Operation Turnscrew

Allied Forces

• 21^st Army Group
  • British Second Army
    • XII Corps
      • 15^th (Scottish) Infantry Division
      • 52^nd (Lowland) Airlanding Infantry Division
      • 8^th Army Group Royal Artillery (AGRA)
    • XXX Corps
      • 51^st (Highland) Infantry Division
      • 1^st Commando Brigade
      • 79^th Armoured Division (specialized armored vehicles)
      • 8^th Armoured Brigade
    • II Canadian Corps
      • 9^th Canadian Infantry Brigade
  • U.S. Ninth Army
    • XVI Corps
      • 30^th Infantry Division
      • 79^th Infantry Division
      • 8^th Armored Division (in reserve)
    • XIII and XIX Corps (in reserve)
    • XVIII Airborne Corps
      • 6^th Airborne Divison (British)
      • 17^th Airborne Division (U.S.)
      • Office of Strategic Services Teams

Axis Forces

• Heeresgruppe H
  • 1. Fallschirm-Armee
    • II. Fallschirm-Korps
      • 6. Fallschirmjäger-Division
      • 7. Fallschirmjäger-Division
      • 8. Fallschirmjäger-Division
  • LXXXVI. Armeekorps:
    • 180. Infanterie-Division
    • 190. Infanterie-Division
  • XLVII. Panzerkorps:
    • 116. Panzer-Division “Widhund”
    • 15. Panzergrenadier-Division

Operation

Operation Turnscrew forms a key component of Operation Plunder, the Allied plan to cross the Rhine and penetrate Germany’s final natural line of defence. Led by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery’s 21^st Army Group, Plunder begins on the night of 23–24 March 1945 as a large-scale, multi-pronged assault across the Rhine.

Under the command of Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey, the British Second Army carries out coordinated crossings in the Lower Rhine region, while the U.S. Ninth Army, led by Lieutenant-General William H. Simpson, executes its crossing further south, near the confluence of the Lippe River. An immense artillery and air bombardment, comprising over 5,000 guns and thousands of aircraft, precedes the assault. In addition, a smoke screen stretching over 80 kilometres is deployed to obscure Allied preparations along the western bank.

Within this vast operation, Operation Turnscrew designates the British assault at the northernmost sector, near the town of Rees. Alongside concurrent efforts such as Operation Torchlight at Xanten and the airborne Operation Varsity at Wesel, Turnscrew forms the northern prong of the crossing. Its success is vital for securing a foothold on the Rhine’s eastern bank and for disrupting any organised German defence across the northern German Plain.

The primary objective of Operation Turnscrew is to conduct an assault crossing of the Rhine near Rees and to establish a firm bridgehead on the eastern bank. The British XXX Corps, under Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks, is assigned this critical task. The principal force executing the assault is the British 51^st (Highland) Infantry Division, reinforced by a Canadian brigade attached for the operation.

The plan calls for the assault force to cross the river under cover of darkness, seize control of the immediate riverbank, and advance inland approximately 4,500 metres across a front of roughly 3 kilometres. The initial assault focuses on securing three strategically important villages: Klein Esserden, Speldrop, and Bienen. These settlements straddle the main roads running north from Rees and dominate key approaches from the river. Holding them is essential to controlling the local road network and denying the enemy any opportunity to launch an effective counterattack.

The initial tactical aim is to land as many troops as possible on the far bank before the enemy can organise resistance. Once a foothold is achieved, engineers are to ferry follow-on forces and heavy equipment across the river. Amphibious craft and bridging units, some from the specialised 79^th Armoured Division, are prepared to operate under fire to ensure that the bridgehead can be rapidly reinforced.

The success of Turnscrew is crucial for enabling the British Second Army’s advance into northern Germany. By seizing the Rees area and pressing inland, the British open the way for armoured exploitation and establish the northern anchor of a unified Allied lodgement east of the Rhine. Furthermore, by launching an assault slightly to the north of the main crossings at Wesel and Xanten, Turnscrew serves to distract and stretch the German defenders. It forces the Wehrmacht to divide its reserves and dilute any coordinated counteroffensive, thereby increasing the probability of success across the entire Plunder front.

Operation Turnscrew, is carried out by British XXX Corps, commanded by Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks. XXX Corps is responsible for storming the Rhine in the Rees sector, establishing the first Allied bridgehead on the eastern bank, and expanding it under heavy fire. Horrocks, a veteran field commander, oversees the assault with characteristic precision and speed.

At the spearhead of Turnscrew is the 51^st (Highland) Infantry Division, one of the British Army’s most battle-hardened formations. The division is under the command of Major-General Thomas Rennie. The 51^st (Highland) Infantry Division is composed of three infantry brigades:

• 154^th Infantry Brigade leads the first wave of the assault. Its battalions include the 7^th Battalion, Black Watch; 7^th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders; and the 1^st Battalion, Black Watch (in follow-up). These units land at multiple points east of Rees and quickly secure key objectives, including the villages of Esserden, Speldrop, and Bienen. Brigadier C. F. Cassels commands the brigade and is instrumental in directing the assault under intense enemy fire.
• 153^rd Infantry Brigade crosses simultaneously on the right flank. It includes the 1^st and 5/7^th Battalions of the Gordon Highlanders, who are tasked with securing Rees town itself. The 1^st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders fight their way through the rubble-strewn centre of Rees, including engagements in the town cathedral. The 5/7^th Gordon Highlanders clear the surrounding approaches and riverbank areas, overcoming scattered German resistance in urban conditions.
• 152^nd Infantry Brigade crosses after midnight as the third wave, tasked with deepening the bridgehead and pushing towards more distant objectives. Once established east of the river, its battalions move on towns such as Groin and Millingen, clearing them of enemy forces and helping expand the lodgement further inland.

Reinforcing the British assault is the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade, temporarily attached to XXX Corps from the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division. Commanded by Brigadier John Meredith Rockingham. Its consists of three battalions:

• Highland Light Infantry of Canada
• North Nova Scotia Highlanders
• Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders

Once the Turnscrew bridgehead is secured and expanded, additional British formations cross the Rhine to exploit the success and drive the advance into northern Germany. These include the 43^rd (Wessex) Infantry Division, the 3^rd Infantry Division, and the Guards Armoured Division. Two independent armoured brigades also begin crossing once tactical bridges are completed.

These formations, held in reserve on the west bank during the initial assault, are committed as part of the British Second Army’s follow-up forces. Their role is to consolidate gains, reinforce the eastern bank, and spearhead the breakout from the bridgehead. The timely arrival of these fresh units enables Montgomery’s forces to maintain momentum and transition into a full-scale offensive across the North German Plain.

The German defence against Operation Turnscrew falls under the command of Armee Gruppe H, which is responsible for the Netherlands and the Lower Rhine region. As the Allies launch Operation Plunder, Armee Gruppe H, commanded by Colonel General Johannes Blaskowitz, oversees the depleted remnants of several German formations tasked with holding the east bank of the Rhine.

The primary formation facing British XXX Corps at Rees is the 1. Fallschirm-Armee, commanded by Luftwaffe General Alfred Schlemm. Although its designation implies an elite airborne formation, by 1945 the 1. Fallschirm-Armee is composed of a mix of infantry, reserve, and partially reconstituted airborne units. Schlemm accurately anticipates that the Rees sector will be a key axis of attack and positions several divisions along the line.

The front directly facing the British Second Army from Rees down to Wesel is held by II. Fallschirm-Korps, under the command of General Eugen Meindl. This corps includes the 6. Fallschirmjäger-Division, the 7. Fallschirmjäger-Division and the 8. Fallschirmjäger-Division. However, these formations are significantly understrength, collectively numbering only around 10,000 to 12,000 men. Many of the troops are poorly trained replacements, conscripts, or members of the Volkssturm, and Allied accounts frequently remark on the extreme youth of captured soldiers.

The 8. Fallschirmjäger-Division mans the immediate defences at Rees and bears the brunt of the British assault during Operation Turnscrew. Despite their limited experience and resources, these troops fight with stubbornness, especially in heavily fortified villages such as Speldrop and Bienen.

As the scale of the Allied crossing becomes clear, German commanders attempt to commit strategic reserves. LXXXVI Panzer Corps, under General Erich “Hakha” Straube, is responsible for the sector around Wesel and begins mobilising available assets. Army Group H’s mobile reserve, 15. Panzergrenadier-Division, is ordered into action under the operational control of 47th Panzer Corps. Elements of this division, particularly the 115. Panzergrenadier-Regiment, counterattack near Speldrop and along other critical approaches between March 24^th, 1945 and March 25^th, 1945. These efforts delay but cannot reverse the British advance.

Also in reserve is the 116. Panzer-Division “Windhund”, a seasoned armoured formation. However, logistical constraints, lack of fuel, and disrupted communications delay its deployment. By the time the division is able to react, the Allies have already consolidated their bridgeheads and expanded their lodgement.

German forces in the Rees–Wesel sector face dire operational constraints. Air superiority belongs entirely to the Allies, and German units have virtually no Luftwaffe support. Artillery assets are thinly spread and suffer from shortages in ammunition. Armour is scarce, mobility is restricted by fuel shortages, and the vast Allied bombardment in the hours preceding the crossing inflicts significant disruption to command and control.

March 23rd, 1945

At 17:00, Operation Plunder begins with one of the heaviest artillery barrages of the war. Approximately 5,500 Allied guns open fire along a 35-kilometre front, targeting German positions east of the Rhine. In tandem, the Royal Air Force bombs targets around Wesel in a diversionary effort to obscure the true points of crossing. The bombardment is accompanied by a dense 80-kilometre smoke screen, masking the assembly and movement of Allied assault teams on the western bank.

At 21:00, Operation Turnscrew is launched. Major-General Tom Rennie’s 51^st (Highland) Infantry Division initiates the first British assault crossing of the Rhine, striking on the northern flank near Rees. Four assault battalions from the 153^rd Infantry Brigade and the 154^th Infantry Brigade embark in Buffalo amphibious vehicles operated by the 4^th Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment. The 7^th Battalion, Black Watch and the 7^th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders spearhead the landing. Within minutes, they reach the eastern bank and establish initial beachheads, capturing several riverside strongpoints and taking prisoners. The crossing achieves tactical surprise; opposition is minimal, and the assaulting battalions secure their objectives swiftly.

At 22:00, about an hour after Turnscrew commences, Operation Widgeon is launched to the south. The British 1^st Commando Brigade carries out a silent crossing near Wesel. After a massive air bombardment, they seize the ruins of the town, clearing this critical road and rail hub by dawn. Their success protects the southern flank of the Turnscrew bridgehead.

By 23:30, further waves of the 51^st (Highland) Infantry Division begin to cross. Battalions from 153rd Brigade secure positions flanking Rees. The 5/7th Gordon Highlanders clear parts of the town after briefly becoming isolated on an island formed by a loop of the old Rhine channel. The 1^st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders fight through the heavily damaged town centre, where two understrength German parachute battalions are dug in. By sunrise, they have secured Rees, including a strongpoint in the town cathedral, and cleared the adjacent riverbank.

March 24th, 1945

Meanwhile, at 00:00, the British 15^th (Scottish) Infantry Division launches Operation Torchlight at Xanten, south of Rees. Though separate, this crossing is synchronised with Turnscrew as part of Montgomery’s wider plan to assault on a broad front.

At approximately 03:45, elements of the 9^th Canadian Infantry Brigade, under Brigadier J.M. Rockingham, of the II Canadian Corps, begin their crossing under the framework of Operation Turnscrew. The Highland Light Infantry of Canada ride across the river in Buffaloes, landing east of Rees in the pre-dawn darkness. They face only sporadic shellfire and link up with Scottish forces by 05:45, securing the landing zone and reinforcing the expanding bridgehead.

Initial German resistance to the Turnscrew landings is light, with defenders stunned by the pre-assault bombardment. However, as daylight progresses, German forces begin to regroup and mount determined counterattacks.

The village of Speldrop, located roughly 3 kilometres inland, becomes a focal point of the fighting. The 1^st Battalion, Black Watch, having advanced to the village by dawn, is engaged in fierce house-to-house combat with elements of the German 8. Fallschirmjäger-Division. Speldrop commands a key route north from Rees and is considered vital for the Allied breakout. German paratroopers fight with determination to retain control. Reinforcements from the 115. Panzergrenadier-Regiment of the 15. Panzergrenadier-Division are rushed to the scene and counterattack aggressively. The 1^st Battalion, Black Watch, under mounting pressure, is forced to withdraw after suffering 81 casualties, including five officers.

In response, Brigadier Rockingham commits the full strength of the 9^th Canadian Infantry Brigade to relieve the Scots and recapture the village. Under cover of a smokescreen, the exhausted Black Watch withdraws, and the Highland Light Infantry of Canada resumes the assault on Speldrop, supported by the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders and the North Nova Scotia Highlanders. A pitched battle ensues, with intense close-quarters fighting. By the afternoon, the Canadians secure the village, eliminating the last German holdouts and stabilising the front.

At 10:00, Operation Varsity is launched in daylight. Two airborne divisions, the British 6^th Airborne and the U.S. 17^th Airborne Division, parachute east of the Rhine near Hamminkeln. Despite flak and heavy fighting on the drop zones, the paratroopers secure vital roads and villages on the flanks of the bridgeheads. By late afternoon, the 15^th (Scottish) Infantry Division from the Torchlight sector links up with airborne units, sealing the success of the airborne assault.

Meanwhile, in the U.S. Ninth Army’s sector south of Wesel, American forces conduct their own crossings under Operation Flashpoint. The U.S. 30^th Infantry Division and 79^th Infantry Division establish a firm lodgement east of the river and meet only light resistance. By nightfall, U.S. engineers have completed tactical bridges, allowing armour to begin crossing in force.

Further north, the 7^th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of 154^th Infantry Brigade push towards Bienen, another fortified German strongpoint. Resistance here is even more tenacious. German paratroopers defend every building, and artillery support proves ineffective due to the proximity of the fighting. The North Nova Scotia Highlanders join the battle, incurring heavy losses in brutal urban combat. By the morning of March 26^th, 1945, Bienen is finally subdued, marking the completion of this critical objective.

Major-General Thomas Rennie, is killed, while personally directing operations on the front line. Following his death, command passes to Major-General Gordon MacMillan.

March 25th, 1945 –

By March 25^th, 1945, the Anglo-Canadian forces involved in Operation Turnscrew have firmly established their position on the eastern bank. Though sporadic fighting continues, the bulk of organised German resistance has collapsed. The entire 9^th Canadian Infantry Brigade is now across the Rhine, reinforcing the bridgehead and securing its northern flank. Allied engineers work rapidly to construct permanent crossings at Rees, despite intermittent German artillery fire.

March 27th, 1945

Allied engineers have constructed several pontoon and Bailey bridges across the Rhine in the Rees–Xanten sector, including a Class 40 Bailey bridge capable of supporting tanks and heavy vehicles.

The combined British and Canadian bridgehead, joined with that of the 15^th (Scottish) Infantry Division at Xanten, extends roughly 56 kilometres in width and over 30 kilometres in depth. With the Rhine barrier breached, Montgomery’s forces transition from the Plunder crossing phase into a full-scale offensive across northern Germany. Operation Turnscrew has succeeded in its objectives: securing a firm foothold east of the Rhine, neutralising German counterattack capacity in the Rees sector, and enabling a rapid Allied advance into the German interior.

Aftermath

Operation Turnscrew succeeds in achieving its strategic objectives and plays a pivotal role in the overall success of Operation Plunder. By securing a firm bridgehead east of the Rhine at Rees, the British Second Army enables the rapid construction of bridges and the swift movement of men, vehicles, and materiel into Germany. Despite fierce fighting in key locations, particularly at Speldrop and Bienen, the Allied forces hold the ground and repel multiple German counterattacks.

The British 51^st (Highland) Infantry Division, supported by the 9^th Canadian Infantry Brigade, suffers significant losses, including the death of Major-General Tom Rennie, killed by mortar fire while directing operations on March 24^th, 1945. Hundreds of casualties are sustained during the engagements around Rees and the inland villages. Nonetheless, when considered against the scale and complexity of the operation, losses are lower than feared.

Across the entire Plunder offensive, including the American crossings to the south and Operation Varsity, Allied casualties total approximately 6,700: around 3,970 British and Canadian, and 2,813 American. In the Turnscrew sector alone, the 51^st (Highland) Infantry Division captures hundreds of German prisoners during the initial assault. For instance, the 7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders take over 100 prisoners at their first objective, while the Gordon Highlanders secure 70 more within Rees town.

The 51^st (Highland) Infantry Division and the Canadian 9th Infantry Brigade continue their advance north and east, pressing the retreating German formations. In the ensuing days, Allied units liberate towns throughout the Lower Rhine region and initiate a rapid push towards Bremen and the North Sea. The success at Rees effectively cuts off remaining German units west of the river, contributing directly to the isolation and eventual encirclement of German forces in the Ruhr Pocket. In concert with U.S. formations advancing from the south, this manoeuvre traps a large portion of the German Arme Gruppe B, delivering a major strategic blow

Operation Turnscrew is a decisive success. It secures the Rees bridgehead, facilitates the construction of crossings for follow-on forces, and neutralises a key portion of the German 1. Fallschirm-Armee. It also hastens the destruction of the Ruhr defences and contributes materially to the Allied victory in Europe. The operation’s success is due not only to superior planning and firepower but to the determination and sacrifice of the British and Canadian infantry who forced the Rhine under fire and held their ground against counterattack. Their actions at Rees are remembered as a vital contribution to the Allied victory in the final phase of the Second World War.

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