british army of the rhine bases
Operation Plunder included an airborne operation, Operation Varsity, in which two airborne divisions were landed with a day's supply of food, fuel and petrol. VIII Corps also used its own transport to haul ammunition for the crossing of the Elbe on 28 April. This airborne operation was the largest of its kind during the entire war, utilizing 1,625 transports, 1,348 gliders, and 889 escort fighters to deliver over 22,000 airborne infantry into the contested territory. [7] The British Second Army liberated Brussels on 3 September, and Antwerp was captured virtually intact on 4 September,[8] but it could not be used as a port until the Germans were cleared from the Scheldt approaches, through which ships had to pass to reach the port. To simplify storage and handling, only ammunition for field, medium and heavy artillery was held at the Canadian FMCs, ammunition for all other weapons was stocked at No. There were tactical, operational and political reasons for this: the best sites for a crossing of the Rhine were there;[20] a crossing in the north gave access to the North German Plain, where the terrain was good for mobile warfare, for which his Allied forces were particularly suited;[21] it offered a means of cutting off the Ruhr,[22] a major industrial region of Germany;[23] and it had the political advantage of involving the British and Canadians. British Army of the Rhine [BAOR] | The National Archives Cold War British Army Threat Recognition Guide It's the 1980s and the British Army Of the Rhine is still stationed in West Germany facing down the USSR's forces. [19], During the height of "the Troubles" in Northern Ireland, the IRA targeted personnel in Germany between 1988 and 1990. 12 and 14 Army Roadheads were being run down. Blaxland, Gregory. This led to a scaling down of the British military presence, and a restructuring of command and support structures. No. The aim was to re-establish patrols in these areas and flush out paramilitaries from urban bases. British Army Germany was formed in 2020 to administer the remaining service personnel, UK Civil Servants, and dependents (family members), based in Germany. Due to changing operational requirements, it was ultimately decided to build only three semi-permanent class 40 bridges, at Xanten, Rees and Arnhem, and two class 70 bridges, at Rees and Arnhem. The position gained along the Roer was then taken over by the US Ninth Army. Their construction would require 3,000 wooden piles 30 centimetres (12in) in diameter and 18 to 23 metres (60 to 75ft) in length. In addition to the road transport, the 21st Army Group also had barges capable of carrying 10,000 tonnes (10,000 long tons) of bulk POL. The great majority of Canadian requirements, including ordnance stores, ammunition, petroleum products, most engineer, medical and dental stores, rations, office machinery and other supplies, were provided through British channels. [3] However, around 185 British Army personnel and 60 Ministry of Defence civilians will stay in Germany beyond 2020. Depots and stocks remaining in the RMA were transferred to the control of the War Office. [87] The 21st Army Group allocated an additional 2,190 tonnes (2,160 long tons) of road transport capacity to the Second Army between 27 March and 3 April. ORIGINAL 1943 RAF WILHELMSHAVEN GERMANY MAP WAR BRITISH ARMY MILITARY WWII WW2. The following 12 files are in this category, out of 12 total. For more information or to contact an Oxford Sales Representative click here. Medium and heavy ammunition for units north of the Maas was stockpiled at Wijchen and that for those south of the Maas at Oss. British Army of the Rhine | Daly History Blog Start reading The British Army of the Rhine for free online and get access to an unlimited library of academic and non-fiction books on Perlego. british army of the rhine bases . Not only are the well-equipped forward elements presented, but the light security elements that form BAOR's vital reinforcements are included as well. Apart from the Alpine Training Centre Hubertus Haus in Oberstdorf, which is in Bavaria, British Army Germany is entirely based in North Rhine-Westphalia. Since the First Canadian Army did not hold large stocks at No. Includes two chapters on National Service and professional recruitment after 1945, both of which were issues that influenced force generation in BAOR throughout its existence. It was estimated that each could carry 7,000 vehicles per day under frozen conditions and 4,000 per day during a thaw. A Mail on Sunday . Its commander was the British commander of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR). This annotated bibliography presents the best quality scholarship relating to BAOR, from its inception until its replacement under the conditions of the 1994 Options for Change defense review with the twenty-five-thousand strong British Forces Germany. The British Second Army also had access to the American class 70 timber pile bridge at Venlo and the Canadian First Army class 70 bridge at Grave. British Army of the Rhine in English - French-English Dictionary | Glosbe The second British Army on the Rhine was formed on 25 August 1945 from 21st Army Group. SGT Served from 1967 - 1985 Served in British Army of the Rhine. Additional supplies of fuel were loaded on DUKWs, which ferried fuel across the river until bridges were opened. Chieftain: British Army of the Rhine - BoardGameGeek This gave them sufficient petrol to advance for 200 and 180 miles (320 and 290km) respectively, although no such rapid advance was contemplated, the supplies being to sustain the divisions in operations when the road network became congested with operational traffic. Positioned on the North German Plain, it is the command element of NATO's Northern Army Group (NORTHAG). [66] The British rail line of communications now ran from Antwerp to Nijmegen via Roosendaal and Tilburg,[67] where the railway bridge that had opened on 22 December was duplicated by 3 January 1945. [95][92] To take pressure off the roads, the 21st Army Group placed an air composite platoon capable of receiving and handling up to 510 tonnes (500 long tons) per day under the Second Army's control. [94] New lines continued to be laid, the last one being laid to Bocholt on 24 May. Both formations had areas of responsibility located around the German section of the River Rhine . [88][92][96], Meanwhile, the First Canadian Army established two lines of communications. Its original function was to control the corps districts which were running the military government of the British zone of occupied Germany. [43] Over 2.5 million rounds of 25-pounder ammunition was made available for Operation Veritable. After the assumption of government by civilians, it became the command formation for the troops in Germany only . 14 Army Roadhead in the Sulingen area from No. BAOR Locations 10 Army Roadhead. [3], The 21st Army Group's campaign in North West Europe had commenced with Operation Overlord, the Allied landings in Normandy on D-Day, 6 June 1944. West Germany: Commander Of British Army Of The Rhine, Sir Harry Tuzo [19] He intended to make the main Allied effort in the north, in the 21st Army Group's sector. In February, a French fuel installation was opened at Douai, and this was used to supply the Royal Air Force (RAF) airfields in the vicinity. The best introduction to the regimental system of the British army. The British Army of the Rhine was born in 1945 out of the British Liberation Army at the close of the war as the military government of the British zone of occupied Germany. [73], The assault divisions established ordnance dumps on the west bank of the Rhine with at least one section of the divisional ordnance field park from which urgently required equipment and spare parts for vehicles could be sent across by DUKW without delay. During the first three weeks of April 1945, the 21st Army Group advanced about 320 kilometres (200mi) across northern Germany to reach the Elbe on 19 April and then the Baltic Sea. WW2 MAPS OF BRUSSELS/BRUXELLES 1944 D/DAY ORIGINAL RARE. Four trains a day passed through Gevrey-Chambertin, which handled 72,550 personnel and 4,035 trucks. We are pleased to announce that Eureka Miniatures UK will once again be attending the hugely popular SALUTE at ExCeL, London on Saturday 22nd April 2023. 12 Army Roadhead in the Rheine area commenced on 3 April, and the corps started drawing from it on 9 April. This merely delayed work on the bridge, which was opened to traffic at 20:15. [81] The XXX Corps plan called for the construction of a class 9 FBE bridge, a class 15 Bailey pontoon bridge and two class 40 Bailey pontoon bridges. Troops met thin resistance as the operation wasn't intended as a surprise . Although only 3,600 tonnes (3,500 long tons) of petrol was lost, POL storage tanks capable of holding 10,000 tonnes (10,000 long tons) were rendered unusable. [74], The South Beveland Canal was opened on 19 February to allow inland water transport to reach the Dutch canal system when the western Netherlands were liberated. Petrol, oil and lubricants (POL) was brought by ships and the Operation Pluto pipeline from the UK at a rate of 15,000 tonnes (15,000 long tons) per day, of which 3,000 tonnes (3,000 long tons) was over the pipelines, and delivered by barge and pipeline to the army roadheads. British Army of the Rhine - YouTube 0:00 / 58:47 British Army of the Rhine Ichioku 334 subscribers Subscribe 6.6K views 1 year ago BBC Documentary from 2012 (small edit to avoid. 26 In a European context the first step in this process was the 1947 Anglo-French Treaty of . By mid-May the 21st Army Group's reserves had been reduced by a quarter. [49] In the lead up to Operation Veritable, 446 special trains were run to the First Canadian Army railheads, delivering 349,356 tonnes (343,838 long tons) of supplies, of which around 227,000 tonnes (223,000 long tons) was for Operation Veritable. The following day a German swimmer was seen affixing a suspicious cylindrical object to the bridge. British Army of the Rhine: The BAOR, 1945-1993 (Cold War 1945-1991) [77] A 370-metre (1,220ft) class 40 Bailey pontoon bridge was built at Venlo by the 15th GHQ Troops Engineers. 206 FMC. Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War and the other after the Second World War. REME Technical Services BAOR (British Army of the Rhine) 5 Infantry Workshop, Nijmegan Marchers 5 Infantry Workshop, Nijmegan Marchers German railway personnel were used to man two trains a day from Celle to Bienenbuttel. Although the book is concerned primarily with the British armys experiences prosecuting counterinsurgency campaigns after 1945, it proves a helpful reference guide to the composition of the British army and its overseas deployments between 1945 and 1970. Due to the proximity of Rees, the VIII Corps Troops Engineers could not work on the "London" class 40 Bailey pontoon bridge until the afternoon of 25 March, and it was opened at 23:00 on 26 March. [60], The engineer units in the XII Corps assault area were under 11th Army Group, Royal Engineers (AGRE), commanded by Colonel R. B. As the Soviet threat increased, so BAOR became less of an occupational army and assumed the role of defender of Western Europe, and as a major contributor to NATO after 1949. The bank control groups controlled all movement from the marshalling areas on the near side of the Rhine to the dispersal areas on the far side. Both formations had areas of responsibility located around the German section of the River Rhine. The British Liberation Army (BLA) was the official name given to the British Army forces which fought on the Western Front of World War II between the Invasion of Normandy and the end of the war. As of 1 April 1989, the following amounts of troops were deployed around the world: 71,000 in Great Britain, 56,000 (of which the Berlin brigade makes up 3,000), 10,200 in Northern Ireland (including 3,200 on roulement), 5,000 in Hong Kong, 4,000 in the Lines of Communications counties (Netherlands . Some of the ammunition that had earlier been dumped was to be made inaccessible by flood waters. Covered accommodation was eventually provided for between 300,000 and 400,000 troops. Nearly 50 engineer companies, together with three road construction companies and 29 pioneer companies, were engaged in road maintenance. The Canadian historian, Charles Stacey noted that:.mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, Thus, throughout the campaign in North-West Europe, there was virtually no separate Canadian supply organization other than what existed within First Canadian Army itself. [4] German resistance was stubborn, and the British and Canadian advance much slower than planned until July,[5] when the American Operation Cobra broke through the German defences. In a broader context, Barnett 1970 and Chandler and Beckett 2003 provide an essential overview of the experiences that have shaped the British Army over its long history. While it was under construction, the engineers came under attack by the Luftwaffe, and 8 men were killed and 22 wounded. zThis page represents the structure of the British Army in 1989, the last year of the Cold War. During the month, 432 trains delivered 230,000 tonnes (230,000 long tons) to 37 railheads in the British Second Army area. A double issue of Expeditionary Force Institutes stores was made to all participating units. A special effort was made to ensure that all units had their full allowance of winter and protective clothing. 1 Artillery Brigade Cold War.png 888 544; 45 KB. UK to maintain military presence in Germany - GOV.UK Both formations had areas of responsibility located around the German section of the River Rhine. [5], As the potential threat of Soviet invasion across the North German Plain into West Germany increased, BAOR became more responsible for the defence of West Germany than its occupation. The 21st Army Group allocated additional road transport capacity to the armies by shifting vehicles from the rear areas and immobilising units that were not immediately needed. Use the search function to locate the Order of battle by title or file name. [32][34], To free up administrative units to support the advance into Germany, it was decided to shorten the line of communications by closing down the RMA in Normandy, where some 300,000 long tons (300,000t) of supplies were still held. The possibility that the Germans might flood the forward area was not overlooked, and a company of DUKW amphibious trucks and a platoon of Terrapin amphibious vehicles was on 48-hours notice to assist. When the flood waters subsided, it was found that the Nijmegen-Cleve road surface had been too badly damaged to use, so the II Canadian Corps and XXX Corps were forced to share the road running south of the Reichswald. British Military Hospital BMH Iserlohn - QARANC [41] Some 600 field and 300 medium guns would support the operation. Three trains a day were run over this route under an arrangement with SHAEF and the American Military Railway Service. British Army of the Rhine - OverDrive Red Sash Wargames Army of the Rhine - Ombre de Turenne SW | eBay For nearly 70 years, generations would grow up on bases with special schools, shops, housing and even their own radio station, as parts of the Rhineland became little bubbles of Britishness . [66][76], At Gennep, the 6th Army Troops Engineers built a 312-metre (1,023ft) class 30 Bailey bridge using the piers and abutments of a demolished railway bridge. [PDF] British Army of the Rhine by Paul Chrystal | Perlego [12] Civilian labour was utilised at the bases in a variety of tasks to enable military personnel to be released for service in forward areas. [11] Rhine Garrison, which principally comprised HQ British Forces Germany in the Rheindahlen Military Complex and Elmpt Station (formerly RAF Bruggen), also reduced in size; the HQ moved to Bielefeld in July 2013 and other units returned to the UK. Three days later, XII Corps did the same to facilitate the capture of Hamburg, but the expenditure of ammunition at Bremen was not as great as anticipated, and this allowed XII Corps's requirements to be met in full. Margaret Brown. [87][88] A 300-metre (980ft) Class 9 FBE bridge was built over the Elbe at Lauenburg by the VIII Corps engineers on 29 April. Road transport accounted for another 29,865 personnel and 23,360 trucks. Both formations had areas of responsibility located around the German section of the River Rhine. History of the british army of the rhine 06 09 14. The first troops sailed from Naples on the troop ship SS Esperance Bay on 22 February, and arrived at Marseilles two days later. Does the British Army of the Rhine still exist? $35.86. badge, formation, British, I Corps & 1st Corps. - Imperial War Museums British Army Of The Rhine - The Armourers Bench [18], The British Army Germany rugby union team regularly played games against emerging rugby nations like Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg. The War Office found that it could provide another two field bakeries from the United Kingdom, along with three field butcheries that were already scheduled to be sent. Some 10,000 tonnes (10,000 long tons) of wooden piles, baulks and chesses was assembled for the project. This included the 6th Airborne Division, but it was held by the seaborne tail. [16] However, some training will still be undertaken in Germany with regard to NATO capability. It is a history of British European security commitments, of NATO military strategy, and of the changing character of land warfare after 1945. British Army Germany - Wikipedia [86] At Rees steel-piled class 40 and class 70 jetty bridges 490 metres (1,600ft) long and known as "Tyne" and "Tees" were built by the 50th GHQ Troops Engineers, and were opened on 23 May. The second British Army on the Rhine was formed on 25 August 1945 from 21st Army Group. Emmerich was taken on 1 April after a three-day battle to provide an additional bridgehead. It closed in March 1994. Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War and the other after the Second World War. This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 08:31. 16 Army Roadhead from railtails around Bocholt using captured rolling stock and locomotives. Since prompt clearance of the trains was essential to allow turnaround of the locomotives and rolling stock, vehicles had to be used to clear less urgently required supplies such as POL, coal and engineer stores. Motorman began on 31st July 1972 with the rapid deployment of troops from the rest of the UK and the British Army of the Rhine to the ports of Belfast and Derry. [51] There was also demand for covered accommodation in the 3,300 bivouacs, and 21st Army Group headquarters released 343 huts and 1,600 100-pound (45kg) tents from its stocks, which were delivered to the railheads around Mill and 's-Hertogenbosch. British Army of the Rhine - YouTube [55], When the II Canadian Corps assumed control of the left sector on 15 February, No. TankDiary on Twitter The problem had been foreseen, and replacements were available on the ordnance depots. Oxford Bibliographies Online is available by subscription and perpetual access to institutions. All this week on Forces TV we are focusing on 'Rebasing' from Germany, as the countdown to drawdown steps up a gear. [13], With the departure of Major General John Henderson in March 2015, the Commanding Officer of British Forces Germany became a brigadier's post, with Brigadier Ian Bell assuming command. [2] Although it contained personnel nations, the logistical support was British. Fifteen minutes after the glider landings, there was a resupply mission flown by 240 Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers from the US Eighth Air Force. This saved 150 vehicles, from which a seventh company was formed. [62] XII Corps allocated sixty DUKWs each to the 6th Airborne Division, US 17th Airborne Division and the 15th Infantry Division; thirty were in corps reserve, nine were designated for casualty evacuation and six for the Royal Engineers. [PDF] The British Army of the Rhine by Peter Speiser | Perlego The first British bridge across the river was the class 9 FBE bridge, known as "Twist", in the XII Corps area, which was erected by the VIII Corps Troops Engineers in ten hours on 24 March. Photo courtesy of RAMC Lab Tech Cpl Peter Elgar 1958. It was decanted at Bocholt and transported by rail to No. Foster. The Oxford History of the British Army. Captured German dumps held sufficient quantities of food for them, but they were not always easily accessible or distributable, so some had to be fed from 21st Army Group stocks, on a temporary ration scale of 1,100 calories (4,600J) per man per day. The link was not copied. [102] The 21st Army Group's logistical system proved capable of keeping the fighting men fed and supplied, whether in the awful weather conditions of Operation Veritable, or the fast-moving advance of the final drive beyond the Rhine.[104]. The transfer involved 102,415 troops. A comprehensive history of the British army aimed at undergraduate students and the general reader. 13 Army Roadhead at Nijmegen. [101] The vast resources brought to bear was in stark contrast with scarcities of the early war years. 1st/4th and 9th battalions of the Seaforths were with the Rhine Army in 1919. [37] Operation Veritable was scheduled to commence on 8 February, but the date for Operation Grenade could not be set, as it depended on the capture of dams on the Roer further south by the US First Army. WWII WW2 Original Map North West Germany British Army of the Rhine That day trains also began arriving at No. british army of the rhine bases - Tedfund.org During this advance it suffered 7,665 casualties and captured 78,108 prisoners. History of the British Army of the Rhine 06.09.14 - YouTube [11], A new base was developed around Brussels, and an advanced base area around Antwerp, but supplies were still being drawn from the Rear Maintenance Area (RMA) in Normandy. [13], During the German Ardennes Offensive in December 1944, the Supreme Allied Commander, General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower, transferred the US First and Ninth Armies to Montgomery's command. [60] Every available amphibious craft was collected. Chieftain: The British Army of the Rhine, provides a complete array of British equipment and maneuver units, from Chieftain and Challenger tanks through MCV-80 and Saxon APCs. [7], The 1993 Options for Change defence cuts resulted in BAOR being replaced by forces roughly 25,000 strong, divided between Headquarters Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps, 1st Armoured Division, other combat support and combat service support forces, and administrative elements headed by United Kingdom Support Command (Germany). A.G.B. This was after British forces personnel were scaled down over several years, with 19,100 in April 2010, and 2,850 in April 2019. [30], The two airborne divisions participating in Operation Varsity, the airborne operation supporting Operation Plunder, were initially supplied by the First Allied Airborne Army. Army Group Royal Artillery . Members of British Army of the Rhine | Forces Reunited The second class 40 Bailey pontoon bridge, known as "Blackfriars", was built by the II Canadian Corps Engineers in 50 hours, starting at 10:00 on 26 March. [63] The final troop movements for Operation Plunder involved 662 tanks, over 4,000 tank transporters and 32,000 other vehicles. Ammunition expenditure was prodigious, and a system of rationing had to be introduced. It was also anticipated that as the Allied advance proceeded into Germany, there would be increased demand to feed and accommodate prisoners of war, liberated Allied prisoners and displaced persons. Store Equipment Fleet (Germany) store of vehicles and other equipment for exercises and operations around Europe. [47] Four main road routes were available for troop movements, utilising road bridges over the Maas at Grave, Mook and Ravenstein. Chieftain provides a complete array of British equipment and maneuver units, from Chieftain and Challenger tanks through MCV-80 and Saxon APCs. Tony Lord. When the First World War ended British troops crossed the Rhine into Germany and entered a cou 30 hurt in blast at army base. The British Army of the Rhine (BAOR), which was responsible for the northern portions of the central front in West Germany, had been judged to be capable of holding out for as little as two days. as (hopefully) more information is found or supplied. The first British Army of the Rhine was set up in March 1919 to implement the occupation of the Rhineland. [10], HQ British Forces Germany was formed in January 2012, replacing the UKSC(G) and the Germany Support Group (GSG). Ron. Sirs, Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to the website dedicated to the British Army of the Rhine, its locations, and those areas whilst not strictly within BAOR, that were vital to the operation of the theatre The Site is now approaching three years of age and much has happened in that time.
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