, 19 wounded 6 missing.

    8th April 1945
    Place: Neustadt
    0500 - A Coy relieved B Coy on other side of river. PW brought in during night - 3 offrs and 28 ORs. One of offrs a Lt-Col of SS Panz Gren. 9 PW brought in later in the day.

    9th April 1945
    Place: Neustadt
    Bn occupied same posns.
    1330 - 2 PW brought in.

    10th April 1945
    Place: Neustadt
    PW totalling 17 brought in during day.
    2030 - Several enemy aircraft dropped bombs in town area.

    11th April 1945
    Place: Neustadt
    Bn occupied same posns. During day 19 PW brought in.

    12th April 1945
    Place: Neustadt
    Bn rested. 5 PW brought in during day.

    13th April 1945
    Place: Neustadt
    1930 - Bn moved in tpt to CELLE 590504.
     
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  18. Capt Bill

    Capt Bill wanderin off at a tangent

    Fatalities from this days action alone (wunsdorf aerodrome and neustadt bridge)


    AITKEN, Archibald Donaldson. Pte 20 years of age
    BRADLEY, Raymond Wilfred. Pte 19
    CAIRNS, Thomas. Pte 19
    CORBETT, Horace William. Pte 29
    CORNELL, Sidney. Sgt 31
    DAVIES, Stuart Paul. Pte
    DODD, George Spencer Pte
    GALLAGHER, Joseph Pte
    GRAY, Arthur Sylvester Cpl
    GREEN, John Walter. Pte 23
    HUDSPETH, John William. Pte 18
    JAMIESON, George McKinnes. Pte RAMC 25
    JEFFERSON, Peter Rowland. Pte 18
    KEWLEY, Lawrence William Edward. Pte 21
    LAKIN, Eric William. Pte 23
    PAPE, John Charles. Lt 25
    PARKIN, Sydney George. Pte
    PITTS, George William. Pte
    PLANT, Clifford Ronald. Cpl 20
    POWLESLAND, William James. Pte 19
    SAUNDERS, John Michael. Pte 21
    SMOLLAN, Harold. Pte 19
    SPROSTON, Sidney. Pte 22
    STANSFIELD, George. Pte 18
    WAGSTAFF, Edward. Pte 18
    WATKINS, Alfred George. Pte 28
    WILKINS, Alan. Pte 23
    WILMOTT, Joseph. L/Cpl 20

    :poppy: May they all rest in peace
     
  19. busterwood

    busterwood Junior Member

    Hello friend,
    I hope you may be able to help me please. My Father 14002827 Private Arthur (Timber) Wood was with 'A' Company 7th (L.I) Battalion. He was wounded January 1945 in the Ardennes, he stepped on a Shu mine which blew off his lower right leg. Can you help with any information ?
    Kindest Geoff
     
  20. Capt Bill

    Capt Bill wanderin off at a tangent

    70 years ago today

    Lest we forget
     

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