Until the railway bridges could be brought into operation, maintenance depended entirely on road transport. The XXX Corps Troops Engineers commenced work on the "Lambeth" class 15 Bailey pontoon bridge at 15:00 on 24 March, but work was frequently interrupted by German fire, and the bridge was not opened until 08:30 on 26 March. [82][84], It was recognised in the planning of Operation Plunder that the maintenance of the floating bridges over the Rhine would require more engineers than could be spared from the campaign ahead. The extensive use of the German archives is commendable."--Ian F. W. Beckett, editor of Citizen Soldiers and the British Empire, 1837-1902 "Speiser provides a well-researched, lively account of how, not always successfully, after 1945 the British attempted to use their Rhine Army to win German hearts and minds. The Making of the British Army: From the English Civil War to the War on Terror. The next major operation was Operation Plunderthe assault crossing of the Rhine. By this time a thaw had set in, and the ground was now soft and muddy, restricting off-road vehicle movement. Post war First Corps District administered Rhine Province and Westphalia. [87], Stocking of No. The 21st Army Group asked for four base supply depots (BSDs), six field bakeries, three field butcheries, a cold storage depot and two detail issue depots (DIDs). [2] Composition [ edit] The installations consist of: [3] Normandy Barracks, Paderborn Headquarters, British Army Germany: Germany Enabling Office (GEO); Germany Support Unit. [18], Eisenhower ordered Montgomery to resume his preparations for Operation Veritable, the objective of which was to defeat the German forces west of the Rhine. [28], On 15 February, the region south of the Seine under British administration by 5th Line of Communications Sub Area and the 101st Beach Sub Area were reduced to the ports of Caen and Ouistreham and the depots around them, while that administered by the 9th Line of Communications Sub Area was handed over to the US Communications Zone, as was the region between the Somme and the Seine administered by the 6th Line of Communications Sub Area, except for the city of Amiens. A. [7] Following a further spending review, one brigade was withdrawn and Osnabrck Garrison closed in 2009. Dorsten Ammunition Depot munitions storage facility. History of the british army of the rhine 06 09 14. [46] There were 350 different types of ammunition in all. Supplies and POL were stocked at Eindhoven; POL at Schijndel; ammunition at Veghel, Uden, Oss and Wijchen; road material at Mill; coal at Best; and bridging at 's-Hertogenbosch. This badge was adopted in 1940. [18], The British Army Germany rugby union team regularly played games against emerging rugby nations like Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg. What military bases are left in Germany? 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. Some 10,000 tonnes (10,000 long tons) of wooden piles, baulks and chesses was assembled for the project. It took part in the Overlord invasion of Europe in 1944 and through to the end of war in Germany. [88][93], Dumbo surpassed its target of 1million imperial gallons (4.5million litres) (about 3,620 tonnes (3,560 long tons)) per day on 15 March 1945, and by 3 April the Dumbo lines were delivering 4,500 long tons (4,600t) a day. von | Jun 17, 2022 | tornadoes of 1965 | | Jun 17, 2022 | tornadoes of 1965 | [89][90], Despite this, stocks at the Nos. The bivouac areas were provided with temporary billets, latrines, emergency rations and fuel, and medical teams and vehicle maintenance crews were on hand. As a result, vehicles owned by personnel ceased to have distinct registration plates, which had made them easily identifiable. The 3rd Canadian Division made use of Buffalo tracked amphibious vehicles. [28], It was estimated that seven line of communications sub area headquarters would be required to support the advance into Germany. A thematic study on how the British Army imagined the use of tactical nuclear weapons in land combat. [24], The Combined Chiefs further decided to reinforce Eisenhower's armies in North West Europe at the expense of those in the Mediterranean. [95][92] To take pressure off the roads, the 21st Army Group placed an air composite platoon capable of receiving and handling up to 510 tonnes (500 long tons) per day under the Second Army's control. [92] There was an additional allocation of 5,100 tonnes (5,000 long tons) of road transport for the drive to the Baltic Sea on 26 April, and another 2,700 tonnes (2,700 long tons) was received by the end of the month. Contents 1 History 1.1 1919-1929 This was after British forces personnel were scaled down over several years, with 19,100 in April 2010, and 2,850 in April 2019. [1] The General Officer Commanding UKSC(G) also functioned as head of the British Forces Liaison Organisation (Germany), which was responsible for liaising and maintaining relations with German civil authorities. A 229-metre (751ft) class 40 Bailey pontoon bridge was erected by the 7th Army Troops Engineers at Well and a 270-metre (880ft) one by the 6th Army Troops Engineers at Lottum was opened for traffic on 10 March. BRITISH ALLIES ARMY RAF. Both formations had areas of responsibility located around the German section of the River Rhine . This involved prodigious use of ammunition, fuel and equipment, which in turn demanded a first-class military logistics system. It was also feared for a time that the skeleton FMC was in danger of being inundated, although it was sited on high ground. Bulk demands for artillery equipment, clothing and general stores were sent periodically by the formation's R.C.O.C. In February, a French fuel installation was opened at Douai, and this was used to supply the Royal Air Force (RAF) airfields in the vicinity. Store Equipment Fleet (Germany) store of vehicles and other equipment for exercises and operations around Europe. Depots and stocks remaining in the RMA were transferred to the control of the War Office. The armoured divisions also carried a day's worth of AFV ration packs. In 1947 all Batteries except those of the Royal Horse Artillery were placed on a single roll. B.A.R. Select from premium British Army Of The Rhine of the highest quality. 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. It was originally composed of five corps, composed of two divisions each, plus a cavalry division:[1], IV Corps: Commanded by Sir Alexander Godley, VI Corps: Commanded by Sir Aylmer Haldane, IX Corps: Commanded by Sir Walter Braithwaite and later by Ivor Maxse, Cavalry Division (formed from 1st Cavalry Division). Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. 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 . 2019 Ted Fund Donors [59][60] Ammunition for the 25-pounders was based on 1,500 rounds per gun. This was never satisfactorily implemented, and confusion and duplication was created by the same requests for additional ammunition being made through multiple channels. [102] Lend Lease aid from the United States and a high degree of industrial mobilisation provided the equipment and materiel. 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. [27], On 10 February, the 5th Canadian Armoured Division loaded its 450 tanks and 320 Bren gun carriers on flat wagons in Rimini and Riccione, from whence they moved by rail to Leghorn. Its original function was to control the corps districts which were running the military government of the British zone of Allied-occupied Germany.After the assumption of government by civilians, it became the command formation for the troops in Germany only, rather than being responsible for . British Army of the Rhine There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine ( BAOR ). The problem had been foreseen, and replacements were available on the ordnance depots. Lorries then took them to the dispersal point at Renaix via Lyon and Dijon, guided by road markers that read "GF". This merely delayed work on the bridge, which was opened to traffic at 20:15. 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 tracks of Sherman tanks were equipped with "duck bill" connectors to facilitate advancing across snow and soft ground. british army of the rhine bases . 1st/4th and 9th battalions of the Seaforths were with the Rhine Army in 1919. british army of the rhine bases. We are pleased to announce that Eureka Miniatures UK will once again be attending the hugely popular SALUTE at ExCeL, London on Saturday 22nd April 2023. They only operated until newly constructed bridges were able to take traffic, which occurred about 72 hours into the operation. [44] For security reasons, troop movements had to be conducted at night. A request from the 21st army Group for additional resources to support the redeployed formations was rejected by the War Office; any additional support units required had to either be drawn from the Mediterranean or supplied by the 21st Army Group. CENTAG consisted, from north to south, of III GE Corps, V US Corps, VII US Corps, and II (GE) Corps in the extreme . Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery's 21st Army Group consisted of the General Harry Crerar's First Canadian Army and Lieutenant General Sir Miles Dempsey's British Second Army. By January 1945, some 90,000 civilians were employed by the 21st Army Group, of whom half were employed in workshops in the advanced base, and 14,000 at the port of Antwerp. British Army Germany was formed in 2020 to administer the remaining service personnel, UK Civil Servants, and dependents (family members), based in Germany.[2]. Alpine Training Centre (ATC) Hubertus-Haus this installation provides facilities and activities, including rock climbing, kayaking, paragliding, sailing, mountain biking, and winter sports, under the auspices of the Adventurous Training Foundation Delivery (AFTD), and is maintained by military and civil personnel. As was written earlier we are constantly searching for information, and adding or updating pages. New search features Acronym Blog Free tools . This came from the reorganisation of the line of communications, and additional general transport companies arriving from Italy through Operation Goldflake. Petrol, oil and lubricants (POL) was brought by ships and the Operation Pluto pipeline from the UK at a rate of 15,000 tonnes (15,000 long tons) per day, of which 3,000 tonnes (3,000 long tons) was over the pipelines, and delivered by barge and pipeline to the army roadheads. The two corps stocked their FMCs by road, but the completion of repairs to the 1,222-metre (4,008ft) bridge over the Maas at Gennep by the 7th Army Troops Engineers on 20 March relieved the pressure on the one at Grave, and it became possible to move the railhead to within the No. [58], The next major operation was Operation Plunderthe assault crossing of the Rhine. Contents 1 History The 6th Line of Communications Sub Area was earmarked to take over the administration of the port of Rotterdam when it was captured. The first British bridge across the river was the class 9 FBE bridge, known as "Twist", in the XII Corps area, which was erected by the VIII Corps Troops Engineers in ten hours on 24 March. 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). [3], The 21st Army Group's campaign in North West Europe had commenced with Operation Overlord, the Allied landings in Normandy on D-Day, 6 June 1944. [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]. It did not remove the need from road transport entirely though, and XXX Corps found that the First Canadian Army was unable to provide any additional resources. The second British Army on the Rhine was formed on 25 August 1945 from 21st Army Group. Some of the ammunition that had earlier been dumped was to be made inaccessible by flood waters. A broad look at the cultural attitudes of the British army and its relationship with wider society. Only the class 70 bridges would take a loaded tank transporter. [62], Once the link-up with the ground forces was effected, the 6th Airborne Division drew its supplies from XII Corps, while the US 17th Airborne Division drew its from the US Ninth Army. Branch British Army. 12 and 14 Army Roadheads were being run down. These two photos were taken in late 1956 by Lab Tech Cpl Peter Elgar: [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. Following the war the BLA was redesignated to become the British Army of the Rhine in August . At the beginning of March 1945, the 21st Army Group had bulk petrol transport capacity of about 2,700 tonnes (2,700 long tons) per day, assuming 80 per cent of the vehicles were running. A double issue of Expeditionary Force Institutes stores was made to all participating units. The Dumbo pipeline was extended from Boulogne to Antwerp in March. Deliveries of ammunition averaged 4,800 tonnes (4,700 long tons) per day, peaking at 9,300 tonnes (9,150 long tons) on 25 March. The 690-metre (2,250ft) class 40 and 70 steel-piled jetty bridges were built at Arnhem by the First Canadian Army engineers, and opened on 31 May, and the 440-metre (1,450ft) class 40 and class 70 timber pile bridges at Zutphen were completed on 26 May. Read reviews from the world's largest community for readers. 167 FMC, established by the XXX Corps which held only petrol, compo ration packs and ammunition. British logistics in the Western Allied invasion of Germany was the support of Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery's Anglo-Canadian 21st Army Group and the RAF Second Tactical Air Force operations in the Second World War from 8 January 1945 until the end of the war in Europe on 8 May 1945. It was the largest concentration of British armed forces permanently stationed outside the United Kingdom. During the Great War (1914-1918) approximately 900,000 men, a quarter of the whole Army. [43] Over 2.5 million rounds of 25-pounder ammunition was made available for Operation Veritable. The aim was to re-establish patrols in these areas and flush out paramilitaries from urban bases. Army personnel will be permanently based in the country where the UK is retaining the 45-square mile Sennelager Training Area, which provides both UK and NATO forces with an expansive live firing. [47] As it was thought that vehicle movement in the battle area would be restricted by the weather, terrain and battle damage, units were issued with "compo" ration packs for up to two-thirds of a formation's strength, and the divisions and independent brigades were also supplied with two-, three- and five-man "AFV" ration packs in case the distribution of compo packs proved to be too difficult. [19] He intended to make the main Allied effort in the north, in the 21st Army Group's sector. On 4 May Montgomery took the surrender of the German forces in front of the 21st Army Group. [32][34], To free up administrative units to support the advance into Germany, it was decided to shorten the line of communications by closing down the RMA in Normandy, where some 300,000 long tons (300,000t) of supplies were still held. 16 Army Roadhead from railtails around Bocholt using captured rolling stock and locomotives. [26], The headquarters of the 9th Line of Communications Area was transferred to Paris to assist the American Communications Zone with the move. 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. London: Bantam, 2009. [98] By May the ration strength of the 21st Army Group had risen to 1.711 million. Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after World War I, and the other after World War II. All this week on Forces TV we are focusing on 'Rebasing' from Germany, as the countdown to drawdown steps up a gear. CONTENTS OF EMAILS MAY BE DISPLAYED ON THIS SITE (BUT IN AN ENCRYPTED FORMAT TO DETER SPAMMERS) TO BENEFIT HISTORY. Due to changing operational requirements, it was ultimately decided to build only three semi-permanent class 40 bridges, at Xanten, Rees and Arnhem, and two class 70 bridges, at Rees and Arnhem. Download Citation | The British Army of the Rhine | The British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) began life in 1945 as a postwar administrative headquarters deployed in support of the civilian authority . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War. Your current browser may not support copying via this button. [100], In the campaign in North West Europe in 1945, Montgomery sought to defeat Germany and ensure a prominent British role in the postwar political organisation of Europe. The class 40 timber pile bridge at Zanten, known as "Dempsey" was built by the 18th GHQ Troops Engineers and was opened on 26 May. The Mediterranean theatre was only able to provide two field bakeries. [63] Their initial drop of the 6th Airborne Division was conducted by 683 aircraft and 444 General Aircraft Hamilcar and Airspeed Horsa gliders, while that of the US 17th Airborne Division used 913 aircraft and 906 Hadrian gliders. ORIGINAL 1943 RAF WILHELMSHAVEN GERMANY MAP WAR BRITISH ARMY MILITARY WWII WW2. [2] Although it contained personnel nations, the logistical support was British. A special effort was made to ensure that all units had their full allowance of winter and protective clothing. 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. [45] No. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003. The best introduction to the regimental system of the British army. IF YOU WOULD PREFER TO STAY ANONYMOUS OR KEEP ALL CONTENTS PRIVATE PLEASE STATE THIS CLEARLY ON SUBMISSION: All rights reserved. There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine (BAOR). After an advance which was thoroughly resisted, the British formations, along with the Canadians and Americans advanced into the German counties of Nordrhein-Westfalen, Niedersachsen and Schleswig-Holstein . The British Army, Manpower, and Society into the Twenty-First Century. [37] Operation Veritable was scheduled to commence on 8 February, but the date for Operation Grenade could not be set, as it depended on the capture of dams on the Roer further south by the US First Army. [14], In autumn 2019, British Forces Germany effectively closed,[15] with the last military base handed back to the German Bundeswehr in February 2020. There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine (BAOR). Railway units were moved forward, and only one railway group headquarters and two railway operating companies were left in France, Belgium and the Netherlands south of the Waal. [45], Stocks of ammunition were built up at No. During the two-hour rail halt, the troops were served a hot meal and provided with sandwiches for the next one. An emergency repair effort was conducted, and many were shipped direct from the workshops to the front lines. this page. Find British Army Of The Rhine stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. XXX Corps opened a new No. 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. It was estimated that six one-way class 40 and two one-way class 70 pile bridges would be needed. Mallinson, Allan. Disbandment of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) and Royal Air Force Germany (RAFG) in 1994, following the end of the Cold War and the Options for Change defence review in the early 1990s, reduced the strength of the British Armed Forces in Germany by almost 30,000 with just one division (1st Armoured) remaining by the late 1990s, [7] Home; About. The attacks resulted in the deaths of nine people, including three civilians, and many wounded. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}520734N 84059E / 52.12611N 8.68306E / 52.12611; 8.68306. I Canadian Corps advanced on Utrecht, supported by No. Corps Water Polo Championships, BAOR (British Army of the Rhine)Team Winners, Aldershot. A.G.B. [78] The 21st Army Group headquarters also allocated three additional general transport companies to the British Second Army. [6], Disbandment of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) and Royal Air Force Germany (RAFG) in 1994, following the end of the Cold War and the Options for Change defence review in the early 1990s, reduced the strength of the British Armed Forces in Germany by almost 30,000 with just one division (1st Armoured) remaining by the late 1990s,[7] concentrated in North Rhine-Westphalia. 19191929. [86] At Rees steel-piled class 40 and class 70 jetty bridges 490 metres (1,600ft) long and known as "Tyne" and "Tees" were built by the 50th GHQ Troops Engineers, and were opened on 23 May. A request for an increase in the theatre reserves from 28 to 51 days was approved by the War Office, but it was not possible to increase the stockpile of ammunition, as this was already being shipped at the maximum rate. Adjutant Generals Base AGDU Army Guard Dog Unit AGR Army General Reserve A.G.R.A. No. Evolution of the organisation of the 21st Army Group line of communications, British logistics in the Western Allied invasion of Germany, Development of the line of communications, British logistics in the Western Allied Invasion of Germany, Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation, British logistics in the Normandy campaign, British logistics in the Siegfried Line campaign, Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Supply and Maintenance on the European Continent, Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War, XVIII Corps (Airborne), Operation the Elbe to the Baltic, 27 April 1945 to 3 May 1945, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=British_logistics_in_the_Western_Allied_invasion_of_Germany&oldid=1141771057, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 18:30.
