RHINE CROSSING 1945: The Rees bridgehead (30 Corps in operation 'Turnscrew')

Private John Navin 2990268 , died on 24 march 1945 in the vicinity of Klein Esserden / Bienen. His name is on the Memorial wall at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek.. He was from the 7th Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Can't find anything in the WD of 154 Brigade.

Maybe someone has the wardairy of the 7th Bn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of that period 23 -25 March 1945 ?

 

Bedee - I will send you the battalion WD

 

Side note:

A major exercise to cross the Rhine took place between Emmerich and Rees last week. Some good pictures of the equipment used these days.

Querung des Rheins: So lief die Nato-Übung in Kalkar, Rees und Emmerich

 

Major Hugh Robertson, 5th Seaforth Highlanders, O.C. "C" Company:

From: Major Hugh Robertson

The YouTube documentary appeared, probably in 2023 and one comment from Canada was:

From: UK Seaforth Highlanders - A Battalion in Battle - Groin

A 2024 uploaded version of the documentary (1h):

It appears to be the only copy online. It is likely someone has taken down the original, which is listed on a second link attributed to Major Robertson.

However this second link has a typed two pg. account by the Major. See: Attack on Groin (Rhine Crossing) 1945 Which I have downloaded and added as an attachment.

Added as it might be of value; yes, I have not looked through this thread. His name has not appeared here before.

 

The fight for Groin and Hollands Hof is discussed above in this thread: RHINE CROSSING 1945: The Rees bridgehead (30 Corps in operation 'Turnscrew')

... David, I very much like the report of Major Robertsons action and added it to the thread. Thanks for posting.

 

Bump -The coming night it will be 81 years since the 21st Army Group started the Rhine Crossing in 1945.

First to make the river assault was the 51st Highland Division at Rees, with H-hour 21:00 hrs on March 23rd (Op Turnscrew).

March 23d, 1945, was a Friday. The weather was warm and bright, spring was in the air. The Highland Division spent the first part of the day with final preparations for the assault that evening. At 17:00 hours, as the troops moved out to the marshalling areas, the artillery bombardement started. Gently at first, but as the minutes passed by, more and more guns came into action, until their noise together with that of the powerful engines of the Buffaloes, made it almost impossible to hear normal speech at times.

"The actual crossing of the Rhine was a picnic", as one war correspondent who accompanied the 7th Argylls observed, "but no one knew in advance whether the river or the banks had been mined, or whether anti-tank guns were ready to sink the Buffaloes as they went over. It was a thrilling moment as these huge lumbering transports climbed up the 15 feet bank, over it and down into the water to swim across. Our artillery was going like hell. The noise was terrific - but not a shell came from the other bank. The 300 yards of water was crossed without incident, and the far bank being reached, the various companies and sections immediately set off on their appointed tasks."

 

Thank you for the reminder, stolpi. I find myself just now to review of when some of the Canadian units crossed, in support of our involvement.

 

The HLI of Canada - as first part of 9th Cdn Inf Bde - intervened in the battle for Speldrop in the afternoon of 24 March 1945 (RHINE CROSSING 1945: The Rees bridgehead (30 Corps in operation 'Turnscrew')).