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From D-Day to V-Day

March 1945

March 3, 1945 - D-Day + 270

Units from the First Canadian Army’s 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade made contact with Col Robert Quinn’s 15th Cavalry Group (Mechanized) at the intersection in Walbeck in the area southwest of Geldern.

The advance of Col Bernard A. Byrne’s Task Force Byrne under the XVI Corps was slowed by enemy resistance east of Sevelen. The 8th Armored Division was replaced by 35th Infantry Division units under the XIII Corps and later sent to the rear as reserves. Before the withdrawal, Combat Command B crossed the newly-built bridge in Wachtendonk and occupied Aldekerk, while Combat Command B crossed the Niers River in Mülhausen and subsequently advanced to the Schaephuysen – Tönisberg area. In the operational zone of the XIII Corps, the 84th Infantry Division’s 334th Infantry Regiment defeated enemy resistance in Rath and later advanced towards Homberg. At the same time, the division’s 335th Infantry Regiment finished mopping up the northeastern section of Krefeld and went on to Moers and the Rhine. Battalions under the 102nd Infantry Division finished occupying the southeastern section of Krefeld that morning. Maneuvering on the left flank, the 5th Armored Division mopped up the area around Orsoy and sent Combat Command R out to occupy the town. The 29th Infantry Division was reassigned to the Army’s reserves, but remained in Mönchengladbach. The 2nd Armored Division, reinforced by the 95th Division’s 379th Infantry Regiment, continued northwards through the Cologne Plain. Combat Command A headed out from the Niederbruch – Krefeld area and went through Viertelsheide while CCR went through the eastern outskirts of Krefeld to advance on Kaldenhausen, but was ordered to halt southwest of the suburb. Combat Command B engaged in heavy fighting for access to the bridge in Uerdingen, under which the Germans had detonated a bomb. The explosion did damage the construction, but the bridge remained in place – allowing retreating German units to continue to use it.

The 3rd Battalion under the 83rd Infantry Division’s 330th Infantry Regiment reached the bridge in Oberkassel, but the enemy had enough time to destroy it. The division’s 331st Infantry Regiment was relieved by units from its sister 329th Infantry Regiment. At the same time, the 95th Infantry Division took up assault positions.

The 24th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, which was attached to the 99th Infantry Division under the US First Army’s VII Corps, occupied Grevenbroich and Wevelinghoven. The 99th Division’s 393th Infantry Regiment advanced out of Neurath to the northeast towards Barrenstein, located southwest of Ramrath, while its sister 394th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col John R. Jeter advanced towards Rommerskirchen. The 99th Infantry Division’s 395th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col James S. Gallagher returned to its home division from the 3rd Armored Division. In the meantime, the division’s 3rd battalion occupied Sinsteden. At 1800 hrs, the 4th Cavalry Squadron (Mechanized) was relieved from the 99th Infantry Division and reassigned to the 3rd Armored Division. Third Armored Division Tanks from Task Force Howze under Col Roberta L. Howze and Task Force Hickey commanded by Brigadier General Doyle O. Hickey made for Stommeln and Pulheim. Brigadier General Truman E. Boudinot’s Task Force Boudinot later advanced forward in the sector between the two. Lt Col William B. Lovelady’s Task Force Lovelady supported Task Force Howze in conquering Stommeln while Task Force Welborn under Col John C. Welborn mopped up Sinnersdorf. That day the 83rd Reconnaissance Battalion started to advance on Roggendorf-Thenhoven and towards the Rhine. In the meantime, the 104th Infantry Division advanced on Cologne. Battalions from the 414th and 415th Infantry Regiments occupied Glessen and Dansweiler, mopped up the hills east of Horrem, and started to attack Königsdorf. Throughout the day, units from the 8th Infantry Division conquered Grefrath and Bottenbroich and launched an attack on Frechen. The III Corps’ 1st Infantry Division went through Erftstadt. Units from its 18th Infantry Regiment occupied Dirmerzheim while its 26th Infantry Regiment took control of Blessem and Liblar. The 9th Armored Division’s Combat Command B advanced to Weilerswist and Lommersum, and was later attached to the 9th Infantry Division. The 9th Infantry’s 47th Infantry Regiment occupied Oberelvenich and Wichterich as its sister 60th Infantry Regiment conquered Zülpich and started to advance towards Nemmenich. The 9th Armored Division’s Combat Command A occupied Merzenich and subsequently continued towards Sinzenich. The 78th Infantry Division’s 311th Infantry Regiment protected the bridgehead at Heimbach. In the meantime, the division’s 309th Infantry Regiment finished mopping up Bürvenich while assisting 9th Armored Division tank units in Sinzenich, and also occupied Linzenich and Lövenich. The 102nd Cavalry Group (Mechanized) under the US V Corps advanced to the hills south of Heimbach that day. The 2nd Infantry Division crossed the Rur River in Heimbach and headed southwards towards Gemünd. The division’s 23rd Infantry Regiment occupied Malsbenden and advanced to positions west of Gemünd. In the meantime, the 28th Infantry Division sent reconnaissance patrols out to the Schleiden area. The 69th Infantry Division’s 271st Infantry Regiment mopped up the hills east of the Prether River.

With support from tanks and self-propelled artillery, the 87th Infantry Division under the US Third Army’s VIII Corps slowly advanced northwards from Ormont and in the Reuth vicinity. In the operational zone of the 4th Infantry Division, the enemy continued to put up resistance against the division’s advancing 8th Infantry Regiment near Gondelsheim, while its 22nd Infantry Regiment mopped up Weinsheim and advanced on positions west of Fleringen. The division’s 12th Infantry Regiment defeated the defense in Niederprüm and occupied Rommersheim. The 11th Armored Division’s Combat Command B crossed the Prüm River and mopped up Fleringen, where combat engineers removed a large number of mines and other traps. The 6th Armored Division advanced from the Prüm River to the Nims River.

One Combat Command B column occupied Giesdorf and continued to the north through the forest to make contact with units from the 4th Infantry Division, while the second column continued to the Nims in order to cross the river north of Schönecken. One part of the combat command occupied Schönecken while the other, composed of the 44th Armed Infantry Battalion, crossed the river and mopped up the eastern bank. The 90th Infantry Division’s 358th Infantry Regiment assembled on the eastern side of the Prüm. After nightfall it relieved the 6th Armored Division’s Combat Command B from its positions and prepared to advance eastwards through the positions of Combat Command A. The 6th Cavalry Group (Mechanized) crossed the river in the Nimsreuland – Lasel sector and mopped up the western section of both villages. The 5th Infantry Division’s 11th Infantry Regiment from the XII Corps occupied Metterich and advanced towards Erdorf and Badem while battalions from its sister regiment, the 10th, conquered Gondorf and Huettingen. In the meantime, the 76th Infantry Division mopped up the area along the Kyll and Mosel Rivers. At 2400 hrs, combat units from the 76th Infantry Division’s 304th Infantry Regiment started to cross the Kyll River near Trimport. Task Force Onaway, composed of the 702nd Tank Battalion, two motorized infantry battalions from the 385th Infantry Regiment, and support units was created to expand the bridgehead. Throughout the day, the 4th Armored Division assembled near Bitburg and prepared for a further attack. The 89th Infantry Division was attached to the Corps. In the operational zone of the XX Corps, the 10th Armored Division’s Combat Command R continued to advance towards Sweich and halted before the Ruwer River near Eitelsbach. Other tank units from the 10th Armored Division patrolled along the Mosel. The 376th Infantry Regiment was returned to its home 94th Infantry Division from the 10th Armored Division, and subsequently relieved the 3rd Cavalry Group (Mechanized) in the sector west of the Saar River.

The Seventh Army’s XXI Corps launched a limited attack in the zone of the 63rd and 70th Infantry Divisions in an effort to improve the divisions’ positions. With support from the 12th Armored Division’s Combat Command A and the French Lorrain Division, the 70th Infantry Division attacked in the direction of the targets beyond the Forbach – Saarbrücken highway. The 70th Infantry Division’s 276th Infantry Regiment occupied Forbach and blocked the highway to Stiring Wendel, while the 274th Infantry Regiment went around Stiring Wendel and took up positions northeast of the town, sending units out to the town. The 63rd Infantry Division’s 253rd Infantry Regiment attacked in the direction of Hahnbusch and the nearby hills.

On the southern side of the Dunkirk perimeter, Private Antonín Wojnar (b. 1912), a native of Vedryně in the district of Frýdek-Místek, was hit by friendly fire in an unfortunate accident during a nighttime changing of the guard. Another drama was played out on the east of the perimeter, where a patrol composed of members of the motorized battalion got into a skirmish with enemy troops out on recon. Two of the Czechoslovaks were injured and two German soldiers were killed in the short battle.

American fighter formations once again appeared in the skies over occupied Czechoslovakia on March 3, 1945. One of the groups took part in an assault on the airfield in Klecany, a village near Prague. The Mustang being flown by 1st Lt B. J. Liles was damaged from surface-to-air fire so badly, it was forced to make an emergency landing. When his fellow pilot and brother in arms 1st Lt B. H. Howes saw this, he landed next to the damaged fighter and put Liles into the cockpit. The terrain was so waterlogged, however, that the aircraft sunk into the ground and could not lift into the sky. When the pilot realized that his efforts were in vain, he and Liles crawled out of the cockpit and ran away. Both were later taken prisoner.