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From D-Day to V-Day

March 1945

March 2, 1945 - D-Day + 269

The British 53rd Infantry Division under the First Canadian Army’s British XXX Corps mopped up Weeze and headed towards Geldern. On the same day, the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division conquered Winnekendonk.

The 35th Infantry Division’s Task Force Byrne under the XVI Corps headed out of Venlo to the northeast through Straelen and Kerken, and occupied Sevelen. The 15th Cavalry Group (Mechanized) advanced to Venlo to cover the left flank of the 35th Infantry Division. At the same, the group was able to also make contact with First Canadian Army units. Major General John M. Devin’s 8th Armored Division used its Combat Command A to launch an attack through the 35th Division’s 134th Infantry Regiment. CCA convoyed through Lobberich to reach Wachtendonk, where Col Edward Kimball’s Combat Command B arrived soon afterwards. In the interim, Col Robert J. Wallac’s Combat Command R advanced to Grefrath. The XIII Corps’ 84th Infantry Division crossed the Niers Canal near Süchteln. The division’s 335th Infantry Regiment went through St Tönis and launched an attack on the northeastern section of Krefeld while its sister regiment, the 334th, headed northwards out of St Tönis through Inrath to the Rhine River. Units from the 102nd Infantry Division’s 405th and 406th Infantry Regiments advanced to Krefeld. After reaching the targets, they started to fight for the outskirts in the southeast. The 5th Armored Division’s Combat Command A advanced on Fischeln and was ordered to halt south of the target so that units from the 102nd Infantry Division, which had already occupied Krefeld, could pass through. The XIX Corps’ 29th Infantry Division consolidated its forces in Mönchengladbach. The 2nd Armored Division continued to advance northwards to Uerdingen for now.

Combat Command A went through Krefeld-Oppum while Combat Command B advanced to the southern outskirts of the city and Combat Command R deflected a strong enemy counterattack near Schiefbahn. Before daybreak, the 83rd Infantry Division’s 329th Infantry Regiment had conquered Neuss and secured access to the bridge over the Rhine River, but the Germans destroyed the bridge. This sent assault units from the 330th Infantry Regiment rushing to the bridge in Oberkassel, and a battalion from the 83rd Division’s 331st Infantry Regiment advanced from the Erft River to the Rhine. In the course of the day, the enemy launched attacks out of Kapellen against the 83rd Infantry Division’s positions. The 30th Infantry Division took over the positions of the 83rd Division’s 331st Infantry Regiment.

Major General Walter E. Lauer’s 99th Infantry Division under the US First Army’s VII Corps continued to advance to the Rhine on the Corps’ northern flank, securing the flank of the Ninth Army. Col John C. McDonald’s 4th Cavalry Group (Mechanized) crossed the Erft River near Gleisch and occupied Bedburg, Broich, and Frimmersdorf, going on to assist Col James K. Woolnough’s 393rd Infantry Regiment under the 99th Infantry Division, which had crossed the river at the same site, in taking Neurath.

While expanding the bridgehead to the northeast, the 3rd Armored Division encountered fierce enemy resistance. Task Force Hogan advanced on Auenheim, while Task Force Richardson attacked from the baseline which had been secured by the 83rd Reconnaissance Battalion that morning and subsequently conquered Niederaussem. The 99th Infantry Division’s 395th Infantry Regiment was engaged in battle in the industrial area east of Bergheim throughout the day. Task Forces Kane and Doan made assault crossings of the Erft River and, in a joint attack, took Oberaussem. In the meantime the 104th Infantry Division, securing the defense of the bridgehead east of the Erft River, regrouped. Battalions under the 8th Infantry Division’s 28th and 121st Infantry Regiments continued to attack Kerpen and defeated the strong defense of the small city. The 28th Regiment went on to occupy Habbelrath and advanced on Grefrath. In the operational sector of the III Corps, the 1st Infantry Division continued to advance eastwards to the Rhine. Battalions from the Big Red One’s 18th and 26th Infantry Regiments occupied Gymnich, Lechenich, Poll, and Erp. The 14th Cavalry Group (Mechanized) was relieved of the task of protecting the southern flank of the Corps and was later attached to the 1st Infantry Division. A column from the 9th Armored Division’s Combat Command B advanced to the Roth River and built a bridgehead in Friesheim. Together with a battalion from the 9th Infantry Division’s 39th Infantry Regiment, another column headed towards Niederberg and occupied the village in the course of the night. The division’s 47th Infantry Regiment occupied Füssenich, Geich, Bessenich, and Rövenich, while the 60th Infantry Regiment mopped up Juntersdorf and Embken. The 9th Armored Division’s Combat Command A, operating in the 78th Infantry Division’s zone, took control of Wollersheim and Langendorf. The 78th Infantry Division later moved the rest of its units over the Rur River and secured a strong bridgehead. Supported by its sister 310th Infantry Regiment’s 2nd Battalion, the 78th Division’s 311th Infantry Regiment occupied Heimbach and positions near Hausen while the 309th Infantry Regiment conquered Vlatten, Eppenich, and part of Bürvenich. The US V Corps continued to reinforce its positions. The 102nd Cavalry Group (Mechanized) made an assault crossing of the Ruhr River.

Assault battalions from the 87th Infantry Division under the US Third Army’s VIII Corps continued to fight in the area around Ormont. During the day it was able to conquer about 60 enemy fortified posts. A three-regiment attack by the 4th Infantry Division was slowed by poor terrain and strong enemy resistance in the area east of the Prüm River, resulting in minimal territorial gains. Assault battalions from the 6th Armored Division headed out to the Nims River against the enemy’s disorganized resistance. The 44th Armored Infantry Battalion from the 6th Armored Division reached the river northwest of Heisdorf, first going around the village and later occupying it, but the Germans managed to destroy the bridge before the battalion arrived. Combat Command B occupied Winringen and Dingdorf. The 28th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron conquered Plütscheid and the hills east of the village while the 6th Squadron reached the Nims River and entered Nimsreuland. The 90th Infantry Division, presently under the command of Major General Herbert L. Earnest, was called up from reserves and attached to the Corps. At midnight, combat units under the XII Corps launched an assault crossing of the Kyll River. The 5th Infantry Division attacked the bridgehead between Hüttingen and Philippsheim. In the meantime, the 4th Armored Division opened fire to create a diversion. Except the 80th Reconnaissance Company which occupied Heilenbach, the 80th Infantry Division remained in its present positions. Battalions under the 76th Infantry Division mopped up most of the zone north of the Mosel and west of the Kyll Rivers and made contact with units from the XX Corps. The 76th Infantry Division’s 417th Infantry Regiment, reinforced by a battalion from the 80th Infantry Division’s 318th Infantry Regiment, occupied Kordel, Butzweiler, Lorich, and Besslich. The remainder of the 318th Infantry Regiment secured the area west of Trier. The 2nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron crossed the Sauer River near Steinheim and secured the right flank of the 76th Infantry Division along the eastern bank of the Sauer and northern bank of the Mosel. In the operational zone of the XX Corps, the 10th Armored Division finished occupying Trier. Combat Command B advanced to the Kyll River near Ehrang while Combat Command A conquered Konz. The reinforced 94th Infantry Division’s 376th Infantry Regiment took Kommlingen and Filzen. In the course of the day, Combat Command R was located in positions east of Trier, and after dusk launched an advance towards Schweich in a mission to conquer the local bridge. Meanwhile, the 94th Infantry Division continued to expand the six to seven mile deep bridgehead near Saarburg and deflected sporadic counterattacks.

During the day, all three Czechoslovak fighter squadrons RAF took part in two Operation Ramrod missions with the numbers 1479 and 1480. In the first mission, the squadrons escorted 376 Lancasters and 303 Halifaxes over Cologne. In the second, Czechoslovak pilots provided security for 155 Lancaster bombers in another raid on Cologne – a German city which, like one of many, was marked by the hell of war.

Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia that day, their primary target being the refineries in the German towns of Böhlen and Rositz. Part of the formation also attacked the city of Chemnitz, where the bombers were attacked by German fighters.

The attack resulted in the loss of several Fortresses, two of which crashed in Bohemia. One of the aircraft, apparently a Fortress from the 685th Bomb Group, fell to earth near the village of Hradčany in the district of Česká Lípa. The entire crew saved themselves. The second Boeing went down after a German fighter attack in the district of Kladno. This was 2nd Lt D. R. Christensen’s plane. Seven members of the 398th Bomb Group’s crew were killed in the wreckage. A monument erected in memory of Christensen’s men has been visited in recent years by a delegation of former 398th BG members who fought in the Eighth Air Force during World War II.