Operation Varsity March 1945

[Deadstick]

Next week will mark the Anniversary of the largest airborne attack of WW2 when thousands of British US and Canadian airborne forces crossed the River Rhine March
1945, the planning for such an operation must have been unbelievable.My Dads unit crossed the Rhine at Rees a few days later.

 

[1srelluc]

I guess they learned their lesson after Market-Garden.

 

[Oddball]

I guess they learned their lesson after Market-Garden.

Which was oddly the lesson that was failed to be learned at Omaha Beach, on a grander scale: Don't presume that the troops you'll be facing are the battle weary on R&R, unmotivated reservists, and conscripts.

 

[1srelluc]

Which was oddly the lesson that was failed to be learned at Omaha Beach, on a grander scale: Don't presume that the troops you'll be facing are the battle weary on R&R, unmotivated reservists, and conscripts.

Market-Garden was a very "tossed together" operation that relied on older plans/intelligence that in no way reflected the situation on the ground at the time of the jumps.....Indeed, up to date intelligence was completely disregarded in a sort of WW-1 "go no matter the cost" mentality.

 

[Deadstick]

I guess they learned their lesson after Market-Garden.

Yes probably, in theory Market garden was good but in practice was different, i have visted Oosterbeek/ Arnhem many times including last September which was probably my last one sadly, met many veterans in fact one lived on my street at the time, he told me he had been a sniper but when the operation went pears shaped he exchanged his sniper clothes for those of a medical orderly in case he was captured, he was lucky he got out across the Rhine at Driel, years ago on one of my visits i rode in a jeep with two reenactors who were dressed as 101 Airborne soldiers along hells highway it was quite a day finished off with a couple of beers LOL!

 

[Deadstick]

Market-Garden was a very "tossed together" operation that relied on older plans/intelligence that in no way reflected the situation on the ground at the time of the jumps.....Indeed, up to date intelligence was completely disregarded in a sort of WW-1 "go no matter the cost" mentality.

The Dutch underground had notified the British that there were two SS Divisions in the Arnhem area the 9th and 10th, the arrogant clowns ignored it and went ahead with the operation.

 

[Oddball]

Needed a big splashy operation to allegedly cement his rep as one of the greats, and got thousands of young troops killed over that vanity.

 

[1srelluc]

Needed a big splashy operation to allegedly cement his rep as one of the greats, and got thousands of young troops killed over that vanity.

Ike said one of his major regrets was stroking both Monty's and Churchill's egos and allowing the Brits to hold planning sway over major formations of US troops.

That said it should have been evident to Ike at the time that the Brit Empire was in it's death throes and we did not need to kowtow to them.

 

[Deadstick]

Needed a big splashy operation to allegedly cement his rep as one of the greats, and got thousands of young troops killed over that vanity.

Montgomery was not the only allied General on a ego trip, there were quite a few, one was Mark Clarke he headed for Rome for the glory instead of destroying the German 10th army south of Rome, i mean the image of riding in a jeep down the appian way was more important.

 

[Oddball]

Montgomery was not the only allied General on a ego trip, there were quite a few, one was Mark Clarke he headed for Rome for the glory instead of destroying the German 10th army south of Rome, i mean the image of riding in a jeep down the appian way was more important.

Yet another one who failed up.