The Rhine Crossing: Operations Plunder & Varsity | March 1945

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  • Опубликовано: 24 ноя 2024

Комментарии • 181

  • @livethforevermore
    @livethforevermore  Год назад +12

    I am super proud to announce the release of an eBook project I have been working on over the past few months!
    This book is part one of a series that will cover the histories of every Division that was active in the British Army from September 1939 - January 1947. Part one covers the Armoured & Cavalry Divisions.
    The histories in the book cover a Divisions full story, from its formation to disbandment, and everything in between, including movements, actions, planned moves, key dates, commanders etc. Also included is a full outline of a Divisions movement in the U.K. and in the post-war period, two topics that are often overlooked in the historiography of the British Army. For some of the Divisions, such as the 9th Armoured, 10th Armoured and the 1st Cavalry, this is the first time in over 80 years that their war chronicle is told in full.
    If you are interested and would like to purchase a copy of the book, be sure to check out the link below:
    payhip.com/livethforevermore

  • @scottc8549
    @scottc8549 Год назад +127

    My Granddad died during Operation Veritable and is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. I still have letters he wrote and his medals.

    • @archstanton6102
      @archstanton6102 Год назад +10

      I have a great Uncle FSgt Sidney Harper also buried there. Was in a Lancaster Bomber with Canadian crew and died Feb '44.
      What is very symbolic is the crew are all in graves next to each other with a gap before other graves.

    • @Luke-Hike
      @Luke-Hike Год назад +4

      Incredible. What a story, sorry for your loss 🇬🇧👊🏻🇺🇸

    • @colinmartin2921
      @colinmartin2921 Год назад +3

      Respect.

    • @Rooster---ooo
      @Rooster---ooo Год назад +8

      My Great Uncle on my mothers side was also killed in this battle. He was a corporal in the 6th Airborne, Airlanding Brigade, Royal Ulster Rifles. I believe he was 25 years old. I keep a photo of him in my study, meeting the Queen Mother (who I guess was the Queen at the time). He's such a handsome young man. Very sad that his life was cut short. They will not be forgotten.

    • @Rooster---ooo
      @Rooster---ooo Год назад +3

      His name was Philip Prouting & he also lays at rest in the Reichswald cemetary.

  • @davidcorbett62
    @davidcorbett62 Год назад +18

    My father was at that crossing with the Royal Ulster Rifles. He had fought at Dunkirk and D Day prior to that. He never talked about any of it , he died in 1969 of cancer RIP

  • @alomaalber6514
    @alomaalber6514 Год назад +7

    I knew many of the Rangers in that unit as older gentlemen, they taught me much and noted they trained in the UK before the event. A history note, some had grappling hook and rope that day, Others free climbed, one helped briefly by his pocket knife. He noted there were shots from above at them WHILE climbing. Factor that in! They would all be supportive of any documentary or additional history presented. And... they taught joie d'vivre to me. ENJOY your days! Cheers and God bless them all!

  • @ArbutusWVI
    @ArbutusWVI Год назад +37

    My father was a member of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion and made his only combat jump participating in Operation Varsity. He was 20 yrs., 2mos. at the time. 1 Can Para went on to stop the Red Army from advancing westward beyond Wismar Germany, which later came under Soviet control regardless, because of political agreements by the big 3 war leaders. Dad died in 1995.

  • @alexanderleach3365
    @alexanderleach3365 Год назад +7

    Great video. One of the greatest military history channels on RUclips.

  • @lindapetzing4887
    @lindapetzing4887 8 месяцев назад +3

    This is an excellent summary. Thank you for publishing. My late father was a medic with 35 FDS, a small party of which crossed with 51 Highland Div to form 30 Corps Casualty Evacuation post on the enemy bank near Rees. They were under small arms fire for about three days and took casualties. His CO Captain Esmonde was awarded the MC for his actions in saving many casualties. Prior to set up of the post he drove his jeep, loaded with sandbags over the site to check for mines!

  • @auldflyer
    @auldflyer Год назад +5

    Excellent presentation, very informative, should be part of the curriculum in all U.K. schools but alas it's not PC to talk of or teach about real heroism.

  • @richardw2566
    @richardw2566 Год назад +50

    Superb as usual. One of, if not the best, Military History channels on RUclips. Thank you for the time and effort it takes to put these together.

    • @johngalt2506
      @johngalt2506 Год назад +5

      This is by far my favorite military history channel.

    • @colinwycherley7109
      @colinwycherley7109 Год назад +2

      Y'all should sus out Operations Room if you haven't already

    • @alldaydevo
      @alldaydevo Год назад +1

      Agreed, always top shelf quality

  • @RangaTurk
    @RangaTurk Год назад +7

    Check out David H Lippman's article 'Across The Rhine' in the August 2013 edition of WWII History magazine. Gaps in the line at Wesel opened up because the town was so badly flattened and the defending German troops were found in such a state of shock hiding in cellars, sometimes in groups of over a dozen. Wesel was so badly damaged that the British commando's maps were useless, as half of it was a moonscape of bomb craters no doubt worse than was found at Caen after the battles there and arguably worse than the state Stalingrad was left in during February 1943. Refer to the photos in the article.

  • @hannibalx23
    @hannibalx23 Год назад +4

    Thank you for not putting music... I'll have to revisit this later to fully digest it. High level strategy.

  • @fghjjjk
    @fghjjjk Год назад +3

    My Grandad and the rest of 1st battalion Cheshires were part of this after changing from a machine gun outfit to an infantry one....."The Cheshires crossed the Rhine in support of the 1st Commando Brigade at Wesel after the latter had made a surprise crossing of the Rhine. They advanced under a terrific barrage of 1,500 guns to form the spearhead of the British assault. By 2 am on 24 March their first objective, the town of Wesel, was captured and 350 German prisoners had been taken.

  • @1998Mercedes
    @1998Mercedes Год назад +3

    My grandfathers brother died in operation varsity... 6th airborne division . Buried then exhumed.

  • @markpaul-ym5wg
    @markpaul-ym5wg Год назад +3

    Video making doesn't get any better than this.Splendid job,Ole chap.

  • @colinmartin2921
    @colinmartin2921 Год назад +10

    My father was part of the assaulting British forces, manning 25pdr artillery. Young people today tell me that they are ashamed of Britain........... I say what about the sacrifice in WWI to save Belgium and the sacrifice in WWII to destroy Nazism?

  • @Mosey410
    @Mosey410 Год назад +5

    My Pop crossed the Roer and the Rine. He said the artillery barrage was so heavy it caused some guys to crack. He was with the 30th Infantry 120th Regiment and he had been through several bombardments at Mortain,operation Cobra and throughout there advances. He landed about 6 days after D-Day and fought through into Germany . My Uncle is working on a book I hope he’s able to publish it.

  • @spazz743
    @spazz743 Год назад +2

    So love the detail of the videos! Thank you!

  • @kiwifruit27
    @kiwifruit27 Год назад +8

    Thanks for covering this, it goes overlooked and is really interesting

  • @paulaustin3737
    @paulaustin3737 Год назад +10

    The time and dedication for these video's is ridiculous, Fair play brother

  • @lib556
    @lib556 Год назад +8

    A very good summary and most appreciated.
    It's nice to see someone mention the Canadian involvement (often overlooked) in WW2 vids. A few minor comments on the make up of Plunder: 9th Cdn Inf Bde was in the assault across the Rhine. Also, First Cdn Para Bn was part of UK 6 AB Div (as they were in D Day as well). They were in Hill's 3rd Bde which was the first to be dropped. Now, when talking 'big hand-small map manoeuvres' where the basic elements are divisions, it's easy for a mere bde and an independent para bn to be inconsequential. But, to us, they represent a real source of national pride for a small nation. Following the crossing, exploitation force also contained 4 X Cdn divs.
    First Cdn Army at the time of Op Veritable marked the greatest number of soldiers ever commanded by a Cdn general. With UK I and XXX Corps att, along with the Polish Div etc, Harry Crerar commanded 450,000 troops. Of that, only 175,000 were actually Cdn. An event unlikely to ever happen again.

  • @apropercuppa8612
    @apropercuppa8612 Год назад +7

    If I may, I'd love to add a fairly lengthy excerpt from the Regimental Diaries from 4th Armoured Brigade, in crossing the River. I think some might find it interesting or humorous.
    "As far as the Regiment was concerned the battle of the Rhine crossing started on 7 March, when the Regiment was suddenly pulled out of the Hochwald battle. Puzzled and mystified tank drivers and commanders were whipped off their tanks and moved off into the night. Even more puzzled types were left behind with the tanks and told to drive to Nijmegen. The horrors of battle were nothing compared with the horrors that were let loose on Diamond and Ruby routes during that night, and we sincerely apologise to all who were trying to make their way up against our string of monsters out of control. Dawn broke, and the first crews climbed out of their trucks, browned off but ready for the worst. Hum! Not a bad-looking joint, no civvies about, though? Surrounded by water: what the hell's the smoke screen for? And look at that twelve-foot-high screen on the other side, miles of it! What is this place, anyway, a "blanking" zoo?"
    "Just then a string of things looking like mobile hip-baths went clanking by, plunged in the water and proceeded to swim across. This was too much. There was a mad dash for breakfast, for no man can stand things like this on an empty stomach. Yes, it was all too true -- we, the 44th Royal Tank Regiment, had joined the Wavy Navy and were to sail our way across the Rhine in the same type of "D.D." tanks, with inflatable skirts, as were used for the amphibious landings on D-Day."
    "Then commenced a most furious period of training lasting ten days from morning till night. Luckily the training gave full scope for humour and never a day passed without somebody qualifying to receive the concentrated quips of the Regiment. Nautical terms were freely used, often with no regard to their meaning, but they sounded good. Nevertheless a tremendous amount of work was got through. Tanks had to be serviced and loaded with ammunition. Drivers and commanders had to be trained, the former in Davis escape apparatus and the latter in what to do with the tiller. Very difficult this was, as the D.D always did the opposite of what was expected."
    "Briefing started at 1500 hrs. for all officers and tank commanders and went on for the rest of the afternoon. While this was in progress the 'near bank' and inflation area recce parties were peeping over the bund to see what they could see in daylight. Comparative peace reigned until the guns opened up, and that was that. We of course were in the middle of three Army Group Artillery Brigades with a couple of Heavy Regiments at our back door just to help matters on. Luckily nothing very much came back in the 'in tray', though one or two landed pretty close to one squadron, but the fitters breathed a sigh of relief when on examination there were found to be no punctures. At 2200 hrs. the 'near bank' recce parties went off to put out their tape and lights. 2200 hrs. came and the barrage touched a new high as 51st Highland Division went in on the left. Then came the R.A.F. to sort out the Wesel for the Commandos; at midnight they went in to a full accompaniment and finally at 0230 hrs. on the 24th in went the 15th Scottish Division."

  • @ianbell5611
    @ianbell5611 Год назад +6

    Thank you.
    Another great video, in fact one of the best ones yet.
    Cheers

  • @johnpaulsecond4626
    @johnpaulsecond4626 Год назад +3

    well done indeed in the making of this film; thankyou so much to all who gave so much in the operations herein depicted;

  • @michaelamos4651
    @michaelamos4651 Год назад +17

    Outstanding content as usual. Thanks for your hard work in putting this together 👍

  • @donkeene1948
    @donkeene1948 Год назад +6

    Thank you for posting this. Your video filled in some missing gaps in some research my brother and I have done. Our father was with the 36th Calvary (US) attached to the US Ninth Army. He and the 36th crossed the Rhine at Wesel with some "shared" equipment from the British.

  • @TheCameraManReviews
    @TheCameraManReviews Год назад +13

    He is Back!

    • @FortuneZer0
      @FortuneZer0 Год назад

      I noticed several creators that just returned after going dark for a while.

  • @barrylarking8986
    @barrylarking8986 Год назад +6

    Your channel is contributing much to the general lack of understanding of the significant Canadian contribution to the liberation of Europe. For that alone, many thanks.

    • @jackcloud4728
      @jackcloud4728 Год назад

      I often think that british involvement is downplayed in Europe. This channels brilliant for highlighting it wasn’t all the usa. But the Canadians are represented even less than the British. My great grandad went into Normandy dday plus 3. He like most didn’t talk about the war much but when he did he said the Canadians were the best fighters in the war.

  • @Token_Civilian
    @Token_Civilian Год назад +19

    Great content, as always LFE.

  • @jackcloud4728
    @jackcloud4728 Год назад +3

    Cant believe I’ve never heard of this airborne operation. This is possible the most textbook airborne drop I’ve heard off. Dropping a short distance behind the line securing objectives close enough to allied lines they can quickly be reinforced after disrupting the rear of the enemy’s front line.

  • @terrystephens1102
    @terrystephens1102 Год назад +2

    Thank you for an excellent summary of these vital campaigns 👌👌👌👏👏👏👏

  • @The_Fubar
    @The_Fubar Год назад +3

    11:05 Note that British paratrooper/glider infantryman wears a body armour

  • @nicholaspatton1742
    @nicholaspatton1742 Год назад +2

    This is what remembrance is. Well done. Subbed

  • @HankD13
    @HankD13 Год назад +11

    Brilliant as always. Really nice to see some of the Hollywood version of WW2 being readdressed.

  • @michaeldean1289
    @michaeldean1289 Год назад +7

    Great work mate thanks for sharing your time and effort ❤😊

  • @g8ymw
    @g8ymw Год назад +6

    This is only the second vid I've seen on this operation (s).
    It seems that this has been "airbrushed" out of history in favour of the crossing at Remagen

  • @walkingdad6978
    @walkingdad6978 Год назад +4

    Outstanding, just outstanding 😮 your best so far 😊

  • @Bullet-Tooth-Tony-
    @Bullet-Tooth-Tony- Год назад +3

    Can you do a video on the Battle of Hill 112?

  • @geordie1032
    @geordie1032 Год назад +4

    Great video. Thank you

  • @stevewoods1808
    @stevewoods1808 Год назад +4

    So we’ll put together, best in class in detail.

  • @thijs6264
    @thijs6264 Год назад +3

    Your videos are top notch

  • @patrickdurham8393
    @patrickdurham8393 Год назад +1

    Love your videos but did you record the voiceover in a wind tunnel? The audio cutting is distracting.

  • @itsjohndell
    @itsjohndell Год назад +5

    Up to your usual superb standards! One question, and I may have missed the answer, what objectives in Wesel called for such heavy bombardment?

  • @cigscwb
    @cigscwb Год назад +3

    Very nice, thanks a lot!

  • @johna1160
    @johna1160 Год назад +1

    18:45 There actually was a G.I. named Stryker. One of Hollywood's favorite macho sounding names used in several old war films.

  • @BensWorkshop
    @BensWorkshop Год назад +9

    The numbers of men, tanks, artillery and other vehicles is staggering for one assault.

  • @richardparkersmith4810
    @richardparkersmith4810 8 месяцев назад

    Excellent! An under reported aspect of the final months of the war.

  • @KCODacey
    @KCODacey Год назад +1

    Outstanding. Thank you.

  • @firstconsul7286
    @firstconsul7286 Год назад +3

    Wow, now that's an impressive operation.

  • @stanleyknight8173
    @stanleyknight8173 Год назад +3

    Very well scripted and written enjoyed all of it except for one point I would like to make and that is if you're going to use a green map for illustrations please use yellow arrows instead of the blue that you used. Also an added note would be but if you're talking about a certain specific spot on the map make it blink a little bit so that can be easier seen by the eyes.

  • @colinfrancis7229
    @colinfrancis7229 Год назад +2

    Very good video made better by Boycie narrating it.

  • @holdendean2393
    @holdendean2393 Год назад +1

    Sir, on the play list at the very bottom it has an ASMR video, i dont think you meant to add that

  • @NickRentals31
    @NickRentals31 Год назад +2

    Great video and very informative. Just a note your Roman numerals for the 17th airborne at 11:04 and 11:24 say 18 not 17. XVII is 17, XVIII is 18.

  • @robertmunoz7543
    @robertmunoz7543 3 месяца назад

    Very well put together doc,varsity seems to get overlooked!🤔
    Jman

  • @RailfanDownunder
    @RailfanDownunder Месяц назад

    😊 superb .... there appears little about WW2 Royal Navy submarine operations but for the Tirpitz and Mediterranean😊

  • @rob7566
    @rob7566 Год назад +4

    We will remember them.

  • @robertroy1878
    @robertroy1878 Год назад +2

    most excellent!

  • @mikesmith-wk7vy
    @mikesmith-wk7vy Год назад +2

    im surprised American units participated in those battles to that degree after capturing the Ludendorf bridge over the river in Ramagden i would think they would have diverted to that bridgehead

    • @wor53lg50
      @wor53lg50 Год назад

      This aint about them though, or does or should everything be about them?.

    • @keithcrispin1368
      @keithcrispin1368 10 месяцев назад

      When Bradley ask to expand the bridge head at Remagen ,he was refused been told he had nowhere to go at Remegan to exploit ,by Gen Mcnair i think , supply

  • @robbabcock_
    @robbabcock_ Год назад +1

    Terrific video!

  • @stuartkcalvin
    @stuartkcalvin Год назад +2

    Thanks mate, keep 'em coming.

  • @plushpilot8023
    @plushpilot8023 Год назад +4

    The best forevermore

  • @sailordude2094
    @sailordude2094 9 месяцев назад +1

    Interesting history, if kind of overshadowed. "on 7 March 1945, the troops of the 1st U.S. Army approached Remagen and were surprised to find that the bridge was still standing. Its capture, two weeks before Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery's meticulously planned Operation Plunder, enabled the U.S. Army to establish a bridgehead on the eastern side of the Rhine."

  • @paulbeesley8283
    @paulbeesley8283 Год назад +1

    03:40, Can anyone see what those new "Penguin," paperbacks were?
    10:00, given the time of year, when gales, rain, low cloud and even snow were likely, the Allies, were taking a gamble with an airborne landing.

  • @m.streicher8286
    @m.streicher8286 3 месяца назад

    32.000 soft vehicles, that number is just insane.

  • @seanjoseph8637
    @seanjoseph8637 Год назад

    Goch pronounced Gok...soft k...great vid as usual.

  • @johnkidd1226
    @johnkidd1226 Год назад +1

    With their fanatical defence of the Fatherland, I never understood why the Germans werent stronger in resisting the crossing of the Rhine which seemed to be a natural bottleneck for the Allies and strong defensive position for the Germans.

  • @Jonathan-tz7ss
    @Jonathan-tz7ss Год назад +3

    Why does every sentence end like it's a question
    Jesus, it's driving me insane

    • @Davey-Boyd
      @Davey-Boyd Год назад

      It's just his accent. Pretty normal in parts of England.

    • @Jonathan-tz7ss
      @Jonathan-tz7ss Год назад +2

      @@Davey-Boyd I live here, I assure you, it's not.

    • @Davey-Boyd
      @Davey-Boyd Год назад

      @@Jonathan-tz7ss I live here and I assure you it's common. You're just being an arse.

    • @BBob1
      @BBob1 Год назад +1

      Put your channel up so we can see how it should be done?

  • @TonyA4766
    @TonyA4766 Год назад +3

    Truly the greatest generation of me the world has known!!

  • @lou704
    @lou704 Год назад +1

    What does Coy stand for?

  • @foxjjn
    @foxjjn 3 месяца назад

    Thanks for your good input, could you elaborate on Operation Black Cock?

  • @DCresident123
    @DCresident123 9 дней назад

    Plunder is a good name for what happened after indeed

  • @napoleonibonaparte7198
    @napoleonibonaparte7198 Год назад +2

    This time, they perfected DDay.

  • @thomaslinton5765
    @thomaslinton5765 Год назад +1

    "all our battles" Caen.

  • @vulcanjoe8258
    @vulcanjoe8258 Год назад

    Background music missing?

  • @Jarod-vg9wq
    @Jarod-vg9wq Год назад +2

    3:40 what about Canadain troops?

  • @pko_2.0_pop7
    @pko_2.0_pop7 2 месяца назад

    Do you think this is how Operation Market Garden should have done if there was no mistake ??

  • @Mark-es7bn
    @Mark-es7bn Год назад

    Nearly mistook those guys in the thumbnail as modern soldiers

  • @alandesouzacruz5124
    @alandesouzacruz5124 Год назад +1

    Make a vídeo about nasiriyah bombing in iraq 2003

  • @janlindtner305
    @janlindtner305 Год назад +1

    👍👍👍

  • @dianelevesque137
    @dianelevesque137 Год назад +1

    What a bad war we'll never forget them

  • @denisrobertmay875
    @denisrobertmay875 Год назад

    At 11:00 air landed M22 Locust light tank appears.

  • @TheInternetBanana
    @TheInternetBanana Год назад +3

    Love the content! But it would be great if you made more of an effort on the pronunciation of foreign place names.

  • @shaidorsai4834
    @shaidorsai4834 Год назад +2

    Nothing about the Remagen Bridge

    • @willw8011
      @willw8011 Год назад +2

      The Bridge at Remagen was previously captured by elements of the US 1st Army. The US 3rd Army also made it across the Rhine a little bit before this operation took place. The US 1st Army and 3rd Army were part of the US 12th Army Group at the time, and it was not part of this operation.

    • @TheFreshman321
      @TheFreshman321 Год назад +2

      Remagan was a side show.

    • @willw8011
      @willw8011 Год назад

      @@TheFreshman321 No, and the US Army crossing the Rhine first in two places caused the Germans to move a lot of their forces away from Northern Germany and the British Army Group.

    • @wor53lg50
      @wor53lg50 Год назад +1

      ​@@TheFreshman321haha, septics dont like it up em...

  • @markwebster5749
    @markwebster5749 Год назад +3

    🇬🇧🤝🇺🇸🇨🇦

  • @oldgysgt
    @oldgysgt Год назад +2

    It's interesting so much had been made of Montgomery's forcing of the Rhine, but two weeks before the Americans had crossed the Rhine at Remagen via the Ludendorff bridge on March 7th, and US General Patton had forced a crossing at Oppenheim, south of Mainz, on "the run" on March 22nd, a day and a half before Montgomery's crossing late on March 23rd. It's true that the Ludendorff bridge collapsed on March 17th, but not before 6 American Divisions had crossed to the East of the Rhine, and two pontoon bridges had been constructed at the same site. So Montgomery's Rhine crossing of the Rhine was the third Allied crossing, and neither of the American crossings required even a fraction of the force Montgomery thought was necessary.

    • @wor53lg50
      @wor53lg50 Год назад +1

      Who cares?.

    • @oldgysgt
      @oldgysgt 11 месяцев назад +1

      @@wor53lg50; you must, otherwise you wouldn't take the time to post a response.

    • @wor53lg50
      @wor53lg50 11 месяцев назад

      @@oldgysgt you need to know, does that sink in now?, into that shell like, or do i need to reference it in Capitals so you really do get the message..

    • @oldgysgt
      @oldgysgt 11 месяцев назад +1

      @@wor53lg50; try writing in complete sentences, because I have no idea what you're trying to say. .

    • @wor53lg50
      @wor53lg50 11 месяцев назад

      @@oldgysgt MUPPET..

  • @nickmail7604
    @nickmail7604 Год назад +1

    C minus, learn to pronounce words of the language you try to speak, "boast" and "debris" spring to mind.

  • @tbwpiper189
    @tbwpiper189 Год назад +2

    As always LFE, sterling presentation.

  • @kingping3933
    @kingping3933 Год назад +1

    🤗🤭😊👏🏻👏🏻

  • @anthonycespedes1852
    @anthonycespedes1852 Год назад +2

    Montgomery should of been shit canned after the Market Garden fiasco !

    • @TheFreshman321
      @TheFreshman321 Год назад +1

      Only an ignorant know nothing can make that comment.

    • @anthonycespedes1852
      @anthonycespedes1852 Год назад

      @@TheFreshman321 Your Mother thinks I'm Great.

    • @keithcrispin1368
      @keithcrispin1368 Год назад +2

      Bradley should have been shit canned for the hurtgen forest bollocks, been out of touch when the bulge began ,not giving US forces assualting omaha beach with sufficient armour to help the US army clear obstacles and bunkers landing on the beaches ,like the British and Canadians did

    • @terrysmith9362
      @terrysmith9362 Год назад +4

      You clearly take your history from Hollywood fiction

    • @AverageWagie2024
      @AverageWagie2024 Год назад +5

      Like Patton after Metz or Bradley after Hürtgen forest

  • @robertmartinez7307
    @robertmartinez7307 Год назад +1

    God bless them all