Operation Plunder, Rhine Crossing 1945

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45- the Prime Minister Crosses the Rhine Prime Minister, Field Marshal Montgomery and General Simpson, on blown bridge at Wesel. Town in background. While on bridge enemy were shelling river.

3-inch mortar of the 8th Royal Scots under enemy fire during the Rhine crossing, 24 March 1945.

A Sherman tank of 8th Armoured Brigade in Kevelaer, Germany, 4 March 1945. Sherman tank of 8th Armoured Brigade in Kevelaer , 4 March 1945.

Prime Minister Winston Churchill Crosses the River Rhine, Germany 1945 The Prime Minister Winston Churchill crosses the River Rhine to the east bank, south of Wesel, in an American Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (or Higgins boat) with Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery, Field Marshal Sir Alan Brooke and US General William Simpson on 25 March 1945.

"Getting across the Rhine wasn't all there was to it. There was the little matter of establishing a beachhead. We threw our mortars at them and everything else we had untill they finally gave away."

Rhineland Campaign - 11-21 March 1945 Background information: In 1938 the predecessors of what is today The Department of History at the United States Military Academy began developing a series of campaign atlases to aid in teaching cadets a course entitled, "History of the Military Art." Since then, the Department has produced over six atlases and more than one thousand maps, encompassing not only America’s wars but global conflicts as well. In keeping abreast with today's technology, the Department of History is providing these maps on the internet as part of the department's outreach program. The maps were created by the United States Military Academy’s Department of History and are the digital versions from the atlases printed by the United States Defense Printing Agency. We gratefully acknowledge the accomplishments of the department's former cartographer, Mr. Edward J. Krasnoborski, along with the works of our present cartographer, Mr. Frank Martini. Please be aware that these maps are large in file size and may require substantial download times.

British Polsten triple 20mm anti-aircraft mounting on the banks of the Rhine, 25 March 1945.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45- Assault on the Rhine and Capture of Wesel This is one of a collection of pictures that show the landing from Buffaloes of the 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment, who landed on the afternoon of 24th March 1945, in support of No.1 S.S Commando Brigade at Wesel. The bridge seen in background is the smashed railway bridge at Wesel.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45- Assault on the Rhine and Capture of Wesel This is one of a collection of pictures that show the landing from Buffaloes of the 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment, who landed on the afternoon of 24th March 1945, in support of No.1 S.S Commando Brigade at Wesel. The bridge seen in background is the smashed railway bridge at Wesel.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45- Assault on the Rhine and Capture of Wesel This is one of a collection of pictures that show the landing from Buffaloes of the 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment, who landed on the afternoon of 24th March 1945, in support of No.1 S.S Commando Brigade at Wesel. The bridge seen in background is the smashed railway bridge at Wesel.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45- Assault on the Rhine and Capture of Wesel This is one of a collection of pictures that show the landing from Buffaloes of the 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment, who landed on the afternoon of 24th March 1945, in support of No.1 S.S Commando Brigade at Wesel. The bridge seen in background is the smashed railway bridge at Wesel.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45- Assault on the Rhine and Capture of Wesel This is one of a collection of pictures that show the landing from Buffaloes of the 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment, who landed on the afternoon of 24th March 1945, in support of No.1 S.S Commando Brigade at Wesel. The bridge seen in background is the smashed railway bridge at Wesel.

Allied Aircraft Cross the Rhine, Kevelaer, Germany, 24 March 1945 Allied gliders and aircraft flying over the devastated town of Kevelaer on their way to the Rhine crossing.

5.5-inch guns of 235 and 336 Medium Batteries, Royal Artillery, line up to fire in support of the Rhine crossing, 21 March 1945. The 5.5-inch guns of 235 and 336 Medium Batteries, Royal Artillery, line up to fire in support of the Rhine crossing, 21 March 1945.

5.5-inch guns firing in support of the Rhine crossing, 24 March 1945. 5.5-inch guns firing in support of the Rhine crossing, 24 March 1945.

Rhine Crossings in the North 24-28 March 1945

Men of the 5th Dorsetshire Regiment crossing the Rhine in a Buffalo, 28 March 1945. Men of the 5th Dorsetshire Regiment crossing the Rhine in a Buffalo, 28 March 1945.

Royal Artillery 7.2-inch howitzers mounted on modified US 155 mm Long Tom carriages being brought up to fire in support of the Rhine crossing .

Royal Artillery 7.2-inch howitzers mounted on modified US 155 mm Long Tom carriages being brought up to fire in support of the Rhine crossing .

IWM caption : The 5.5-inch guns of 235 and 336 Medium Batteries, Royal Artillery, fire in support of the Rhine crossing .