[41] Pepperpot tactics involved supplementing the artillery fire with that of anti-tank guns, anti-aircraft guns, mortars and machine guns. Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War and the other after the Second World War. In view of pressure from the Canadian government to have its forces reunited, the Combined Chiefs decided to send the two divisions of the I Canadian Corps to rejoin the First Canadian Army, followed by up to three British divisions. [43] The ammunition dumping program was completed by 4 February, by which time 14,400 tonnes (14,200 long tons) of ammunition had been dumped at the gun positions, and 23,100 tonnes (22,700 long tons) at the XXX Corps and II Canadian Corps FMCs. [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. Overseas military bases of the United Kingdom enable the British Armed Forces to conduct expeditionary warfare and maintain a forward presence.Bases tend to be located in or near areas of strategic or diplomatic importance, often used for the build-up or resupply of military forces, as was seen during the 1982 Falklands War and the use of RAF Ascension Island as a staging post. 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. BAOR stands for British Army Of the Rhine. [19] He intended to make the main Allied effort in the north, in the 21st Army Group's sector. The Mediterranean theatre was only able to provide two field bakeries. Another three-platoon company arrived from Italy with the Operation Goldflake units. 13 Army Roadhead at Nijmegen. I Canadian Corps advanced on Utrecht, supported by No. The aim was to re-establish patrols in these areas and flush out paramilitaries from urban bases. [24], The Combined Chiefs further decided to reinforce Eisenhower's armies in North West Europe at the expense of those in the Mediterranean. Contents 1 History 1.1 1919-1929 After the successful Normandy landings, the units of 21st Army Group crossed the river Rhine near the Germany city of Wesel on 23 March 1945. 616 Squadron RAF began operating Gloster Meteor jet fighters from Brussels, and they required kerosene. An Inter-Allied force of British, French and . Garrisons which closed at this time included Soest (home of the 6th Armoured Brigade),[8] Soltau (home of the 7th Armoured Brigade)[9] and Minden (home of the 11th Armoured Brigade).[10]. Both formations had areas of responsibility located around the German section of the River Rhine. In the forward area, land mines and the few tracks through the Reichswald Forest kept transport on the roads, and the traffic combined with thaws and heavy rains contributed to the rapid deterioration of the roads. [4], The remaining presence in Germany is known as British Army Germany. [28][29] Many of the tanks needed overhaul or modification and this task was beyond the resources of the 21st Army Group's REME units, so excess tanks were shipped to the UK. [89][90], Despite this, stocks at the Nos. [28], Originally scheduled to start on 12 January 1945, when the ground would have been hard and frozen and off-road vehicle movement possible, Operation Veritable was delayed for five weeks by the Ardennes Offensive. This included the 6th Airborne Division, but it was held by the seaborne tail. It was estimated that each could carry 7,000 vehicles per day under frozen conditions and 4,000 per day during a thaw. [44] Crerar noted that if the ammunition for Operation Veritable was stacked side-by-side and 1.5 metres (5ft) high, it would have extend for 48 kilometres (30mi). 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. The second British Army of the Rhine was formed on 25 August 1945 from the British Liberation Army. SGT Served from 1967 - 1985 Served in British Army of the Rhine. The 18th Line of Communications Sub Area was formed on 25 April and assigned to the First Canadian Army; the 19th joined the 15th; and the 20th relieved the 4th around Brussels, allowing it to take over the region to the north east of Nijmegen. The next major operation was Operation Plunderthe assault crossing of the Rhine. Initially, bulk POL was brought across the Rhine in tanker trucks at the rate of 1,000 tonnes (1,000 long tons) per day. After the assumption of government by civilians, it became the command formation for the troops in Germany only, rather than being responsible for administration as well. 15 Army Roadhead opened in the Almelo area on 18 April and was stocked by road from No. No 13 Army Roadhead was opened at Nijmegen on 2 March, and was stocked by rail. 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. Stores still required by the 21st Army Group were moved forward to the new advanced base, and the rest returned to the War Office for disposal. Preparations were made to move it to a new site, but this was not required. [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]. A comprehensive history of the British army aimed at undergraduate students and the general reader. By this time a thaw had set in, and the ground was now soft and muddy, restricting off-road vehicle movement. [72][97], As the German forces crumbled before the Allied onslaught, the numbers of German prisoners of war grew to the point where orders were issued on 1 May that no more prisoners should be sent west of the Rhine. 168 FMC area at Goch. 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. This page is a list of British Armies in WWII. 14 Army Roadhead. 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. BMH Iserlohn was housed in Argonne Barracks which was a German Calvary and Armoured Regiment building from the 1930s. British Forces Germany (BFG) was the generic name for the three services of the British Armed Forces, made up of service personnel, UK Civil Servants, and dependents (family members), based in Germany. [88][92][96], Meanwhile, the First Canadian Army established two lines of communications. While most of its units were British or Canadian, there were also contingents from Belgium, the Netherlands, Czechoslovakia and Poland,[1] and the RAF Second Tactical Air Force operating in support also had Australian, French, New Zealand and Norwegian squadrons. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020. WW2 MAPS OF BRUSSELS/BRUXELLES 1944 D/DAY ORIGINAL RARE. 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. Not only are the well-equipped forward elements presented, but the light security elements that form BAOR's vital reinforcements are included as well. Moody 2020 provides the first comprehensive study of how the army intellectualized the arrival of nuclear weapons and how they might be employed in a future war. [75][66] The road network was also developed, and by 23 March eleven routes were open across the Maas, of which six were in the First Canadian Army area, including the sole class 70 route (ie one capable of carrying loads of up to 70 tonnes (69 long tons)) and five in the British Second Army area. For this the British Second Army deployed 1,520 field and medium guns, and the US Ninth Army had 624 field and medium guns. During the two-hour rail halt, the troops were served a hot meal and provided with sandwiches for the next one. 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 stocked 200 rounds per gun of field artillery ammunition for the entire XXX Corps. Three bridges were constructed there, but by the time they opened II Canadian Corps already had its three Canadian divisions across the Rhine. By 1945 the British Army was highly experienced, professional and proficient. Read reviews from the world's largest community for readers. Since the end of the Second World War, major reorganisation has resulted in the Coast Artillery being disbanded, the Anti Tank role being discontinued and the Anti . Only three could be provided by the 21st Army Group: the 5th Line of Communications Sub Area and the 101st Beach Sub Area when released from the RMA, and the 9th Line of Communications Sub Area, when it was no longer required for Operation Goldflake. Expands. To coordinate troop movements between the First Canadian Army and the British Second Army, a joint office known as "Grouping Control" was established. 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. Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War. It was arranged that 40 tanks, 650 wheeled vehicles, 50 Bren gun carriers, and 3,700 personnel would disembark each day in Marseilles, where accommodation was provided for 10,000 troops in tents and 200 vehicles. This was never satisfactorily implemented, and confusion and duplication was created by the same requests for additional ammunition being made through multiple channels. Until the railway bridges could be brought into operation, maintenance depended entirely on road transport. With the activation of a NATO unified command structure in 1951, BAOR became an integral part, along with Belgian, Canadian, and Dutch army units, of the Northern Army Group (NORTHAG). Damaged vehicles on the east bank of the Rhine were collected at points near the river and transported back on rafts. A petrol station company was formed from personnel made surplus by the reorganisation with six platoons, each containing three sections. Not only was the 21st Army Group fighting alongside the much larger American armies, it had to deal with a severe shortage of manpower. Photo courtesy of RAMC Lab Tech Cpl Peter Elgar 1958. [85] A semi-permanent class 40 bridge and a semi-permanent class 70 bridge were also built over the Ijssel at Zutphen. They were then loaded into landing ships, tank (LSTs) that took them to Marseilles, and onto flat wagons again for the five-day railway journey to Dixmude. [10] Antwerp had sufficient capacity to support both the British and American forces, but its use was hampered by German V-weapon attacks. The troops in the assault units were issued with 24-hour ration packs, together with a Tommy cooker and a tin containing tea, condensed milk and sugar, enabling the troops in the front line to brew a hot cup of tea. Large numbers of displaced persons were also encountered, and they were accommodated in special camps. In turn this demanded a high degree of organisation and professionalism required to utilise the available machines and firepower to best effect. [53], Once the battle commenced on 8 February, the main administrative task was replenishing the stocks of ammunition. Medium and heavy ammunition for units north of the Maas was stockpiled at Wijchen and that for those south of the Maas at Oss. Fourteen transport platoons,[53] each of which operated thirty vehicles,[54] were taken from the formations to serve the corps's needs. The British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) began life in 1945 as a postwar administrative headquarters deployed in support of the civilian authority of the British zone of occupation, northern Germany. 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. Over 2.5 million rounds of 25-pounder ammunition were made available. It would also free transport to support a rapid advance. Special arrangements were made to supply the Royal Air Force's Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation, which consumed 410,000 litres (90,000impgal) a night, and Gloster Meteor jet fighters, which consumed 14,000 litres (3,000impgal) of kerosene each day. [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.