This Is a Preliminary Narrative and Should Not Be Regarded As Authoritative
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• NOTE This is a preliminary narrative and should not be regarded as authoritative. It has not been checked for accuracy in all aspects, and its interpretations are not necessarily those of the Historical Section as a whole. Ce texte est pr~limina;re et n'a aucun caract~re afficiel. On n'a pas ver;fi~ son exactitude et les interpretations qu'il contient ne sont pas necessa;rement cel1es du Service h;storique. Directorate of History National Defence Headquarters Ottawa, Canada Kl A OK2 July 1986 REP 0 R T NO. 32 HISTORI<lAL SECTION (G.S.) ARMY HEADQUARTERS -. , . 2 Nov 50 THE CONCLUDING ffi6,SE OF OPERATIONS BY THE FIRST CDN ARlIY ., PART I ASSIFIEO DEC\" oH03-12 The Operations of First AUTHORITY: Can Army, 2-11 Apr 45 ~ FOR otllSl "OHQ 8Y_~Il\~ A1IENDMmT NO. 1 DElE: 4) 1. Page 16, para 38, line 7. after Bde delete under command ~.. .- '. - - - 2. Page 18. para 43. line 3; 'after 28 Mar'4~ insert but wflich he'd reverted to .command of 5 udn Ai'lJla Div at 0900.hrs 31 Mar 45, Appendix aCtIo Map, Operation "DESTROYER", in title delete under command • .4/.e;L-4~~t:~ for (C.P. Stacey) Colonel Director Historical Section - DECLASSIFIED AUTHORITY: 0 H 0 3· 12. t)2e..- FOR OHIST MOHQ REP 0 R T N_. 32 ~ HISTcRIC"L SECTIcN (G.S.) :TE' \0 \!laS ARMY HEALQUhRTEi<S 10 Dec 49 THE Cv""NCLUIJING PHASE ~:~F OPEnnTI~NS BY THE FIRST CDN .JlMY P.JlT I The Operations of First Cdn rtrmy, 2-11 Apr 45 Contents Paras Tho Situation of First Cdn ~rmy, 2 Apr 45. 1 - 9 1 7 Cdn Int Bds's Attack on Wehl and the Exploitation ~estward, 2-3 Apr 45. 10 - 13 5 8 Cdn Inf Bde Reaches the uude Ijssel. 2-3 Apr 45. 14 - 16 7 The vUde Ijssel is Cr0ssed by 8 Cdn Inf 8ds, 3 hpr 45. 17 - 19 8 3 Cdn Inf Div hdvances to Secure the Left Flank: Tho Approaches to Zutphen, 3-4 "pr 45. 20 - 23 9 8 Cdn Int Bde Drives North Towards Zutphon. 3-4 Apr 45. 24 • 25 10 The Intontions of 7 Cdo Inf BJG, 4 Apr 45. 26 11 ~peratl~ns By 2 Cdn In! Div, , 2-4 !.pr 45. 27 - 37 12 1 Cdn Corps ~peratlons to S&cure the Left Flank, uperatl~n "~estr~yern, 2-4 Apr ~5. 38 - 42 16 11 Cdn Int Bds's Part in ~peration "Lestroyer", 2-4 A~r 45. 43 - 46 18 4 Cdn Armd Div Crosses the Twente Canal, 2-4 Apr ~5. 47 - 53 20 The krm0ured Br1rade Breaks out to the North. 4 npr ~5. 54 _ 56 23 Lt-Gen D~mpsey's ~peratlons vn ttc Rlght Flank, 2-4 apr 45. 57 _ 61 24 Gen~ral Crerar I s Task and !~pprecl11r;lon, 5 Apr 45. 62 _ 63 26 The Exp10itotion BOY0nd th2 Twonte Canul. Lperatlons vf 4 Cdn Armd D1v, 5 !.pr 45. 64 _ 73 27 - 2 - Paras The Army Commander's 1ract! V€ 1 7 A"r 45. 74 32 2 Cdn Inf Div's .perations, 5-7 ",pr 45. 75 - 84 33 ~pcratlons By 3 Cdn In! ~lv, 5-7 npr 45. 85 - 88 37 The Start of the hsseult on Zut~h€n ~pr By 8 and 9 Cdn In! Bdes, 6 45. 89 - 92 40 7 Cdn In! B~e Sw!nEs to the North, 6 .I1.pr 45 93 - 96 41 The Situution of 2 Cdn Corps, 7 ",pr 45. 97 - 98 43 Plans of 2 Cdn Corps, 7 ,.pr 45. 99 - 100 44 The Enemy's Position, 7 Apr 45. 101 - 104 45 Air Support, 2-7 apr 45. 105 - 47 i~my ~perations, Second 4-7 npr 45. 106 - 110 48 Plans for the Employment of S.A.S. Troops, 28 Mar - 6 Apr 45. 111 - 115 50 ~peratlons of 3 Cdn Inf ~lv, 7-11 Apr 45. 116 - 118 52 7 Cdn In! Bda Closes in on Davant or I 9-10 Apr '15. 119 - 126 53 uperatlons of 8 Cdn In! Ode, 7-11 Apr 45. 127 - 129 57 The Highland Bri£ede Turns North, 7-10 Apr 45. 130 - 133 58 ~peratlons of 2 Cdn Int Liv, 7-10 Apr 45. 134 - 148 61 The Crossing of the Ems River by 4 Odn brmd ~lv, 7-10 hpr ~5. 149 - 167 66 1 Pol Armd ~lv Enters the Battle, 8-11 Apr 45. 168 - 170 75 18 Cdn hrmd C. Regt ~peratlons, 7-11 h.pr 45. 171 - 174 76 The S.A.S. ~r0p, ~peratl~n ll ".;.unherst , 7-11 ".pr 45 175 - 178 78 The Situation of 2 Cdn Corps, 0800 hours, 11 Apr 45. 179 - 181 80 The Enemy, 7-11 Apr 45. 182 - 185 82 .--.--_..... -.. ~- ... ,- - ..- - 3 - Ps.ras Page Lt-Goan Sim.:inJ I 3 Task in <:estorn Hi)lland, 10-11 i\pr ~.. 5. 186 - 188 84 Maj-Gen H..~. }o'.:,st6r's PIon to Cr~B:3 thE> Ij~sel 189 85 '1'h.;; Ijsse1 S:aOkl;; SCrtlen 190 85 191 86 1 Cdn Inf oJi v .,1..;ves u,r t;:J meot th~ B~0my, 3-10 hpr ~5. 192 - 1~"; 86 The 31tu~tj)n )f 8~cvnj Brit 4rmy, 10-11 ~pr 45. 195 - 200 88 New vcc1s1~ns By The 3upruu~ CUnJii1Und0r, -.pril 1945. 201 - 205 89 Jd.>pEN".l..JI CBS -Ph.H'r I i~:pl.>c::nJlx "A", Mol':.;; - 'rho s!tus.tion of 2 CJn C.... rps anJ. f1tinks 0200 h~ur3, 2 A~r 45. II--II Appn:Jlx b , Map - J.,.ot:.-tinch.:;.m - Zut~;henJ .,'Jl:-tlnc!1crn - Tw..::nte C'...I.!1:::.1 :')0rati-.ms 2 nnd 3 Gln Inf ~iv. 2-'-1. ;",l)T' <~5. ltls~. ce.;tur..s J.t' ZU tphell :)Y ;) C1n Inf :Jlv, 8 nl.r 45. ~!J.ap s~cur~ ..... pt,lenJix "e", - 1 Cjn C,)rps G 1 J0rl:::l.tluns t_ the left flan]{, JI>:~I'~"lJL... n lIoJE3i.'I~~YE!i.", 2-4 Apr -l5. II , II Twcn 1,j6 Canal - ':;0stertork - Kustt:.:n Canal, - . ~1 Cdn I'lond 1 .P ..... l ;"r;It.~ Livs, 3-10 .\pr 45 • ......p;>endix "E", i'l.l.I.:. - rr·N.~nt.,-... Canal - :""'cventer - Nijver.:lo.l, 2 and 3 Cen Tnf ~ ... 1V3, '.i-IO ...... t:>r 45. i~PiHm,2ix IIF'I, Mal': - NijvE:ruu1 - ""I1DH;;n, 2 CJn Inf :'.1"..;, 10 <·~:tJr 46. I!~.¥ '<>'.1:··' .....L.J-(n"ixU "all" 1T1C>.,l,' - 21 hI'my GrOll1=' RESTRICTED REP 0 R T NO. 32 HISTORICAL SECTION (G.S.) ARMY HEADQUARTERS 10 Dec 49 The concluding hhase of operations by t €I First Canadian Army 2 Apr - 5 May 45 Part I: The Operatiuns of Firat Cdn Army, 2-11 Apr 45 Reference Maps: G.S.G.S. 2541, Holland, 1:100,000 Sheets lA, 2A, I, 2, 3, 4, 5. G.S.G.S. 4416, Germany, 1:100,000 Sheets LI, 12, 13, MI, M2, M3, Ni, N2, PI, Ql, and all corresponding maps of scales 1:25,000 and 1:50,000. 1. This narrative continues the serles of crticlal reports dealing with the operations of the First Canadlpn Army 1n North-West Europe. It describes the last phase of the campaign from 2 Apr 45, at which time General HoD.G. Crerar1s Headquarters assumed control of Canadian operations east of the Rhine, to the signing of the instrument of surrender by plenipotentiaries of the German Bl~h Command at Field.Marshal Montgomery's T~ctical Headquarters on 4 May, resulting in the cease fire order which became eirective at 0800 hours on the following day. This report is a direct \ sequel to Report No. 19 and is writton with particular reference to the operations and activities of the divisions under Lt-3en G.G. Simonds' command. Thera is no break in chronology. The maps (G.S.G.S. Sheets) which especially apply to the various parts of the narrative are noted with the section headings throughout the report. Appendices "K" to "G" are att_ched to this Report and cover the. operations described. THE SITUATION OF FIRST CDII IJlMY, 2 APR 45 2. On the morning of 2 Apr 45, the Army Commander addressed a group of War Correspondents at his Headquarters and summed up for them the story of the attachment of 2 Cdn Corps to Second hrmy and its subsequ€nt return to his own command. Last night th6 2 Cdn Corp~ which up to that time had formed pdrt of Second hrmy, returned to my command. The ressor. .1 or t hi s detachmt1lnt of 2 Cdn Corps for the Rhine crossing was the same basically as put meny British formations under my command in "Veritable" &nd at the. outset of that operation put 2 and 3 Cdn Inf Divs under command of 30 Brit Corps, - 2 - 1.0., the influonce of terrain or topography and that of uvuilabl1ity of cOlUlnunicnttons on the grouping of forces. Until 2 Cdn Corps could clear Emmerich, having worked downstroam from Roes, and until Canadian Army could then bridge and establish its own tr~ns-Rhlne cOrrL~nlc~tlons ~t Emmerich, I could not effectivoly maintain or command 2 Cdn Corps. Tho brid80 and its approaches wero completed at 2100 bra Yr0stord~y cv~nlngJ thirty-two hours after the word I go II was g1 vcn to th(; cbief en61nccr J a highly creditable job of work.