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Churchill, Monty, Ike, Bradley & Simpson View the Rhine 25 Mar 1945 - Location

Discussion in 'Western Europe 1943 - 1945' started by Slipdigit, Mar 15, 2022.

  1. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    On the 25th of March, 1945, Prime Minister Churchill, Field Marshall Montgomery, Generals Eisenhower, Bradley and Simpson journeyed to Rhine to observe operations there. They were escorted by the 1/30 Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mech), US 30th ID.

    As part of my research of the 30CRT(M), I acquired the unit's AARs. Eventually over the years, I converted the grid coordinates found within to latitude & longitude.

    On 25 Mar 1945, the entry for the 1st platoon mentioned escorting and providing guards for the visitors, with the PM, FM and Generals departing at 1400.

    The location given was Nord de Guerre RA203372, which converts to 51.6279 6.58606, if you want to locate the observation post today.
     
    Slipdigit, Mar 15, 2022
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  2. alberk

    alberk New Member

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    ABB_188.JPG
    This is on the balcony of Hotel "Wacht am Rhein" in Büderich - and below a screenshot from a film shot by the US Corps of Signals:

    Churchill Wacht am Rhein Kopie.jpg
    Eisenhower had left by the time this shot was made - giving Churchill the chance to suggest that the party could cross the Rhine on a US landing craft. Eisenhower later stated that he would never had allowed this to happen.
     
    alberk, Mar 16, 2022
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  3. alberk

    alberk New Member

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    old postcard Buderich.png

    And this is the place today:
    WAcht am Rhein.jpg

    The original balcony in front of the tower is gone...
     
    alberk, Mar 16, 2022
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  4. alberk

    alberk New Member

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    ABB_189 Kopie.JPG

    After they had crossed the Rhine the visitors had a short stroll on the east bank near the village of Spellen which had been taken by US troops of 30th Inf Div the night before.

    ABB_190 Kopie.JPG
    Afterwards the party returned to the west bank and the Hotel Wacht am Rhein.
     
    alberk, Mar 16, 2022
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  5. Kai-Petri

    Kai-Petri Kenraali

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    Simply great stuff guys! Love it loud and here we have it! Thanx!
     
    Kai-Petri, Mar 16, 2022
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  6. alberk

    alberk New Member

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    The City of Wesel supports the "Liberation Route Europe" project and last year placed a stone commemorating the event: Hörstein.jpg

    The QR code on the plate will lead visitors to an audio narrative and a film showing what happened on March 25th, 1945. The footage used for the film was shot by US Corps of signals cameraman. I edited the material - essentially re-arranged it in the correct chronological order - and added a German text to explain what is happening:
     
    alberk, Mar 16, 2022
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