Normandy to Victory: The War Diary of General Courtney H. Hodges and the First U.S. Army

8. Exploutation of the Remagen Bridgehead, 25 March-18 April 1945

347 Chapter 8 Exploitation of the Remagen Bridgehead, 25 March–18 April 1945 Encirclement of Army Group B, 25 March–5 April 1945 Sunday, 25 March 1945: The General is today showing the public that when it comes to using armor he is second to no one. The 9th Armd Division of V Corps advanced eight miles to clear BENDORF. The 3rd Armd of VII Corps advanced to ROTT, ERSFELD and RETTERSEN, making an advance of some ten miles against opposition which was extremely heavy in spots. The 104th Division, mopping up in rear of their advance, took over 450 PWs as against the armored 850. To the north of them, the 1st Division continued to meet the strongest enemy pressure all day and progress along the low ground south of the river was slowed down by enemy fire from the high ground on the northern bank. At least four counterattacks were repulsed by them but late tonight the enemy resistance was reported to be decreasing. It is reported that General Collins tonight twitted General Rose on the lack of 20 to 30 mile advances such as the press has reported the 4th Armd to be making. General Rose’s reply was that every time the 3rd Armd wanted to make a dash they found all the German available armor against them. However, the gains made during the day are considered by everyone to be good and an excellent omen for tomorrow and the forthcoming week. The British continued to ferry more troops across the river while the XVI Corps of the Ninth Army completed more bridges and advanced , especially with the 30th division, up to three miles. About onethird of each of the 75th and 35th Divisions have now crossed into the bridgehead area. Third Army’s XII Corps continued to rapidly expand its bridgehead to the north and northeast. Elements of the 90th Division cleared DARMSTADT while the 4th Armd Division, continuing its lightning advances, reached the MAIN River at HANAU where bridges were 348 NORMANDY TO VICTORY seized intact and elements continued on across. The VIII Corps’ crossing of the Rhine met solid resistance and the bridgehead is only about one mile deep. Seventh Army announced today that all organized resistance west of the Rhine has now ceased. Monday, 26 March 1945: Today our front really exploded. The 9th Armd Division advanced about 20 miles against light and scattered resistance . CCB was in LIMBURG at 3:30 and three or four tanks succeeded in crossing the river before the bridge was blown. Infantry elements crossed soon afterward and cleared the town. CCA reached DIEZ. The X X X X FIRST 30 Mar X X X VII X X X III X X X V X X X X FIRST X X X LXIII X X X XLVII Pz X X X XII SS X X X Pz LXVIII X X X (BAYERLAIN LIII X X X LXXXI X X X LXXIV F I F T E E N T H F I F T H P z X X X X FIFTH Pz FIFTEEN TH XXXX B H XXXXX XXX XXX FIFTEENTH NINTH XXXX FIRST N IN TH XXXX 12 21 XXXXX FIRST FIFTEENTH XXXX 1 2 2 1 X X X X X 25–30 M ar a s o f 3 0 M a r as o f 1 A p r 30–31 Mar THIRD FIRST XXXX I V XXX V III XXX III VII XXX Ruhr R Sieg R M a a s R Lippe R R h i n e R M o s e l l e R Lahn R Hamborn Oberhausen Dortmund Hamm Düsseldorf Solingen Cologne Düren Bonn Remagen Euskirchen Siegen Biedenkopf Marburg Weilburg Giessen Limburg Wiesbaden Frankfur Medebac Brilon Lippstadt Paderborn Winterberg Koblenz Malmedy St. Vith Aachen Roermond Eupen Essen N E T H E R L A N D S G E R M A N Y B E L G I U M G E R M A N Y 24 March–4 April 1945 DRIVE INTO GERMANY Front Line, Midnight, 24 Mar Front Line, Midnight, 28 Mar Front Line, Midnight, 1 Apr Front Line, Midnight, 4 Apr Axis of Allied Advance ELEVATION IN METERS 0 400 600 800 and Above 200 30 Miles 0 Exploitation of the Remagen Bridgehead 349 9th Armd, released from long captivity some 1,000 Allied PWs in...