Churchill's Varsity Battlefield Tour

Discussion in 'NW Europe' started by ometei, Jul 20, 2024.

  1. ometei

    ometei Well-Known Member

    Whether in texts, photos or clips on the subject of Varsity - Winston Churchill appears again and again. No wonder, he had a good sense of where the action was. A lot of well-founded information has been written about his visit, but just as much probably falls into the category of ww2 urban legends. To open the thread with a primary source, here is the start and end point of his journey from March 23rd to 26th, 1945. Taken from the ORB of 24 Squadron that flew him.

    24 Squadron.png
    Source: National Archives AIR 27/296/31

    And here is an example that's more likely to be classified as folklore.

    picnic.png
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2024
  2. ometei

    ometei Well-Known Member

    Image seen in the last post is from the IWM pool, caption sheet says "Mr. Churchill lunching on the banks of the Rhine. Fd. Marshal Sir B. Montgomery and Fd. Marshal Sir Alan Brooke are with him. Taken by Sgt. Midgley. 26.3.45

    The Object description mentions " ... on the east bank of the Rhine".

    BU 2636#3.jpg
    Source: IWM (BU 2636)
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2024
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  3. ometei

    ometei Well-Known Member

    Churchill kept his little joyride a secret, as can be seen from his diary. Just a little red star marks March 23rd to 26th, 1945. Entries on the 23rd and 26th are crossed out. The next entry on the 27th is "NO Lunch with the King".

    churchill_engagement_diary.ww2talk.jpg
    Source: archive.org
     
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  4. Cee

    Cee GO TO IT! Patron


    Another picnic of sorts
    ... :)

    Allied Commanders Lunch.jpg

    Regards ...
     
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  5. S Hayward

    S Hayward Well-Known Member

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  6. Cee

    Cee GO TO IT! Patron

    Ho,

    I have been working on the Churchill party's movements on March 24th in the Xanten Crash thread with limited success. There is a lot of material available for the main events of the 25th and 26th on the web. He crossed back and forth over the Rhine twice in those two days.

    Quote (from here) :

    "On 25 March, the English prime minister Winston Churchill comes to take stock on the banks of the Rhine.

    Churchill first attended a church service that morning at the English headquarters in Walbeck, a village on the west side of the Lower Rhine. He then drove his chief of staff, sergeant and a few war correspondents in armoured vehicles to the American headquarters in Rheinberg.
    (Note: Don't believe this last statement is correct as they just drove there in official cars. Their arrival was filmed as was their lunch afterwards, etc.)

    Rheinberg HQ.png


    Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force in Western Europe, Dwight D. Eisenhower, tells him about a house, 16 km away in Büderich, which offers a good view of the Rhine and the town of Wesel on the opposite bank. Accompanied by a large security force, Churchill, Eisenhower, Montgomery and the journalists are driven to the house. From the balcony on the first floor of the restaurant "Wacht am Rhein", they have a beautiful view of the river and the land behind it on this sunny day. After the men have been extensively filmed and photographed, Eisenhower returns to his headquarters. Churchill does (not) feel like leaving yet and suggests crossing the Rhine in a landing craft to Montgomery."


    They cross back and forth over the Rhine in an American Higgins boat. Afterwards they travel to the destroyed rail bridge at Wesel and are filmed on it. Once the Germans start lobbing artillery shells in their general direction they leave the area.

    A70 277-1

    Footage Farm

    Mark Felton Video

    Regards ...
     
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2025
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  7. EKB

    EKB Well-Known Member

    Churchill stands at wrecked bridge - March 1944.jpg
     
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  8. ometei

    ometei Well-Known Member

    In my research, I am still on March 23, the day of arrival.

    Churchill had already visited the Lower Rhine at the beginning of March. He was using his new C-54 Skymaster (EW-999 43-17126), on loan from Roosevelt for his personal use. Why he used a normal C-47 for his Varsity visit remains unclear. Perhaps security aspects played a role.

    In addition to Alanbrooke, the passengers were his bodyguard Thompson and his personal secretary Colville. Other 3 passengers are still unknown.

    SH. Thanks. this visit took place on the 25th, after meeting at Eisenhower's HQ.

    EKB. Probably also on the 25th after the visit SH mentions.

    Cee. I found out a few more things about the 24th, some of it probably falls under the folklore heading though. I'll come back to it as soon as I've worked through the 23rd. A little taster: Churchill is said to have peed in the Rhine, but that's also said about Patton.
     
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2024
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  9. Cee

    Cee GO TO IT! Patron

    Yo,

    Does this newsreel show March 23rd events or earlier?



    Regards ...
     
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  10. ometei

    ometei Well-Known Member

    That would be the early March visit. Churchill took a look at the Siegfried Line. He visited the American sector in Jülich and British Canadian troops in the Reichswald area.

    What's strange in the clip, however, is the aircraft, definitely not his C-54 as mentioned above. So there's enough material for a separate thread. It will probably be called "Churchill's Siegfried Line Battlefield Tour".

    Douglas_Skymaster_RAF_VIP_transport_c1945.jpg
    Churchills EW-999 Source: wikimedia

    But back to business. Some Varsity Tour impressions can be found here.

    Later.
     
    Last edited: Jul 25, 2024
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  11. ometei

    ometei Well-Known Member

    Venlo, Straelen or Walbeck?

    After Churchill's group landed in Venlo at 5 o'clock on March 23rd, they drove to Monty's HQ. But what location did Montgomery choose for his caravanserai? The sources disagree here. While some mention Venlo (or near Venlo), others mention Straelen or Walbeck.

    Walbeck is a small village right on the Dutch border, 6 km west of Geldern. On March 22, 1945, Montgomery briefed his commanders here. IWM photos documenting this meeting.

    map Venlo Straelen Walbeck.jpg

    In the book "Normandy to the Baltic" there is a map showing the locations of Monty's TAC HQ. Venlo is followed by Straelen and Bönninghardt, and there are no references to Walbeck in the text either.

    The "After the Battle" magazine also comes to the same conclusion in its research and describes the Straelen location in detail: "... and entered Germany, traveling a few kilometers north to the village of Straelen [...] They set up camp in a farmhouse complex along Broekhuysener Strasse, situated about two kilometers south of the village and east of the Venlo to Straelen main road. Nearby was a riding stable and just to the south-west was the Paesmühlehof, a large mansion with outbuildings." Other sources from Montgomery's immediate surroundings also mention Straelen.

    HU 102819.resized.jpg
    Field Marshal Montgomery poses for a group photograph with his staff, Corps Commanders and Divisional Commanders at Walbeck, Germany, after issuing his final orders for the Rhine Crossing, 22 March 1945. IWM HU 102819

    TR 2789.resized.jpg
    The Commander of the 21st Army Group, Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery (left), the Commander of the 2nd Tactical Air Force, Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham (centre) and the Commander of the British 2nd Army, Lieutenant General Sir Miles Dempsey, talking after a conference held in a small German village attended by all Senior Officers of the 21st Army Group and 2nd Tactical Air Force. At the conference Field Marshal Montgomery gave the order for the 2nd Army to begin the assault crossing of the Rhine. IWM TR 2789


    Walbeck is almost consistently mentioned as TAC HQ in the local literature and press. Most refer to the standard work "Der zweite Weltkrieg zwischen Rhein und Maas". It says: "The thunder of the barrage reached Montgomery's headquarters in Walbeck." Pictures of the above-mentioned meeting on the 22nd are shown. So much for the different sources on the topic.

    Where was TAC HQ around Varsity and why was Walbeck chosen for the meeting on March 22nd?
     
    Last edited: Aug 8, 2024
  12. ometei

    ometei Well-Known Member

    Some more info on Walbeck, collected throughout the net.

    Infotafel Schulsteg.jpg

    This information board is located on a house wall in Walbeck. The text reads: "In March 1945, the command tent of the "Big Three" stood here in the schoolyard. Churchill, Eisenhower and Montgomery led the attack on the Rhine from here, which began on 24.3.1945 and brought a swift end to the Second World War."

    Schloss Walbeck.jpg

    The following information can be found on the website of the Walbeck Historical Society: "The division headquarters of the Lowland Division set up at Walbeck Castle. British Field Marshal Montgomery set up his headquarters in the schoolyard in a large tent. Sir Winston Churchill was also a guest at Montgomery's headquarters on March 23, 1945."

    Anyone with more info on the HQ of the 52nd Lowlands around Varsity?
     
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  13. Cee

    Cee GO TO IT! Patron

    Leaving the HQ

    In photo BU 2262 we see the Churchill party leaving Montgomery's HQ on the morning of the 24th (not the 25th as stated) to go view the fly-in on their hillside. Is Monty just seeing them off as he doesn't appear in later photos and footage with the group? For some reason all of Sgt. Morris' photos of the Churchill party taken on the 24th are dated the 25th.

    BU 2263.png

    Regards ...
     
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2024
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  14. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    The map shows that it is a bit complicated - 2nd Army Main HQ was at Walbeck, 21 Army Group Tac HQ near Straelen - it appears to be a bit east outside of Straelen between the B58 road at the Niers river. So, the question remains whether 21st Army Group also had a Main HQ - and where it was situated. Maybe at Venlo?
    The map comes from the book on the post-war Varsity Battlefield Tour... poor quality, unfortunately.
    HQ map.jpeg
     
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  15. ometei

    ometei Well-Known Member

    I've also noticed Monty's disappearance. He certainly had a lot on his mind, but he certainly didn't miss out on the spectacle of the flyover. Perhaps he had a seat closer to the action but didn't want Churchill to know about it. But that is pure speculation. After the flyover, when the group was traveling north, he can be seen again.

    Later.
     
  16. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    52nd Div HQ apparently was located a bit southeast of Sonsbeck.
    IMG_1651.JPG
     
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  17. ometei

    ometei Well-Known Member

    Thanks alberk. Well, I've seen and deciphered less clear maps.

    There was undoubtedly a Main HQ, it was stationed in Brussels until April 1945 and then moved to the vicinity of Mönchengladbach, if I remember correctly. There was even a split into Main HQ and Rear HQ. I have to take a look.

    Edit: done!
    Main HQ was the central core of the headquarters organisation, the vast staff machinery where Montgomery’s verbal orders to his subordinate commanders were put into paperwork and logistically organised. Rear Headquarters was the administrative echelon of the organisation, housing the ‘A’ (Administrative) and ‘Q’ (Quartermaster) branches, and the services and departments. Usually Main and Rear Headquarters were located far to the rear and housed in permanent buildings. Source: After the Battle Magazine
     
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2024
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  18. Cee

    Cee GO TO IT! Patron

    Yo,

    In an older post in the Xanten Crash thread I mentioned the tale that Churchill and Montgomery viewed the spectacle from the Haus Furstenberg octagonal tower. At the moment that is still in the realm of folklore, though I like the idea. But surely such a photo opportunity of them up there would not have been missed.

    Regards ...
     
  19. ometei

    ometei Well-Known Member

    #cee Who knows, maybe the photo was censored and now rests in some archives, many things are possible. I've given up the habit of saying "impossible".

    The Observation Post is also mentioned in the book “Over the Rhine”. But especially with a single secondary source, one should always maintain a critical distance. But here is the passage:

    "That was the 23 March, and throughout the day concentrations of men, equipment and vehicles built up behind the continuous smokescreen [...] Many can recall seeing Allied Supreme Commander Eisenhower in his distinct chocolate-brown combat dress visiting Montgomery's observation post a mile or so south of Xanten, from which, when there was no smokescreen, there was a panoramic view over the Westphalian plain."

    It actually all fits together very nicely, except for Montgomery and Eisenhower ...

    Fürstenberg.jpg

    There is no doubt that this Observation Post really existed. A whole series of pictures by the Canadian photographer B. Gloster proves this. The view from there was phenomenal.

    observation_dt2.jpg
    Looking NW - Panorama of destroyed Xanten. The cathedral can be seen to the right of the center of the picture. On the left a huge column of smoke, probably from an airplane crash.

    observation_dt1.jpg
    Looking NE - The row of trees runs as far as the Rhine, Bislich / Marwick can be seen on the eastern bank. The estate with the platform and the tower of the Fürstenberg chapel can be seen on the left. The Observation Post was therefore located to the south of it.

    observation_dt4.jpg
    American soldiers, one with a periscope binocular M65? Note the splintered post, the surrounding trees also show splintered branches.

    observation_dt3.jpg
    All photos show the haze, which also hindered the landing troops. Images taken 24.3.1945. Source for all images: Canadian Archives, B. Gloster

    So much for the tower, it probably doesn't play a role in the rest of this thread, but still:
    Whose job would it have been to erect such a tower, a sappers coy - or was it even the Americans?

    Later ...
     
    Last edited: Aug 8, 2024
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  20. Cee

    Cee GO TO IT! Patron

    Picnic Location

    A few more from the picnic location but taken earlier. A curiosity.

    BU 2636.png BU 2077.jpg BU 2079.jpg

    Regards ...
     
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