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Montgomery's Twenty First Army Group assault crossing of the River Rhine by Second British and Ninth US Armies was spearheaded by infantry mounted in amphibious Buffalo vehicles and DD tanks. They crossed under the cover of darkness on the night of 23/24 March 1945 near the German towns of Rees and Wessel. This was one of Montgomery's last great set peice battles, designed to kick open the gateway to the heart of Germany and final victory over Nazi Germany in May 1945.
• | | Operation Plunder was the overall name for Monty's Rhine Crossing. The British amphibious elements were Operation Turnscrew, mounted by 51st Highland Division astride Rees, Widgeon - 1st Commando Brigade's attack on the key riverside town of Wesel and Flashlight - the main effort by 15th Scottish Division to cross the Rhine near Bislich. |
| • | | Operation Varsity was one of the components of Operation Plunder; Twenty First Army Group's Rhine Crossing. XVIII US Airborne Corps, consisting of 6th British and 17th US Airborne Divisions, drop beyond the River Rhine on the morning of 24 March. Dropping virtually ontop of the enemy and their objectives casualties were heavy, particularly amongst the gliders which followed the parachute drop. The infantry divisions that had conducted amphibious assault crossings the night before made the first link ups with the airborne forces by mid afternoon. |
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