Operation Archway

Allied Forces

Axis Forces

Operation

In Operation Archway, the initial assignment involves providing reconnaissance support for the U.S. XVIII Airborne Corps, scheduled to parachute east of the Rhine. Subsequently, the force will assist in penetrating deeply into Germany, ahead of the primary British advance toward the Baltic port of Kiel. For this operation, Operation Archway adopts an unconventional organisational structure, operating in small, autonomous groups guided by broad directives, resulting in fluid strength and composition. Initially, the force comprises four groups, each with approximately fifteen jeeps. Three groups originate from 1 Special Air Service totalling 155 men:

• Squadron and Troop headquarters, 9 men, under command of Major Harry Poat
• T Troop commanded Major John Tonkin
• M Troop under Major Alex Muirhead
• C Troop under Major Bill Fraser

Ahead of the advancing forces, in the small town of Bree near the Belgian-Dutch border, the main body of Frankforce, which had landed from craft at Ostend two days earlier, is assembling. A small column moves steadily eastwards to join them, passing through Louvain and Diest, both largely untouched by the war during the rapid Allied advances of the autumn.

In Bree, around fifty jeeps are drawn up in close order outside the local school. The schoolyard is a hive of activity, with the black berets of 1 Special Air Service and the khaki berets of 2 Special Air Service mingling with the occasional red berets of the quartermasters’ staff, who are not yet due to enter battle.

Ian Wellsted, second-in-command of Frankforce, establishes his headquarters in the schoolhouse. After receiving a briefing on the unit’s forthcoming role, he visits the local estaminet to inform Bill Fraser and John Tonkin of their arrival. However, before much can be discussed, he is summoned back to Frankforce Headquarters and ordered to accompany a 2 Special Air Service captain into Germany to prepare night harbours.

Leaving Captain Johnny Cooper and Tony Trower in charge of the troop, sets off with the 2 Special Air Service captain in a jeep at approximately 11:00.

Continuing through the western suburbs of Roermond, the group halts just short of Venlo at a roadside inn for a late lunch, accompanied by a cooling draught of the local beer. Crossing the Maas on a Bailey pontoon bridge at Venlo, the devastation from recent heavy fighting is stark. Military policemen direct vehicles through streets strewn with rubble. Pressing on, they encounter dense Dannert wire obstacles, a clear indication that they have entered German territory. Passing through Stadt Straelen, Geldern, and Kappellen, all heavily damaged, they observe dazed civilians wandering amidst the ruins as endless convoys of heavy equipment rumble towards the Rhine.

At Sonsbeck, the 2 Special Air Service captain stops to locate the designated harbour area. Exhausted from days without sleep and the arduous journey through dust and heat, Wellsted curls up on a pile of kit in the jeep and falls into a deep sleep. In the distance, the thunder of artillery shells ranging across the river echoes through the air.

At around 17:00, Lieutenant Colonel Brian Franks wakes Captain Wellsted. Shortly after, the 2 Special Air Service officer returns and guides them to a wooded harbouring area near a farmhouse off the Kappellen-Issum road. Wellsted marks out the 1 Special Air Service area and, as darkness falls, shares a meal with Brian Franks at the farmhouse. Later, he finds a spot beside his jeep, rests his head on his boots, keeps his tommy gun within reach, and drifts into a deep sleep.

An hour later, loud shouting and revving engines shatter the night’s silence. The main body has arrived three hours ahead of schedule. In the pitch dark, Wellsted is solely responsible for guiding 1 Special Air ServiceS into their designated harbours within the woods.

He successfully directs Headquarters and D Squadron into position, but in the confusion of darkness and dense undergrowth, half of A Squadron mistakenly enters the 2 Special Air Service area. The 2 Special Air Service captain is displeased, and A Squadron, forced to relocate, voices its frustration. Headlights and torches flicker in the night, raising concerns that enemy forces may take notice, given their proximity to the artillery line. Fortunately, no incidents occur, and soon the troops settle, brewing tea on petrol cookers before turning in for the night. Wellsted moves from section to section, sharing cocoa and offering apologies for the mix-up. It is well past midnight when he finally returns to his sleeping bag.

Friday 23rd, 1945

The following morning, orders dictate that only C Troop troop will be required for the river crossing the following morning, while the main body is to be held in reserve for the breakout. As a result, C Troop is given priority for equipment. Captain George White, the 1 Special Air Service quartermaster commanding Frankforce B Echelon, provides essential weapons and provisions. Additionally, an unarmoured 2 Special Air Service jeep equipped with wireless communication is assigned to them.

That evening, Lieutenant Mike McNaught and Sergeant Kendall from headquarters troop, who had missed the main body’s departure from Bree, safely arrive. However, they are reassigned from A Squadron to serve as personal protection for Captain Wellsted.

By nightfall, everything is in readiness. The only exception is the repatriation of Corporal Bunker Burgess to the Great Britain on compassionate grounds, leaving C Troop one man short. The vacancy is filled by Private R. Owen, a 2 Special Air Service soldier and an anti-Nazi German who had fled his homeland after Hitler’s rise to power and later gained British citizenship.

Shortly after sunset, the Royal Air Force begins bombing Wesel while the 1^st Commando Brigade launch their assault boats into the turbulent Rhine.

March 24th, 1945

The night is anything but peaceful. Before retiring, a dispatch rider informs Captain Wellsted that C Troop is on one hour’s notice. As they lie in their sleeping bags, the ground trembles under the relentless pounding of artillery fire.

By morning, the situation has shifted dramatically. The Commandos have seized Wesel with minimal casualties. Frankforce is ordered to cross the river that afternoon, but Wellsted’s troop is placed in reserve, with the warning that limited carrying capacity may leave them behind.

During the night, Lieutenant Peter Weaver arrives from England with additional .5 Browning machine guns. Fitters work urgently to mount them onto vehicles.

The morning air is alive with movement. Dakotas and gliders sweep overhead, followed later by Liberators returning from supply drops, their low-flying silhouettes skimming the treetops. At 16:00, orders are given to move. The long column of armoured jeeps winds northwards, kicking up thick clouds of dust as they head towards a field west of Xanten, where they harbour.

March 25th, 1945

That night, plans to cross the Rhine via a pontoon bridge are thwarted when the current sweeps it away, forcing the troops to remain in harbour. During the evening, Paddy Mayne arrives to assess the battle’s progress and relays news that Trooper Davies and Trooper Brown of Captain Cooper’s section have been awarded Military Medals for their operations in Sardinia.

During the night, the Germans launch air attacks in an attempt to slow the advance. At one point, a low-flying enemy aircraft comes within range, prompting a gunner to fire at it with his .5 Browning. Meanwhile, across the river to the north, the night reverberates with the continuous roar of battle as the fight for Rees rages on.

The following morning, the unit relocates to an assembly area near Xanten. By 11:00, the troops advance to the river, where Buffaloes await to ferry them across. These large amphibious armoured vehicles, equipped with tracks and light automatic weapons, feature high waterproof sides and rear ramps that lower to allow jeeps to drive aboard. Each Buffalo accommodates a single jeep.

Once ashore, the jeeps disembark and follow well-marked tracks to a concentration area, where the unit waits for others to arrive. Many of the men seize the opportunity to rest, sleeping on the grass in the warm sunlight. In the late afternoon, movement resumes through the village of Marwick, following a light railway east along the northern bank towards Wesel, before harbouring in the woods. As Alex Muirhead’s M Troop moves in, several snipers fire upon the leading jeep. Despite a thorough search of the woods, no enemy is located.

A closer inspection reveals the devastation of war. Trees are shredded by cannon fire, trenches and dugouts crisscross the area, discarded equipment lies scattered, and lifeless bodies remain where they fell. A nearby mortar team, caught by an American flamethrower, has been horribly burned. At a nearby farm, two prisoners are captured. Among the abandoned equipment, large cases of American Army K-rations are discovered, soon to prove useful.

A sudden rifle crack and a cry from Sergeant Maggie McGinn, who has been targeted by a sniper, trigger another search. Once again, the assailant remains elusive. As night falls, further shots ring out nearby. With snipers and potential enemy patrols posing a risk, a strong guard is posted, with Bren guns covering the perimeter of the woods.

For the first watch, Trooper Swag Jemson and Captain Ian Wellsted take position in an empty slit trench. The sniper soon resumes firing, and a couple of bullets zip dangerously close to Wellsted’s head, prompting him to shift position to make himself a more difficult target. In the distance, small-arms fire intensifies, and spent bullets whizz overhead.

As darkness deepens, enemy aircraft launch attacks against the bridgehead. The Allied anti-aircraft barrage responds furiously, sending shell splinters raining down. Searchlights from the west bank sweep across the Rhine, scanning for mines and midget U-boats attempting to destroy the pontoon bridges. Each passing beam of light provokes machine-gun fire, filling the night with bursts of bullets cutting through the harbour area.

Another sniper, this time on the 2 Special Air Service side of the wood, narrowly misses Lieutenant Colonel Brian Franks. Orders are given for all guards to wear their steel helmets.

March 26th, 1945

As the firing subsides, Captain Wellsted attempts to sleep under his jeep. However, just after midnight, the noise swells to a crescendo. Reporting to Major Harry Poat, he observes the distinct flash of a sniper’s rifle aimed in their direction. Returning to his troop, he doubles the guards and patrols until 03:00 before attempting to get some rest before the dawn stand-to.

With first light, the gunfire diminishes, revealing that the harbour is positioned less than a mile from the fighting. Captain Wellsted’s jeep has been struck by a shell splinter, as have several others. A tyre is punctured, but miraculously, there are no casualties.

At 07:30, new orders arrive from Major Harry Poat at Squadron Headquarters. The battle is progressing favourably, and the unit is now under the command of 18^th Allied Airborne Corps. The two squadrons of 2 Special Air Service are assigned to operate ahead of the British 6th Airborne Division. Wellsted’s troop is placed on standby at Corps Headquarters, under the call of the American Airborne Division, and is ordered to report to Corps Headquarters immediately. Corps Headquarters, located a few kilometres north, is a joint British-American operation.

2 Special Air Service plays a crucial role in supporting 6^th Airborne Division, eliminating Spandau machine-gun nests that have stalled the advance and securing the flank so effectively that, by the time the Airborne infantry reach their objective, 2 Special Air Service has secured an additional 1,500 metres of ground. They sustain no casualties, although one jeep has been knocked out, but even that is recovered under fire.

The day passes quietly for 1 Special Air Service. During the evening, Captain Wellsted returns to Snipers’ Alley to collect Major Poat and Captain Bill Fraser for a conference.

March 27th, 1945

That night, the men enjoy a well-earned rest, sleeping under tarpaulins stretched between their jeeps. After lunch, they return to Snipers’ Alley, now nearly deserted. Major Bill Fraser, Major Alex Muirhead, and Major John Tonkin have been deployed in support of 6^th Airborne Division, and most of 2 Special Air Service has also moved forward.

Orders for the morning are to move forward, under the guidance of Captain Padre Fraser McLuskey, and assume their role in support of 6^th Airborne Division. Captain Bill Fraser then arrives, wounded in the left hand during the day’s battle. The paratroopers he has been supporting have been pinned down by Spandau fire from a small wood. Leading his jeeps in a daring charge across open ground, Fraser suddenly finds himself under a withering burst of Spandau fire from a flanking hedge. Bullets spray into the back of his jeep, yet miraculously, he sustains only a light wound. Major Alex Muirhead takes command, directing a relentless barrage from massed Vickers-Ks and .5 Brownings, forcing the enemy to take cover in their slit trenches. With supporting rear-gunners dismounting and advancing on foot, Squadron Sergeant Major Reg Seekings leads a sweep through the wood, capturing fifty prisoners and seizing a 50-millimetre anti-tank gun that has been covering the road, unable to return fire due to the intensity of the Special Air Service assault.

March 28th, 1945

That night, the troops enjoy a well-earned rest. Reveille is at 05:00, but departure is delayed when Sergeant Jeff Du Vivier fails to wake Captain Padre McLuskey. Further delays ensue as the unit becomes hopelessly lost in the bomb-ravaged ruins of Wesel. Several false starts and a misguided attempt to turn around in a blind alley, compounded by the accidental discharge of two smoke generators,cause further setbacks. Finally, the column finds its proper course and sets off once more, heading deeper into the heart of Germany.

Eventually, the unit arrives at a farm north of Schermbeck, where the rest of 1 Special Air Service are still at breakfast. Harry Poat informs Ian Wellsted that his troop is to take over support of 6 Airborne Division, while the other troops retire to Wesel for rest. The first task is to send Red Hunter and Jeff Du Vivier in their jeeps to escort a Parachute officer reconnoitring the forming-up point for the next advance. At approximately 09:30, the unit moves along the divisional centre line, passing weary paratroopers trudging steadily forward, some dragging captured guns for use against their former owners. Ahead, distant firing and the heavy crump of mortar bombs signify the ongoing battle.

By 11:00, near Erle, orders arrive. The division is to advance eleven kilometres to Rhade and take up positions along the railway line beyond. Light opposition is expected, and the road has reportedly been cleared as far as the village of Ostrich, about one and a half kilometres ahead. The unit’s role is to lead the division, reconnoitring enemy positions and supporting the infantry with firepower. The orders are explicit: “Get the infantry into Rhade.”

Tony Trower’s section takes the lead, with Wellsted following in his Headquarters jeep, accompanied by Squadron Sergeant Major Reg Seekings in the wireless jeep, which has been attached after the breakup of Bill Fraser’s Headquarters. Red Hunter’s and Johnny Cooper’s sections follow, with Harry Poat bringing up the rear to observe the unfolding situation.

As the unit navigates the rubble-strewn streets of Erle, the crash-bang of a self-propelled gun echoes nearby. At the edge of town, the road stretches over flat, open terrain towards a belt of trees surrounding Ostrich. A Paratroop officer in a wrecked house attempts to pinpoint the gun’s location, but without success. Meanwhile, Airborne troops advance past the southern side of the town.

The jeeps edge onto the Ostrich road. Far to the left, a troop of British tanks warms their engines, preparing to move. Ahead, all is still and ominously quiet.

Arriving at Ostrich, the unit pauses again. Tony Trower speaks to the crews of a British tank and a Dingo armoured car, both awaiting their arrival. The paratroopers, still over a kilometre behind, advance steadily.

“OK, I’ll take the lead,” the Dingo commander announces, moving alongside the leading jeep. Tony waves him past, and a tank follows close behind.

At that moment, a young German soldier emerges from the scrub beside the road. With a roar and a flash, a Panzerfaust strikes the Dingo amidships. Instantly, Spandaus erupt from the woods—first from the right, then the left. The sharp whirr of enemy fire is soon drowned out by the deafening response of Special Air Service Vickers and Brownings.

Wellsted has positioned his jeep fourth in line, believing it unwise for the commander to be in the leading vehicle, as had happened with Bill Fraser in a previous action. However, he quickly realises that Special Air Service battles cannot be controlled conventionally. The cacophony of over seventy Vickers and multiple Brownings is overwhelming. Ricochets screech, and enemy fire rakes the column, rendering any attempt at issuing orders futile.

At the front, Tony Trower and his men frantically reverse as the tank manoeuvres back into its original position beside a farmhouse. Seeing an opening, Dixie Deane drives his jeep forward, sheltering under the lee of a large barn. Brinkley, the rear gunner, tumbles off while reversing and sprints back to rejoin the formation.

Maggie McGinn’s jeep, caught between the tank and another vehicle, must be abandoned. Its crew takes cover in a roadside ditch, sniping with carbines as bullets crisscross above them.

Wellsted begins reversing, keeping to the left, reassured by the steady chatter of the Browning beside him. Meanwhile, Geordie Cunningham’s jeep races back on the right, forming a tight defensive cluster of jeeps near the burning barn.

Despite the overwhelming noise, no enemy soldiers are visible. Wellsted runs to the tank, climbs onto its rear, and shouts to the commander for an assessment of the situation. The commander, peering from his turret, vaguely responds: “I really don’t know, old boy. We’ve cleared as far as here!” Finding this information less than useful, Wellsted returns to the cluster of jeeps to assess casualties.

In Reg Seekings’ jeep, the wireless operator clutches a wounded shoulder but remains stoic. In the front seat, McKenzie, despite a severe arm wound, is still attempting to fire his Browning. Reg quiets him and applies a tourniquet. Other wounded lay beside the fighting jeeps. Wellsted orders Seekings to withdraw with the injured and send an ambulance as soon as possible.

The murderous exchange of fire continues. Down the road, Digger Weller lobs 2-inch mortar bombs at an unseen target to the left. Jemson and Glyde soon join him, bringing more mortars and ammunition.

With all control lost in the chaos, Wellsted focuses on recovering Maggie’s abandoned jeep, backing it into position where its guns can be utilised. Meanwhile, the barn is fully ablaze, streams of fire and thick smoke engulfing the courtyard. Tony Trower and Dixie Deane, having circled the structure, discover two occupied slit trenches. Tossing in grenades, they neutralise the defenders before rejoining the defensive cluster.

Red Hunter, enraged by the loss of his two crewmen, furiously batters at the barn door, hurling grenades inside to no avail. Wellsted orders him to fetch an ambulance, providing him with a task to distract him from his grief.

Tony reports spotting more Germans in the strip of woodland bordering the open fields. Some enemy troops, shaken by the barrage, stumble forward with raised hands in surrender. As the gunfire subsides, Wellsted seizes his Tommy gun and leads a clearing operation into the woods.

Jack Terry advances along the open side, while Wellsted moves alongside the barn. A group of four Germans is flushed from a slit trench. Each time they raise their hands, a subsequent order to disarm causes them to lower them again in confusion, resulting in an almost comical back-and-forth before they are marched towards the jeeps.

The carnage along the wood’s edge is devastating. Dead German soldiers lay piled in their trenches, while survivors, mute and trembling, are searched, disarmed, and sent unescorted to the rear.

Returning to the jeeps, Wellsted finds Corporal Hay tending to the wounded. Grundy, Red Hunter’s rear gunner, has suffered a severe body wound and is in significant pain. Andrews, the front gunner, is bleeding heavily from a throat wound. Despite Wellsted’s attempts to reassure them, Andrews succumbs that night, followed soon after by Grundy.

Major Poat, having moved forward, points out an 88-millimetre gun in the trees to the left, a weapon that could have decimated the unit had the German gunners not been caught by mortar fire. Their bodies are later found heaped around the emplacement.

Orders come to cease fire upon sighting a white Verey light. Shortly after, it streaks into the sky, signalling the approach of 6^th Airborne Division, who will clear the woods on the right. In the distance, long lines of paratroopers in red berets and airborne smocks advance into the undergrowth. The Special Air Service troops clear the immediate woodland along the road, encountering no further resistance, before reorganising to continue the advance.

When ordered to advance, Captain Wellsted requests that the paratroopers lead, allowing the jeeps to provide supporting fire. This plan quickly proves unfeasible. The men of 6^th Airborne Division have been marching and fighting almost continuously since their initial parachute drop three days earlier. With no transport and subsisting only on their 24-hour ration packs, they are utterly exhausted. When incoming fire from a prominent red house forces them to seek cover, the troops gratefully accept the enforced pause, showing little eagerness to continue.

Consequently, Wellsted’s unit must once again assume the lead, advancing cautiously along the road while weary paratroopers reluctantly follow, muttering complaints about “bloody jeeps.” Their forward momentum persists solely due to the Special Air Service’s determined push.

Johnny Cooper’s section, which had earlier survived an ambush unscathed, now leads the way, closely followed by Wellsted’s headquarters jeep. However, scarcely a hundred metres onward, heavy fire erupts from the red house situated at a bend in the road. Beyond this lies a straight stretch flanked by dense vegetation.

Cooper’s jeeps swiftly engage the red house, suppressing enemy fire effectively. Wellsted immediately returns to the paratroop commander, insisting the infantry must now advance as the jeeps face significant risks in such terrain. As the infantry moves ahead, Germans are spotted crossing the road approximately 550 metres ahead. The Special Air Service vehicles, staggered for optimal fire coverage, unleash devastating firepower. At the same moment, supporting tanks arrive and fire bursts above the paratroopers’ heads before veering right into a muddy meadow, becoming bogged down.

This unexpected barrage causes the paratroopers to again seek cover. Wellsted drives forward once more to urge them on, but their exhaustion proves insurmountable, leaving the Special Air Service again to lead the assault.

Realising direct leadership is crucial, Wellsted pushes forward alongside Sergeant Tom Rennie’s jeep, doubling their firepower. The tanks remain immobilised, attempting to free themselves as the Special Air Service returns later, mission accomplished.

The next firefight occurs precisely where Germans had previously been sighted. Caught unaware, the enemy in the undergrowth is swiftly overcome. One disoriented German soldier wanders helplessly, rifle in hand, paralysed by the relentless gunfire, unable to flee or surrender.

With the paratroopers still lagging, Johnny Cooper, Reg Seekings, Jack Terry, and Paddy Kennedy dismount armed with Bren and Tommy guns to round up prisoners.

The advance encounters a fresh obstacle—a defensive kniferest positioned around a bend, not yet deployed but covered by enemy fire from a large house to the left and a low knoll ahead. Concerned about potential mines, Wellsted halts the column to await infantry support.

Taking personal initiative, Paddy Kennedy leaps from Jack Terry’s jeep, wielding a Bren gun from the hip, and boldly advances. Inspired by his action, the paratroopers follow suit. Upon reaching the obstacle, Kennedy signals the jeeps forward.

Under the covering fire of the Special Air Service, the jeeps cautiously advance, their suppressive fire preventing enemy retaliation. The column safely passes through, rear gunners firing into enemy positions to the flank and rear.

Wellsted loudly commands: “Hande hoch! Kommen sie hier! Ich tote sie nicht!” (Hands up! Come here! I won’t kill you). The effect is immediate, with prisoners emerging, hands raised, promptly directed to the rear.

The column advances further, but Kennedy resolutely refuses to remount his jeep. Mistaken for an officer due to hidden epaulettes beneath his leather jerkin, the paratroopers deferentially call him “Sir,” supply him with Bren gun magazines, and follow his fearless leadership. Kennedy aggressively flushes Germans from hiding spots and foxholes, later receiving the Military Medal for his bravery.

As the vegetation opens, the town of Rhade appears. Sporadic resistance from surrounding buildings and ditches is swiftly neutralised by the jeeps’ firepower, with numerous prisoners taken.

Upon securing Rhade’s town square, the Special Air Service jeeps establish all-round defensive positions. Wellsted reports to the Parachute Battalion Commander, who instructs the Special Air Service to hold Rhade while the paratroopers proceed to secure the railway line.

More prisoners are rounded up, visibly shaken and demoralised, and escorted to prisoner-of-war holding areas.

Major Poat arrives shortly afterwards, and Wellsted briefs him on the operation’s success. General Gale expresses satisfaction at the rapid advance. Estimates indicate over fifty German soldiers killed and approximately eighty captured, achieved without casualties among the airborne infantry. Special Air Service losses remain notably low despite the earlier ambush.

In Rhade’s town square, paratroopers stagger past, exhausted and visibly burdened by their gear, desperately hungry. The Special Air Service distribute what little remains of their K-rations from Snipers’ Alley, but supplies are insufficient to meet the overwhelming need.

Late in the afternoon, Major Poat leads the unit back to Erle, before turning northwards along battle-scarred roads towards Raesfeld. They pause briefly on the outskirts, near the unpleasant sight of a fallen German soldier’s fly-covered body, as a mass of Allied armour thunders past in pursuit of the enemy.

Eventually, the unit reaches a cluster of farms off the main road and rejoins John Tonkin’s D Troop. After settling the troop, Ian Wellsted shares a meal with his men before bedding down on the stable floor. It is an uneasy night, disturbed by a horse kicking in its stall, the noises of nearby animals, and lingering fears of a disgruntled farmer possibly releasing a bull into the stable during the night.

March 29th, 1945

The following morning, the troops maintain their jeeps and replenish supplies. Captain Muirhead arrives from A Troop, which is resting in Wesel, to have a wireless fitted to his jeep. Red Hunter transfers to Force Headquarters.

March 30th, 1945

The next morning, D Troop and Wellsted’s C Troop move cross-country under Major Poat’s leadership. On reaching the main road, they head north through Borken to Weseke, parking by the roadside. They are now attached to the renowned 7^th Armoured Division, known famously as the “Desert Rats,” and assigned to support the 11^th Hussars (Prince Albert’s Own), Armoured Car Regiment​. The men watch admiringly as the renowned reconnaissance regiment advances, its Staghounds and Dingos leading the way.

Their stay in Weseke is brief. After lunch, the column advances again, soon becoming caught in a heavy traffic jam of Allied vehicles parked two abreast along a narrow road. Although distant gunfire rumbles ominously, their immediate surroundings remain deceptively calm.

On the outskirts of Sudlohn, Wellsted leads C Troop off the road to scout ahead. The town lies in ruins, streets cratered and buildings shattered. Bulldozers are actively clearing debris, but navigation remains difficult, taking nearly an hour to identify a passable route.

Amid the chaos, traditional map reading proves ineffective, making it challenging to identify even familiar roads. Eventually, Wellsted finds a viable route northwest towards the Dutch border, where D Squadron is believed to be operating.

At the outskirts, two British soldiers crouch behind their Bren guns. When asked about conditions ahead, they reply uncertainly, “Don’t know, Sir. None of our chaps anyway.” Despite this uncertainty, Wellsted’s troop continues until reaching a five-way junction. Recognising tracks in the sand that suggest D Troop has passed this way, they press on.

Approximately a kilometre further, Peter Middleton spots vehicles concealed among trees. Confirming they are friendly jeeps, Wellsted’s troop quickly reconnects with Harry Poat.

D Troop has recently engaged in combat in nearby woods, rescuing Hussars from a destroyed armoured car. C Squadron’s Medical Officer Mike McReady tends to the wounded while captured German prisoners await transport. Further engagements are anticipated as the British thrust northwards, creating a pocket of retreating German forces trapped against the Rhine.

Wellsted receives orders to harbour his troop on the northern outskirts of Sudlohn, awaiting further instructions. He locates a large farm east of the main road, assigns Peter and Reyes to secure it, then returns to bring the troop forward, radioing their new position to Harry.

That night, the men enjoy a substantial meal of fresh eggs and milk provided by the farmer, who also reveals that a local Nazi Party leader is hiding nearby. Denis Wainman is sent to apprehend the man, who is subsequently delivered to Stadtlohn for interrogation.

Meanwhile A Squadron of 2 Special Air Service patrol has encountered three Tiger tanks hidden in a forest filled with German infantry. All five Special Air Service jeeps were destroyed, but astonishingly, only one man was lost despite the close proximity of enemy forces.

Later in the evening, Peewee and David Barnby deliver new orders from Harry Poat. D Troop is now positioned west of Sudlohn, and Wellsted’s C Troop is to resume their attachment to 11^th Hussars (Prince Albert’s Own), Armoured Car Regiment​. the following morning.

The men spend that night sleeping beside their jeeps, frequently disturbed by the roar of nearby artillery fire.

March 31st, 1945

By morning, the troops are surprised to find artillery fire directed southwest, towards the area they recently vacated. That same morning, D Troop returns, reporting that large groups of German soldiers are still attempting to escape from the south. D Troop spent a tense night in a farm, hearing enemy movement nearby but not coming under direct attack.

After lunch, Ian Wellsted’s C Troop replaces D Troop, travelling through Stadtlohn to the outskirts of Wullen, where they report to the commander of the armoured cars they are supporting. A Troop, already dispatched towards Wessum, is stalled near farms close to Wullen. A Dingo armoured car is sent to guide the Special Air Service unit. Wellsted boards the Dingo just before arrival and requests to meet the Troop Commander.

The Troop comprises an armoured car, a Dingo, and a Staghound, with a young lieutenant commanding from the armoured car. The lieutenant, relieved by Wellsted’s arrival, admits he has no specific orders for the Special Air Service and explains that hidden Spandau machine-guns from their right flank have halted their advance. At that moment, a sudden burst of fire ricochets around Wellsted, forcing him to seek cover behind the armoured car as rifle fire and sniper rounds intensify.

With no clear instructions and the threat increasing, Wellsted mounts the armoured car as it reverses to safety. Meanwhile, his troop also comes under sniper fire, prompting him to order an immediate sweep of nearby farms and surrounding scrub.

Covered by Denis Wainman, Jeff Du Vivier’s crew advance cautiously, armed with Tommy guns and Bren guns, to clear the farm buildings on the right, discovering only two frightened elderly civilians sheltering in a ditch. Wellsted positions other jeeps to target the farm on the left, initiating the attack with a Verey signal flare.

The Special Air Service unleash intense firepower, shattering the quiet with tracer, incendiary, and ball ammunition. Under cover of this suppressive fire, Tony Trower’s section, accompanied by Wellsted, moves towards the farmstead. Another Verey flare signals a halt as they approach. Inside the buildings, they find terrified farmworkers hiding wherever possible. Smoke rises from burning structures, and behind one shed, Wellsted finds three German bicycles, gas capes, gas masks, and other military gear. Despite thorough searches and calls for surrender, no German soldiers emerge.

With sniper fire temporarily reduced, attention turns to the Spandau machine guns. An armoured car, backed by Swag Jemson’s mortar team, cautiously reverses towards Wessum. Another mortar and two jeeps provide covering fire. Hearing possible tank tracks ahead, Wellsted dispatches Tony Trower to bring up a bazooka.

As the Special Air Service wait under limited cover, the armoured car reaches a bend in the road. When the Staghound moves forward, intense Spandau fire erupts again, forcing the armoured car to hastily retreat, leaving Jemson exposed under renewed enemy fire. Jemson manages to crawl back safely along a ditch. Mortars fire into suspected enemy positions, igniting buildings and haystacks where snipers might be hidden.

The situation becomes untenable, enemy positions remain hidden, the objective unattainable, and the lightly armoured Special Air Service vehicles increasingly vulnerable. Although withdrawal is logical, regimental pride makes retreat difficult, especially in front of the distinguished 11th Hussars.

Wellsted consults the armoured car commander, asking, “What would you like us to do now?”

“I don’t know, old boy,” replies the lieutenant, popping up briefly. “I think I’d get out of here!”

Accepting this reality, Wellsted immediately orders withdrawal. Enemy shellfire reinforces the urgency, as artillery rounds begin landing closer. The Hussars quickly retreat, and the Special Air Service follow. Wellsted directs Johnny Cooper to lead, followed by the remaining jeeps. Peter Middleton turns back for Wellsted but is waved on. Wellsted jumps aboard the final jeep to depart.

Enemy shells straddle the road, prompting Cooper to divert down a track, where the jeeps find temporary shelter among trees and outbuildings. A shell explodes near Middleton’s jeep, embedding a large fragment in the vehicle without causing injury.

At a regrouping point, Wellsted checks every jeep for proper spacing, camouflage, and defensive positioning. Shellfire continues sporadically, targeting the main road, seemingly anticipating a retreat along that route. Eventually, firing eases, and Wellsted instructs each jeep to move independently and swiftly to regroup in Wullen. He follows behind, counting them out.

Upon returning to Wullen, Wellsted reports the frustrating engagement to Major Poat, who reassures him their support had indeed been valuable and appreciated by Special Air Service Brigade.

As the troop settles into houses on the town’s outskirts, Wellsted consults the Hussar Squadron Commander. Enemy resistance is intensifying, prompting new orders for the Special Air Service to meet with the Hussars beyond Ahaus early the next day.

Returning late to his billet, Wellsted learns that a tank troop sent up the Wessum road has faced similar difficulties. Sharing some Rhine wine brought by Peter Middleton, he finds little rest. The failed assault weighs heavily on his mind, alongside personal worries about Margot.

April 1st, 1945

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