Operation Plunder

The words

1. Bailey Bridge

   The Canadian-built Blackfriars crossing at Rees used Bailey bridging on pontoons. Construction from March 26 to 28, 1945, added another way across the Rhine.

   P. 543 footnote, Blackfriars construction at Rees · Canadian Army: Blackfriars at Rees (opens a new tab)

2. Barrage

   Concentrated artillery fire supporting an attack.

   Heavy artillery fire supported the assault boats. It was meant to keep German defenders down while infantry reached the far bank.

   Army history: the northern Rhine assault (opens a new tab) · Cambridge Dictionary: barrage (opens a new tab)

3. Boats

   American infantry crossed in assault boats. Engineers then ferried reinforcements and equipment to strengthen the new bridgeheads.

   Ch. XIV, pp. 304–307, assault boats and reinforcement · Army history: the northern Rhine assault (opens a new tab)

4. Bombardment

   Royal Air Force bombers devastated Wesel before the commandos entered. German defenders continued resisting in the rubble.

   Ch. XIV, pp. 302–303, Wesel air attack and resistance · Army history: the northern Rhine assault (opens a new tab)

5. Firepower

   Supporting the guns required ammunition, transport and maintained roads. Plunder’s large artillery force depended on the supply effort built up before the crossing.

   WWII Museum: Simpson and the crossing (opens a new tab)

6. Parachutes

   Varsity included parachute troops and glider-borne units. They landed beyond the river defenses after the ground assault had begun.

   Ch. XIV, pp. 298–299, airborne forces and timing · Army history: the northern Rhine assault (opens a new tab)

7. Paratroopers

   Paratroopers had to seize ground east of the Rhine. The wider airborne force included glider troops whose landing was exposed to heavy antiaircraft fire.

   Royal Irish: the Varsity landings (opens a new tab)

8. Plunder

   Plunder’s ground assault began on March 23, 1945. Airborne landings followed on March 24 after Allied troops had established crossings on the far bank.

   Royal Irish: the Varsity landings (opens a new tab)

9. Rees

   British XXX Corps crossed near Rees. Canadian engineers later built Blackfriars there to carry traffic across the river.

   MacDonald, ch. XIV, p. 302; Stacey, p. 543 footnote · Army history: the northern Rhine assault (opens a new tab) · Canadian Army: Blackfriars at Rees (opens a new tab)

10. Simpson

    Lieutenant General William Simpson commanded U.S. Ninth Army. His army crossed south of the British Second Army under Montgomery’s 21st Army Group.

    WWII Museum: Simpson and the crossing (opens a new tab)

11. Smokescreen

    Artificial smoke used to hide movement or positions.

    Artificial smoke concealed the Allied build-up. Its presence also alerted German defenders that an assault was approaching.

    Army history: the northern Rhine assault (opens a new tab) · Cambridge Dictionary: smokescreen (opens a new tab)

12. Varsity

    The British 6th and U.S. 17th Airborne Divisions landed east of the Rhine on March 24, 1945. Their task was to hold ground for the advancing armies.

    Royal Irish: the Varsity landings (opens a new tab)

13. VIII Corps

    British VIII Corps held the Wesel front before Plunder. XII and XXX Corps then moved through its divisional sectors for the assault.

    Ch. 22, p. 111, corps holding the front and assault formations · Survey regiment: VIII Corps before Plunder (opens a new tab)

14. Wesel

    Wesel’s roads and potential bridge sites made it a central objective. British commandos crossed nearby to attack the city before the main assault.

    WWII Museum: Simpson and the crossing (opens a new tab)

15. Xanten

    British XII Corps crossed near Xanten behind an artillery preparation. This was one sector of the coordinated Rhine assault.

    Ch. XIV, p. 303, XII Corps crossing · Army history: the northern Rhine assault (opens a new tab)