Montgomery launches Operation Plunder (23 March) Western Allied invasion of Germany

plunder began on evening of 23 march assault elements of british 2nd army massed against 3 main crossing sites: rees in north, xanten in center, , wesel in south. 2 9th army divisions tasked assault concentrated in rheinberg area south of wesel. @ northern crossing site, elements of british xxx corps began assault (operation turnscrew) 21:00, attempting distract germans main crossings @ xanten in center , rheinberg south. initial assault waves crossed river quickly, meeting light opposition. meanwhile, operation widgeon began 2 miles (3.2 km) north of wesel 2nd army s 1st commando brigade slipped across river , waited within mile of city while demolished 1 thousand tons of bombs delivered raf bomber command. entering in night, commandos secured city late on morning of 24 march, although scattered resistance continued until dawn on 25th. 2nd army s xii corps , 9th army s xvi corps began main effort 02:00 on 24 march, following massive artillery , air bombardment.

for american crossing, 9th army commander—lieutenant general simpson—had chosen veteran 30th , 79th infantry divisions of xvi corps. 30th cross between wesel , rheinberg while 79th assaulted south of rheinberg. in reserve xvi corps′ 8th armored division, , 35th , 75th infantry divisions, 9th army s xiii , xix corps, each 3 divisions. simpson planned commit xix corps possible after bridgehead had been secured, using xiii corps hold rhine south of crossing sites.

after hour of extremely intense artillery preparation, general eisenhower himself viewed front, 30th infantry division began assault. artillery fire had been effective , timed assault battalions merely motored storm boats across river , claimed east bank against no resistance. subsequent waves of troops crossed, units fanned out take first villages beyond river weakest of opposition. hour later, @ 03:00, 79th infantry division began crossing upriver, achieving same results. heavier equipment ferried across rhine, both divisions began pushing east, penetrating 3–6 miles (4.8–9.7 km) german defensive line day.

douglas c-47 transport aircraft drop hundreds of paratroopers on 24 march part of operation varsity.

to north, british crossings had gone well, ground , airborne troops linking nightfall. then, paratroopers had taken first day s objectives in addition 3,500 prisoners.

to south, discovery of defensive gap in front of 30th infantry division fostered hope full-scale breakout possible on 25 march. when limited objective attacks provoked little response on morning of 25th, division commander—major general leland s. hobbs—formed 2 mobile task forces make deeper thrusts eye toward punching through defense altogether , breaking deep german rear. however, hobbs had not taken account nonexistent road network in front of xvi corps bridgehead. faced trying make rapid advances through dense forest on rutted dirt roads , muddy trails, defended few determined soldiers , placed roadblocks, task forces advanced 2 miles (3.2 km) on 25th. next day gained more ground, , 1 seized objective, having slogged total of 6 miles (9.7 km), limited progress forced hobbs abandon hope quick breakout.

in addition poor roads, 30th division s breakout attempts hampered german 116th panzer division. potent unit left commitment against allied rhine crossings in north, 116th began moving south dutch-german border on 25 march against germans considered dangerous threat, u.s. 9th army. enemy armored unit began making presence felt immediately, , end of 26 march combination of panzer division , rough terrain had conspired sharply limit 30th division s forward progress. 79th infantry division meeting fierce resistance south, general simpson s recourse commit of forces waiting on west bank of rhine. late on 26 march, 8th armored division began moving bridgehead.

although armored division bolstered offensive capacity within bridgehead, simpson more interested in sending xix corps across wesel bridges, montgomery had agreed, , using better roads north of lippe outflank enemy in front of 30th division. unfortunately, because of pressure germans in northern part of 2nd army bridgehead, british having trouble completing bridges @ xanten , therefore bringing of traffic across river @ wesel. montgomery allowing use of wesel bridges 9th army 5 out of every 24 hours, , road network north of lippe under 2nd army control, general simpson unable commit or maneuver sufficient forces make rapid flanking drive.