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From D-Day to V-Day

April 1945

April 5, 1945 - D-Day + 233

The First Canadian Army’s I Canadian Corps mopped up the sector between Nijmegen and the Lower Rhine in the course of the day. Meanwhile, the II Canadian Corps built a bridgehead on the Twenthe Canal east of the Ijssel River, and conquered Almelo.

The British 43rd Infantry Division under the British XXX Corps occupied Hengelo, while the British 3rd Infantry Division conquered Lingen. Units from the British VIII Corps defeated the last resistance in Osnabrück and continued to advance along the Weser River.

The 17th Airborne Division was reassigned from the XIII to the XVI Corps as it moved to the Duisburg area, while the 102nd Infantry Division headed toward the Weser River. The division advanced about 20 to 25 miles that day. South of Hameln, the 2nd Armored Division under the XIX Corps built a bridgehead on the Weser. Part of Combat Command A crossed the river in attack rafts near Ohr. After completing the bridge, the other units followed CCA. In the meantime, Combat Command B crossed the river near Grohnde. At the end of the day, Combat Command A expanded the bridgehead sector from Rohrsen to Voremberg, and Combat Command B occupied Hajen, Frenke, Brockensen, and Heyen. On the right flank of the 2nd “Hell on Wheels” Division, troops from the 83rd Infantry Division attacked in the direction of the river. The 8th Armored Division, currently reinforced by the 17th Airborne Division’s 194th Parachute Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Jamese R. Pierce, advanced towards Soest. The armored division’s Combat Command A headed towards Altenmellrich, and Combat Command B reached the Weslarn – Bad Sassendorf line. Units from the 75th Infantry Division under the XVI Corps finished mopping up Brambauer.

Forces from the US First Army’s XVIII Corps regrouped for an attack against the Ruhr pocket. For now, the 86th Infantry Division assembled in the Corps’ zone. The division’s 341st Infantry Regiment was attached to the 97th Infantry Division. Troops from the III Corps launched the attack on the Ruhr pocket with the 9th Infantry on the northern flank, the 7th Armored in the central section, and the 99th Infantry Division in the south. The 9th Infantry Division’s Task Force Birks commanded by Brigadier General Hammond D. Birks occupied Brunskappel, Assinghausen, Bruchhausen, and Elleringhausen. The division’s 39th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Van H. Bond conquered Silbach, while its sister 60th Infantry Regiment advanced through the forest northeast of Oberkirchen and cut off the main road between Oberkurchen and Nordeau. The 32nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron secured the 9th Infantry Division’s right flank and headed towards the Willingen area. The 7th Armored Division’s Combat Command B attacked Winkhausen, which it went around and took up positions near Graftschaft. The 99th Infantry Division occupied Latrop, Aue, and Müsse, and continued to Wingeshausen. The VII Corps started to advance to the east towards the Weser River. Task Forces Boles and Kane from the 3rd Armored Division’s Combat Command A advanced to the Ottbergen – Rheder line, while Task Forces Welborn and Lovelady from Combat Command B attacked Siddessen and Willegassen. Units from the 104th Infantry Division regrouped. With its 23rd Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Jay B. Loveless on the left flank and its 9th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Philip D. Ginder on the right flank, the US V Corps’ 2nd Infantry Division moved to the east through the positions of the 9th Armored Division to attack Hofgeismar, and headed for the hills over the Weser River north of Hannoversch Münden. Battalions from the 69th Infantry Division’s 272nd and 273rd Infantry Regiments advanced toward the Fulda River in the sector between Hannoversch Münden and Kassel. In Speel, the regiments crossed the river and attacked in the director of the confluence of the Fulda, Weser, and Werra Rivers in Hannoversch Münden.

The armored infantry and tank units from the 6th Armored Division’s Combat Commands A and B under the US Third Army’s XX Corps conquered Mühlhausen. Combat Command B went on to the Schlotheim area, while Combat Command A moved to the southeast and attacked Bad Langensalza. The 80th Infantry Division started to advance out of Kassel to the east. Meanwhile, units from the 76th Infantry Division continued to move towards the Werra and Wehre Rivers. The 385th Infantry Regiment attacked Grossalmerode, while its sister 304th Infantry Regiment advanced all the way to the Wehre River near Niederhone in the area west of Eschwede, where it took control of a bridge. The 65th Infantry Division under the VIII Corps advanced to the Mühlhausen – Bad Langensalza line. The division’s 259th Infantry Regiment occupied part of the town of Bad Langensalza after dark. Throughout the day troops from the 89th Infantry Division’s 353rd Infantry Regiment entered Eisenach, while the division’s 354th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Robert C. Aloe advanced eastwards to the Henningsleben – Warza line. Forces from the XII Corps regrouped and prepared to advance to the southeast. For now, the 90th Infantry Division assembled north of the Werra River. The 11th Armored Division’s Combat Command A slowly advanced in the direction of the ridge of the Thuringian Forest. The division’s Combat Command R commanded by Col Virgil Bell secured the roads connecting Combat Commands A and B before advancing to Meiningen and the nearby airfield. The 26th Infantry Division’s 328th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Aloysius E. O’Flaherty crossed the Werra River, conquered Schmalkalden, and made contact with units from the 90th Infantry Division. Battalions from the 96th Infantry Division’s 101st Infantry Regiment later relieved Combat Command R in Meiningen. Securing the right flank of the Corps, the 71st Infantry Division advanced to the Fulda area. The 42nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron mopped up the area from Fulda to the Ulster River in the course of the day.

The 14th Armored Division’s Combat Command B under the Seventh Army’s XV Corps attacked Gemünden from the west, while the 3rd Infantry Division’s 7th Infantry Regiment headed out to the town from the northeast. Tank columns from the 12th Armored Division’s Combat Command A under the XXI Corps crossed the Main River in Würzburg and, together with troops from the 42nd Infantry Division, set out for Schweinfurt. Combat Command B took control of the bridge in Kitzingen, where soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division’s 8th Infantry Regiment built a small bridgehead. Meanwhile, Combat Command R occupied Seinsheim and Ippelsheim. Battalions from the 4th Infantry Division’s 12th and 22nd Infantry Regiments remained in action east of Königshofen. Infantry regiments from the 100th Infantry Division under the VI Corps launched a frontal attack against Heilbronn. The 3rd Battalion from the Century Division’s 397th Infantry Regiment crossed the bridgehead over the Neckar River at Neckarsulm, and expanded the bridgehead to the south to Heilbronn. The regiment’s 1st Battalion crossed the river in Heilbronn, while the 398th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Robert M. Williams secured the division’s right flank west of the river. The regiment’s 2nd Battalion crossed the river in the Offenau area. The 63rd Infantry Division 253rd Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Morris O. Edwards advanced to the east along the Jagst River toward the Hardehauser Wald. Part of his units engaged in fierce fighting in Mückmühl. In the meantime, its sister 255th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col James F. Hatcher reached the Ravenstein – Oberkessach – Widdern line, while the division’s 254th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Joseph H. Warren secured the area from Osterburken to Ravenstein. The 10th Armored Division’s Combat Command B mopped up Böckingen and headed southwards along the Neckar River, making contact with French units near Lauffen. For now, Combat Command R advanced through the positions of the 63rd Infantry Division to the Rengershausen area.

With support from tank units from the French 5th Armored Division’s Combat Command 5, the French First Army’s 3rd Algerian Infantry Division attacked south of Heilbronn to the Neckar River. The 2nd Moroccan Infantry Division, now reinforced by the French 5th Armored Division’s Combat Commands 4 and 6, advanced to Pforzheim.