British victims

After field marshal Sir Bernard Law Montgomery’s tactical disaster with operation Market Garden on September 17, 1944, and after the victory in the battle of the Belgian Ardennes and the struggle in the Reichswald a new offensive is unleased to cross the river Rhine. In an area that reaches a hundred kilometres down south from Emmerich. Known under operation Plunder. The architects of this plan: Montgomery and the Canadian General Henry Crerar.

More than a million troops were brought into position. Consisting of the 1^st Canadian army corps, the 2^nd British army corps and the 9^th American army corps and nothing was left to chance. That is to say……. Major John Graham from the 2^nd Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders stated that many Brits were directly plucked from the trainings centres due to lack of manpower. Insufficiently trained in this stage to fight against a well-trained opponent. He thought it was remarkable that he has become a major at the age of 21.

First there was a smoke screen at the west side of the Rhine that stretched over 100 kilometres, to put 4000 artillery pieces in position, unseen. The Germans prepared their defence. Their only focus was keeping the front on the west side of the Rhine. For this purpose Albert Kesselring (who had made his rank in Italy) was appointed commander, even though his background was in the air force.

As such he directed Johannes Blaskowitz and Alfred Schlemm. Apart from his trained troops he could dispose of 3500 children who have been given a quick training in using armoured fists and some militias of over 60 years old. Indicative for the German situation with lack of almost anything. Also because of dropping 20000 paratroopers behind the German lines, this has eventually been the decisive defeat of the Nazi regime