Extracts from Op Plunder Planning Notes
Rhine Crossing, March 1945
EXTRACTS FROM 51 (H) DIV PLANNING NOTES No.3 on OPERATION PLUNDER
3. INTENTION
51(HD) Div will force a crossing of the RHINE, clear the town of REES and establish a bridgehead on the EAST bank covering approaches to REES.
4. METHOD.
General.
The Div will cross the RHINE ona two Bde front :-
RIGHT - 153 Bde
LEFT - 154 Bde
152 Bde and 9 Cdn Bde follow up crossing behind 153 and 154 Bds respectively.
Leading bns of 152 Bde and 9 Cdn Bde come under command of 153 and 154 Bdes respectively for planning now and for operations at H Hour.
These bns will revert to their own Bdes as soon as they have been firmly established on their selected objectives and their own Bde has taken over the front.
5. BDE TASKS
(a) 153 Bde will:-
(i) Cross the RHINE in the initial assault clearing and holding the EAST bank of the RHINE on either side of REES including the peninsula about 0952 and the village of ESSERDEN 0653.
(ii) Attack and capture REES.
(iii) Position the leading Bn of 152 Bde so as to block the approaches to REES from NORTH and NOTH-EAST.
(iv) Block the approaches to REES from EAST in area 095525.
(v) Be prepared to operate NORTHWARDS on the axis REES - ISSELBURG 1260.
(b) 154 Bde will:-
(i) Cross the RHINE in the initial assault clearing and holding the EAST bank from the inter Bde boundary NORTHWARDS to incl WARDMANNSHOF 0354.
(ii) Attack and capture the village of SPELDROP 0654 and 0554.
(iii) Attack and capture the village of BIENEN 0556.
(iv) Assemble the leading Bn of 9 Cdn Bde EAST of the river as early as possible with a view to extending the bridgehead NORTH WESTWARDS with this Bn once BIENEN has been captured.
(v) Be prepared to exploit to capture MILLINGEN 0757 and GRIETHER BOSCH 0456.
(c) 152 Bde will:-
(i) Place one Bn under Comd 153 Bde initially.
(ii) Cross the river behind 153 Bde and be prepared to take over responsibility for blocking approaches to REES from NORTH and NE.
(iii) Be prepared to attack and capture HALDERN 1153.
(d) 9 Cdn Bde will:-
(i) Place one bn under Comd 154 Bde initially.
(ii) Cross the river behind 154 Bde and be prepared to take over left sector of 51 (H) Div front when leading Bn has been firmly established NW of BIENEN.
Division History References :
The Operation to cross the Rhine was to be called Operation Plunder. The Plan for Operation Plunder was to cross on a two corps front with 51st Highland division on the left leading 30 Corps. The Divisional objectives on the other side of the Rhine were Honnepel and Rees.