154 BRIGADE OPERATIONS
In the confused fighting which had taken place, it had been impossible to get everyone out of Speldrop when 1st Black Watch withdrew from it and elements a second platoon were cut off and had be left in the village. When Speldrop was re-taken in the late evening, it was found that the few survivors of the cut-off platoons were still holding out gallantly under Lieut. R. T. Henderson and had inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy throughout the day and prevented any enemy reinforcements using the main road to Rees where heavy fighting was taking place in the 153 Brigade . For his most courageous conduct Lieut. Henderson was awarded the D.S.O.
During the morning the Argylls had been passed through the left of 1st Black Watch sector and their advance from Kl Esserden towards Bienen had been making considerable progress throughout the day against determined resistance. By 16.00 hours they had reached the southern approaches of Bienen and stiff fighting went on in the Battalion area for the remainder of the day.
During the day the Division suffered a very heavy loss when its Commander, Major General T. G. Rennie, CB., D.S.O., M.B.E., was killed by a shell soon after leaving 154 Brigade headquarters. General Rennie had proved himself be a magnificent Divisional Commander and was, in every way, a worthy successor to General D. N. Wimberley who had commanded the Division with such distinction in North Africa and Sicily. General Rennie was an ex-Commander 154 Brigade, having commanded it during the latter part f the North African campaign and also in Sicily. An appreciation which the Brigade Commander, who had served under General Rennie when the latter was a CO., Brigade Commander and Divisional Commander, wrote for "The Times" about General Rennie is included as Part 3 of this chapter.
General Rennie was succeeded in command of the Division by Major General G. H. A. MacMillan, CB., CRE., D.S.O., M.C, who had commanded 152 Brigade in the Sicilian campaign before being appointed to command 15th Scottish Division, with whom he had been wounded in the early stages of the campaign in Normandy.
The H.L.I. of Canada had crossed the river, under Brigade command, during the morning and had since been held in reserve near the river bank. When the attack by 1st Black Watch against Speldrop was unsuccessful far a second time, the Brigade Commander decided to use the H.L.I. of Canada in a full scale deliberate attack against Speldrop, strongly supported by as much artillery as could be made available. This attack was launched in the late evening, behind a very heavy artillery barrage, and the Canadians made good progress. By midnight they had captured Bienen and had linked up with the remnants of the platoons 1st Black Watch still holding out there.
During the night 24th/25th March, 7th Black Watch were relieved by a Battalion of 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade and came into Brigade reserve. At 05.00 hours an 25th March the Argylls were heavily counter-attacked south of Bienen but by 06.30 hours this attack had been successfully beaten off.
During 25th March the Brigade was relieved of its responsibilities in its sector by 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade, as it had been decided that the Corps thrust northwards would now be made on a two Division front with 51st Division on the right, in the Rees sector, and another Division on the left in the area where 154 Brigade had been operating.
2. FINAL PHASES OF OPERATION "PLUNDER"
25th March 1945 to 30th March 1945
153 BRIGADE had been successful in establishing its bridgehead around Rees and 152 Brigade had been passed through them and had advanced northwards on the axis of the Rees-Isselburg road. As all battalions of both these Brigades were fully employed holding the perimeter of the bridgehead, 154 Brigade was ordered to open up the Divisional axis leading out of the bridgehead towards Isselburg and was given the immediate task of clearing all enemy from the south side of a small stream which flows through Empel on the main road to Isselburg. If the enemy opposed the crossing over this obstacle, arrangements were then to be made for the Brigade to force a crossing over it the following night, by which time another Brigade would be ready to pass through 154 Brigade's bridgehead and continue the Divisional advance northwards. The attack commenced at 22.00 hours on 25th March, 7th Black Watch being given the initial task of closing up to the water obstacle at Empel and, if possible, of seizing the bridge there if it was still intact. 1st Black Watch was held in readiness to pass through 7th Black Watch if the bridge was captured and it appeared that the bridgehead could be established that night. Very considerable artillery support was provided and initially the attack went very well. By 23.30 hours 7th Black Watch were up to the water obstacle and had ascertained that the bridge was intact. One company was ordered to cross the bridge with a view to establishing a small bridgehead on the far side, but immediately it started to cross it met, at close range, extremely heavy and accurate small arms fire from the village of Empel and was also shelled and mortared and suffered severe casualties. Little progress was made and at 01.30 hours on 26th March the Brigade Commander ordered 7th Black Watch to cease their attempts to force a crossing that night and if possible to prevent the bridge from being blown by keeping it covered at close range from the south side.
History Section Reference :
Rhine Crossing
Museum Reference :
Documents - Rhine Crossing