September 1944

Western Europe

In the Canadian 1st Army's II Corps area, the Canadian 3rd Division, with strong air and artillery support, begins what will be a 6-day battle for Boulogne, making slow progress against strong fortifications. The British I Corps, taking over in the Antwerp sector from the British 2nd Army, immediately starts to clear the Schelde Estuary in order to open the port of Antwerp. The Canadian 2nd Division, upon relief at Dunkerque by the 4th Special Service Brigade, moves to Antwerp where it relieves the XII Corps of the task of clearing the dock area north of the city. The 49th Division is disposed on the right flank of the corps. The 51st Division has been left behind at Le Havre so that its transport may be used by other units.

In the British 2nd Army's British 1st Airborne Corps area, the 1st Allied Airborne Army drops the 1st Airborne Corps, consisting of the British 1st Airborne Division (with a Polish Parachute Brigade) and the US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, in Holland to secure an axis of advance toward the Zuider Zee for the British 2nd Army. The airborne operation (MARKET), undertaken in daylight, H Hour being 1300, with strong air support and cover, achieves tactical surprise and at first evokes little opposition. This is the largest Allied airborne operation to be mounted thus far. Approximately 20,000 troops land from aircraft and gliders. Losses in transport planes and gliders are only 2.8%.

The British 1st Airborne Division, with the task of seizing 3 briges over the Neder Rijn (Lower Rhine) at Arnhem, drops as planned some 8 miles from the bridges, giving the enemy valuable time, however, to move forward panzser troops already assembled near Arnhem. A small force of less than a battalion from the airborne division succeeds in taking the north end of the highway bridge and is then isolated. The Germans destroy the other 2 bridges.

The US 82nd Airborne Division, charged with seizing bridges and the commanding ground in the Nijmegen-Grave region, takes the Maas bridge at Grave and the Maas-Waal Canal bridge at Heumen, as well as the commanding ground of the Nijmegen-Groesbeek ridge. They push into Nijmegen, narrowly missing the chance to take the highway bridge there before German reinforcements arrive.

The US 101st Airborne Division is assigned the task of capturing the bridges at Veghel and Son, north of Eindhoven. The Veghel bridges are taken with little difficulty but the Germans blow the one at Son just as the paratroops are approaching it. A footbridge is improvised at Son over which paratroops cross to drive toward Eindhoven.

XXX Corps, spearheading the assault northward by ground forces (GARDEN), attacks from the Meuse-Escaut Canal bridgehead toward Eindhoven with the Guards Armored Division in the lead during the afternoon. Despite a narrow zone of attack, which is confined almost to the highway by terrain, reaches Valkenswaard. On the flank of the corps, the VIII and XII Corps prepare for further crossings of the Meuse-Escaut Canal, with the XII Corps starting across near Lommel during the night of the 17th.

In the VIII Corps area, continuing the Battle for Brest, the 29th Division clears eastward to the Penfeld River while the 2nd Division, to the right, gets alements across the old city wall. The 8th Division, clearing the Crozon Peninsula, reaches the town of Crozon.

In the XIX Corps area, the 2nd Armored Division expands the bridgeheads at Meerssen and Valkenburg, forcing the enemy back toward Sittard. The 30th Division takes Heerlen on the left and cross the German border east of Simpelveld on the right.

In the VII Corps area, the Germans, having moved up a fresh division, make determined counterattacks against the corps. The 16th Infantry of the 1st Division and CCA of the 3rd Armored Division, forewarned by a heavy artillery barrage, turn the enemy back and inflict heavy losses. CCB of the 3rd Armored Division takes Weissenberg Hill before being counterattacked so strongly that it falls back a little. TF Hogan is sent to its aid. A patrol of the 47th Infantry, 9th Division, spots the Germans forming for an attack in Gressenich and takes them under fire when they emerge into the open with devastating results to the enemy. Corps activity after this subsides to limited actions, largely on the southern flank in the zone of the 9th Division.

In the V Corps area, the 4th Division, after further costly efforts to get to the edge of the Schnee Eifel forest and to take Brandscheid, almost succeeding in each case, calls off the offensive and passes to agressive defense. The 28th Division brings sharp reaction from the enemy while attempting to advance its almost static line. The 5th Armoed Division withdraws its Pruem bridgehead at Wettlingen. CCR holds against a determined tank-infantry counterattack aimed at eliminating its Wallendorf salient.

In the XX Corps area, Gen Walker issues a tentative plan for an air-ground offensive in the Metz area, Operation THUNDERBOLT. The 90th Division continues limited attacks west of Metz against increasingly strong resistance. Since the price is exceedingly high and the gains minute, it is decided to halt attacks in this sector. The Germans counterattack between the 10th and 11th Regiments of the 5th Division in the Arnaville bridgehead but are driven off. Hill 245, east of Marieulles, falls to the 2nd Infantry. CCA, 7th Armored Division, assisted by elements of CCB, takes Marieulles. Upon relief there the 5th Division is withdrawn to reserve. CCR and CCB are ordered to continue to attack toward the Seille River.

XII Corps forms a task force under Gen Sebree of the 35th Division, consisting of CCB, 6th Armored Division--which has not yet arrived in the corps zone--and the 134th Infantry, to clear Bois de Faulx and Bois de la Rumont in conjunction with the 80th Division. TF Sebree, without waiting for CCB, begins an attack to clear the enemy from a plateau northeast of Nancy late in the day. The 80th Division is laboriously clearing the bridgehead area and preparing for a future offensive. The 4th Armored Division is to regroup for an attack northeastward toward the Rhine River and Darmstadt, this city replacing Mannheim as the corps objective. CCB of the 4th Armored Division, attacking toward Nomeny to assist the 80th Division in breaking out of the bridgehead, makes such slow progress that it is ordered to halt. On the south flank of the corps, the enemy is infiltrating into Lunéville, which, however, remains in American hands.

In the XV Corps area, cavalry of the French 2nd Armored Division makes contact with the French II Corps of the 7th Army while patrolling near Bains-les-Bains, southwest of Epinal. With the arrival of CCB, 6th Armored Division, which relieves CCD in the Chaumont area, the XV Corps' flank protection mission is limited to the region between the Meuse and the Moselle. The French 2nd Armored Division, less CCL and cavalry, closes along the west bank of the Moselle south of the 79th Division.

In the VI Corps area, the 36th and 3rd Divisions are pushing northward toward the Moselle at Remiremont against delaying opposition. The 45th Division awaits relief by the French on the right flank of the corps.