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From D-Day to V-Day

April 1945

April 9, 1945 - D-Day + 237

The Guards Armored Division under the British Second Army’s British XXX Corps took up positions near Fuerstenau, while the British 43rd Infantry Division crossed the Hase River. The British 7th Armored Division under the British XII Corps advanced to the Weser River near Hoya and started to build a bridgehead. The British 3rd Infantry Division was attached to the XII Corps. Units from the British VIII Corps crossed the Leine River, made contact with the Americans and started to advance toward the Aller River in Celle.

The 84th Infantry Division under the Ninth Army’s XIII Corps regrouped, and three combat groups took up positions to launch an offensive against Hannover from the north, northwest and west. The 5th Armored Division’s Combat Command R crossed the Leine River south of Hannover, moved toward the Uetze – Peine line and cut off the A2 Autobahn near Vöhrum, while Combat Command A headed towards Celle and Uetze. The 102nd Infantry Division’s 407th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Philip R. Dwyer started to mop up the area around Oberkirchen. The 75th Infantry Division’s 290th Infantry Regiment under the XVI Corps occupied Dorstfeld, a western suburb of Dortmund. At the same time, its sister 289th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Douglas B. Smith mopped up Lütgendortmund and the 291st Infantry Regiment blocked the highway on the division’s right flank. Meanwhile, the 35th Infantry Division advanced to the Rhine-Herne Canal and took up positions north and south of Gelsenkirchen. The 79th Infantry Division’s 314th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Warren A. Robinson conquered Kray, Frillendorf, and Steele, advanced to the Ruhr River and prepared to attack Dortmund. The 17th Airborne Division’s 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Edson D. Raff secured the 79th Infantry Division’s right flank while advancing to the Berne Canal. Task Force Twaddle continued to advance on the cities of Unna and Kamen. The 8th Armored Division’s Combat Command B occupied Holtum, Hemmerde, and Stockum, while Combat Command R advanced to the west along the north bank of the Ruhr River and Combat Command A held the sector at the Mohne River. Battalions from the 95th Infantry Division’s 378th and 379th Infantry Regiments attacked Kamen. Task Force Faith attacked between the Mohne and Ruhr Rivers, and made contact with US First Army units.

The 97th Infantry Division under the US First Army’s XVIII Corps, currently operating on the Corps’ left flank, continued to expand its bridgehead to the Sieg River. The division’s 303rd Infantry Regiment commanded by Col William B. Fors launched an attack against Siegburg and occupied two thirds of the city. Meanwhile, the 78th Infantry Division advanced to positions near Nümbrecht, Wiehl, Denklingen, Erdingen, and Büschergrund. Battalions from the 8th Infantry Division’s 13th and 121st Infantry Regiments advanced forward about nine miles, reaching the Olpe – Rahrbach area. The 86th Infantry Division’s 342nd Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Pete T. Heffner headed northwards towards Hofople and Altenhundem. During the day, the Corps drew up plans for a double envelope of the Ruhr Pocket south of the Ruhr River. According to the plans, the 13th Armored Division would go over the 97th Infantry Division’s bridgehead on the left flank, while the 8th and 86th Infantry Divisions would attack on the right flank. The 78th Infantry Division was put in charge of the central section of the front. The 5th Infantry Division under the III Corps was assembled in the Olsberg area. In the course of the day, Task Force Birks finished completely occupying Meschede. The 9th Infantry Division’s 39th Infantry Regiment continued to advance to the northwest and conquered Berlar, while its sister 60th Infantry Regiment took over Altenilpe and Oberhenneborn. Combat Commands R and B advanced to the Mailar – Landenbec – Cobberode line. The 99th Infantry Division’s 394th Infantry Regiment conquered Bracht and the hills to the southwest, while its sister 395th Infantry Regiment mopped up the Saalhausen – Langenei sector in the area north of the Lenne River. The VII Corps’ 3rd Armored Division crossed the Weser River and headed for Nordhausen. Combat Command R advanced to Northeim and Levershausen, and Combat Command B reached the Leine River north of Göttingen. The 1st Infantry Division’s 26th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Francis J. Murdoch attacked through the positions of its sister 16th Infantry Regiment towards Einbeck. The 4th Cavalry Group (Mechanized) was attached to the Big Red One. The 104th Infantry Division followed the 3rd Armored Division’s tank units, occupying Barterode and making contact with 1st Infantry Division units in the area south of Uslar. It then headed towards Bovenden. The 9th Armored Division under the US V Corps prepared an attack through the positions of the 2nd and 69th Infantry Divisions. The 9th had received reinforcements from the 2nd Infantry Division’s 38th Infantry Regiment and the 69th Infantry Division’s 273rd Infantry Regiment for the mission.

With the 6th Armored Division’s Combat Command R under Patton’s Third Army’s XX Corps, the 3rd Cavalry Group (Mechanized) finished mopping up the Corps’ northern flank. The 76th Infantry Division’s 385th Infantry Regiment occupied Döllstädt, Grossfahner, Gierstädt, and Kleinfahrer. Meanwhile, infantry regiments from the 80th Infantry Division continued to advance on Erfurt. The 4th Armored Division was attached to the Corps. The 89th Infantry Division’s 354th Infantry Regiment under the VIII Corps mopped up the area on the division’s left flank throughout the day. Meanwhile, its sister 354th Infantry Regiment occupied Georgenthal and Finsterberge, and the 355th Infantry Regiment conquered Gräfenhain. Battalions from the 87th Infantry Division’s 345th and 347th Infantry Regiments advanced to the vicinity of Luisenthal and occupied the hills east of Oberhof, while the division’s 346th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Donald C. Clayman advanced to the northeast and made contact with units from the 89th Infantry Division. Forces from the XII Corps reinforced their positions and prepared to renew their attack.

Units from the 3rd and 45th Infantry Divisions under the Seventh Army’s XV Corps occupied advantageous positions in the hilly area of Hohe Rhön. The XV Corps was getting ready to launch an offensive from here against the area southeast of Nuremberg. Despite aerial support, the 42nd Infantry Division under the XXI Corps was unable to break through the outer defenses of Schweinfurt. In an effort to expand the bridgehead at Offenau in the Jagstfeld sector, the 100th Infantry Division’s 398th Infantry Regiment under the VI Corps engaged in combat against the determined enemy. Part of the 63rd Infantry Division’s 255th Infantry Regiment advanced to the southwest through the Hardehauser Wald. Meanwhile, other units advanced to the Kocher River near Weissbach. Working with the 44th Infantry Division’s 324th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Kenneth S. Anderson, the 10th Armored Division deflected an enemy counterattack in the area between Creilsheim and Bad Mergentheim.

Forces from the French First Army’s French II Corps expanded the bridgehead at the Enz River and advanced to the area southeast of Ettlingen. Reinforced by the French 1st Armored Division’s Combat Command 2, Task Force Valluy occupied the area south of Ettlingen.

In the course of the day, Czechoslovak fighter pilots from the No. 310, 312 and 313 Squadrons RAF took part in Operation Ramrod 1533. Their task was to protect a group of 57 Lancaster bombers headed over the oil tanks and the port in Hamburg, Germany. At this moment, the men from the Czechoslovak fighter squadrons in the RAF would face just five more battle missions till the end of the war.