General der Panzertruppen Walter Kruegers 58th Corps, which formed the right wing, comprised the 15th Panzergrenadier Division and the also untested but intact 113th Panzer Brigade. The Shermans then retreated behind the crest of the ridge and reappeared at another point to finish off the three remaining Panthers. We were surprised the Navy was there, he commented, and the Navy was surprised they were so far away from the ocean. Finally, head to Hamm American Cemetery to visit Patton's grave. ww2dbaseAll this, plus the assembly of vast amounts of troops, assault boats, Buffaloes, guns etc. Meanwhile, the main attack that morning by the Germans against the 51st Armored Infantry Battalion of Dagers CCB occupying the camelback was broken up by the concentrated fire of six artillery battalions. We hope that visitor conversations at WW2DB will be constructive and thought-provoking. After suffering significant casualties from heavy anti-aircraft fire, the airborne infantry landed and participated in direct combat during daylight to attack the German defenders from both sides. The crossing would be difficult with German mortar and artillery guns already trained at river crossings. The Shermans, which went into action in the morning, knocked out eight enemy tanks in quick order. He announced that the Third Army would shortly capture its 230,000th prisoner of war. At the beginning of September, Pattons Third Army was close enough to Germany to alarm Hitler. 20th Century Timeline Of World History: What Happened? The reversal of fortune gnawed at Patton from the outset of his service in France. Though beaten across the Rhine by Patton's Third Army, Montgomery's meticulous operation shone in its flawless execution. Significantly, none of the panzer brigades had either organic artillery or reconnaissance vehicles. Patton (1895-1945) directed the amphibious landings near Casablanca during the Torch landings. Although Heckers division was at nearly full strength, Rodts had been depleted as a result of nearly a year of hard fighting. Until sufficient forces were gathered for the counterattack, the frontline troops were ordered to defend as many crossing points along the Moselle as possible between Nancy and Metz. Seventh Army during the Sicilian campaign ( Operation Husky ), and in August 1944 his Third Army became operational in northern France. In Berlin, Adolf Hitler wanted to counterattack at the Allied bridgehead at Oppenheim, but he was told that no reserve forces were available to embark on such an operation. Patton might have been destined to oversee U.S. forces in the invasion of France the following year, but his inability to control his emotional outbursts and a personal sense of honor and duty that blocked him from sympathizing with the trials and tribulations of frontline troops caused him to stumble. The Americans captured the northern fort almost immediately, but German paratroopers held out in the southern fort for five days. It is thought that the accompanying photo of General George Patton documents Patton urinating into the Rhine River. But the main attacks were made by the bulk of the 80th Division north of Nancy, and by Maj. Gen. Paul Baades 35th Infantry Division south of the city. Click here for our comprehensive information resource on the society, ideology, and key events in Nazi Germany. This adventurous expedition, however, was later criticized by Eisenhower as far too daring, and noted that had Eisenhower been there he would never have permitted Churchill to cross the river at that time, just as Eisenhower had fought to stop Churchill from observing the Normandy landings in France. Opposition was negligible and within 24 hours the entire US 5th Division had crossed the river. (To be fair to the British 21st Army Group, their Rhine crossings were marshy (Wesel) and twice as wide, with the river carrying a far higher volume of water than the crossings consigned to the U.S. Third and Seventh Armies and the French First Army, meaning that Montgomery could not possibly cross the Rhine on the run.) The next day Patton, showing his contempt for the enemy, made good on his pledge to piss in the Rhine in a week, which he did from a pontoon bridge in full view of his men and news cameras. BATTLE OF THE BULGE is scrolled underneath. Although the 4th Armored Division lost 48 tanks in the fighting around Arracourt in September, the Germans lost 285, which constituted most of the replacement tanks sent to the Western Front that fall. Pattons troops beat Montgomery across the Rhine by one day. The historic city of Metz included an extensive system of man-made fortifications from previous wars. By September 7, U.S. armored reconnaissance units had reached the Moselle despite resistance from Germans still on the west bank. Since the days of the Roman Empire it has served as central Germany's traditional defense against invasion from the west. You can read more about the day . Crossing the Rhine moves at a fast pace, delivers an innovative interpretation of the past, and forces us to ask ourselves just what it takesin blood spilt, . When the Germans attempted to withdraw, they found their escape route blocked by the 359th Infantry Regiment moving east to cut them off. A spearhead of the 317th Infantry Regiment crossed the river in boats, but the following morning they were bombarded by German artillery and mortars, which forced them into their foxholes. Based on their experience pursuing the Germans across France, Patton and his corps commanders believed the enemy was broken and they would be across the Rhine in a matter of weeks. The crossing began at 2230 hours on 23 March, when the first boats carrying 11th Infantry Regiment troops left the western bank of the Rhine. Further south, where the river was narrower, Patton's Third Army vaulted the Rhine with its customary elan, as did Devers' Sixth Army Group. Left: Keeping a low profile, soldiers of the U.S. Third Armys 89th Infantry Division cross the Rhine in assault boats under intense German fire, March1945. Throughout the night of 23 Mar and the next day, 80,000 British and Canadian troops crossed the 20-mile stretch of the river. Suddenly, I saw the billowing of flames, Buss said. National Interest Newsletter. Most of CCA had shifted north to prepare for an advance east in the direction of the West Wall, leaving artillery and other support units at Arracourt. When I looked for a second target, it was gone.. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ. Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks of XXX Corps commented later that, although they heard stories of German soldiers surrendering in their thousands at other places, the German troops encountered in XXX Corps' area were extremely fanatical in defence of their homeland. We began to cautiously filter down through the moonlit streets toward the shingled beach. If you supply any information, it would be appreciated by his family. Brad, dont tell anyone, but Im across. A surprised Bradley responded, Well, Ill be damned. Patton's goal was to cross the Rhine, even if not a single bridge was left standing over which to do it. In response to the changing circumstances, Patton issued orders on September 24 for CCA to pull back from Juvelize to Arracourt to lessen its exposure to any subsequent enemy attacks. The plan called for a diversionary attack at daybreak by elements of the 11th Panzer Division against the 10th Armored Infantry Battalion atop Hill 265, another key position held by the Americans. Major General Clarence Huebner's V Corps made rapid advances with relative ease. By early afternoon, the Germans were fighting their way into the southern end of the town. Though Patton had hoped XII Corps would be ready to resume its advance on September 16, Eddy informed Patton that his troops would not be ready to resume their eastward advance until the 19th, after they had mopped up German forces behind their lines. Terms & Conditions; Privacy Policy Meanwhile, British 2nd Army began an offensive towards the Elbe River. Old Blood and Gutss fixation with supply problems and haggling with his superiors over reinforcements had distracted him from the detailed planning necessary to get Third Armys divisions across the Moselle as quickly as possible. For its part, the 15th Panzergrenadier Division had three dozen Mark IV tanks. Equally devastating was the loss of both panzer brigade commanders during the two-day assault on CCAs left flank. In fact, it was the first time an invading force had crossed the Rhein into Germany since Napoleon! Join historians and history buffs alike with our Unlimited Digital Access pass to every military history article ever published (over 3,000 articles) in Sovereigns military history magazines. Although the 106th Panzer Brigade was led by veterans from the Eastern Front, its crews had received very little training and the brigade suffered from a severe shortage of communications equipment essential to coordinate an assault. This meant that two columns of tanks and half-tracks from the 113th would have to carry the objective themselves. 6731 Whittier Avenue, Suite C-100 McLean, VA 22101, Stay up to date with all of our latest news, Lorraine, situated in northeastern France, consists of a large plateau interspersed with forests, lakes, fields, and towns, through which the upper stretches of the Meuse and Moselle Rivers flow. Subsequently VIII Corps made two additional crossings downstream, to the south of Koblenz. This operation to cross the northern Rhine River launched in the night of 23 Mar 1945. Charging up the slope after nightfall, the Germans once again seized the crest, forcing the Americans to retreat to the northern slope. Troops of the US Ninth Army finished clearing the Duisberg Pocket in Germany. At Toul, where a great bend in the Moselle channeled the Moselle away from Nancy, the Germans were content to allow McBrides 319th Infantry Regiment to cross unopposed on September 5. Instead, he commented, They brought up a row of trucks filled with assault boats. I think, everybody here know the photo as Patton urinated into the Rhine. They swooped in at extremely low level, catching the German tank crews by surprise. It was during this week, in late March of 1945, that the U.S. Third Army under Gen. Patton, began its famous bridging and crossing operations of the Rhine. Frankfort was captured by Allied troops on 29 Mar. It might be impossible to complete the mission which we started out on, but we could kill a lot of Germans trying, he told Eddy. The eastern thrust of the 113th Panzer Brigades attack that day was aimed at Companies C and D of the 37th Tank Battalion guarding the eastern and southern approaches to Arracourt. After 48 hours of hard fighting, the bridgehead was abandoned. US First Army captured Paderborn and Hamm, Germany. After the war Eisenhower was appointed Military Governor of the U.S. In other words, they had no depth, Patton said. For a five-day period at the beginning of September, Pattons Third Army remained idle as German forces to their east regrouped and entrenched behind the Moselle. This is Part One of a Three Part look at Pattons Lorraine Campaign. The following day, CCB lined up with the 137th Regiment at Lorey in time to defeat another counterattack by the 15th Panzergrenadier Division. Bradley told General George S. Pattonwhose U.S. Third Army had been fighting through the Palatinateto "take the Rhine on the run". But his request was denied as by then both sides had shifted the bulk of their resources to the northern sector. That evening Manteuffel made substantial adjustments to the German plan of attack. British sappers built another Rhine bridge, "Westminster". The 112th Panzer Brigade decimated by the clash at Dompaire, had only two dozen serviceable tanks. The 134th was fortunate to find a bridge intact and threw a battalion across the river. Though Gen. Patton had the blessing of Twelfth Army Group head Gen. Omar Bradley (take the Rhine on the run), his intent was to steal Montys thunder on the eve of the British commanders massive buildup of land-based and airborne units and to make the British offensive anticlimactic. Along the way the Third Army liberated some of the most ghastly killing and concentration camps in the Reich: Ohrdruf (a subcamp of Buchenwald), Flossenbuerg, Dachau, and Mauthausen-Gusen. Click here to see our comprehensive article on World War 2. As for Patton, he incorrectly dismissed the action as nothing more than another failed local counterattack. The German troops knew that the Allied forces were only taking a short time to gather up strength before the invasion into Germany would commence. The media and public back home were outraged that a general would treat an enlisted man in such a manner. HistoryOnTheNet 2000-2019. and useful information about WW2. As US Third Army made another Rhine River crossing near Worms, Germany, British Second Army and Canadian First Army launched their assaults across the Rhine River north of the Ruhr River. Seventh Army in the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. So he decided to imitate William the Conquerors entrance into England before leading Norman forces in their heroic conquest of the entire island in 1066. With that measure of skill, the 704th managed that day to destroy eight Panthers without losing a single tank destroyer. ww2dbaseOn 24 Mar, Churchill crossed the Rhine River in an LCM (landing craft, mechanized), setting foot on the eastern bank of the river, symbolizing the crossing of the top British political leader over the traditional border of Germany that no foreign army had crossed in 140 years. He received the Bronze Star and was shot on or about 28 September, 1944. Total losses for the day were five Shermans and more than 40 Panther and Mark IV tanks. The Crossing of the Rhine River. But Pattons dash ground to a halt shortly after it crossed the Meuse. The plan focused on Wesel, with multiple crossings set to occur along a 22-mile front on the evening of 23 March. The gasoline arrived and Pattons men pressed headlong across southern Germany and into Czechoslovakia. The Hellcats bought precious time for Companies A and B of the 37th Tank Battalion to rumble north from Lezey toward the battlefront. . The new panzer brigades each had a battalion of Panzergrenadiers drawn from the three Panzergrenadier divisions already in Lorraine. Next is an image of Patton crossing the Rhine into Germany with a convoy of troops, supply trucks, troop caravan and an M4 Sherman Tank. In December he was appointed Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force and planned the July 1944 invasion of Europe (Operation Overlord). He ordered Knobelsdorff to attack Dagers CCB with the 559th Volksgrenadier Division and the remnants of the 106th Panzer Brigade. 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