british army of the rhine bases british army of the rhine bases

Start reading The British Army of the Rhine for free online and get access to an unlimited library of academic and non-fiction books on Perlego. This had been scheduled to occur on 20 March 1945, but in early February it was brought forward to 20 February. 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. The British 6th Airborne Division was withdrawn to the UK and re-equipped there, but its seaborne tail had to be re-equipped by the 21st Army Group. Strachan, Hew, ed. [8], Administrative support for British service personnel in Germany and across continental Europe was delegated to United Kingdom Support Command (Germany), (UKSC(G)). [98] By May the ration strength of the 21st Army Group had risen to 1.711 million. There were doubts as to whether this need could be met, but the situation was eased by the fortuitous arrival of 4,700 tonnes (4,600 long tons) of ammunition that had been pre-loaded on some of the transport that had been allocated by the 21st Army Group. This involved prodigious use of ammunition, fuel and equipment, which in turn demanded a first-class military logistics system. Garrisons which closed at this time included Soest (home of the 6th Armoured Brigade),[8] Soltau (home of the 7th Armoured Brigade)[9] and Minden (home of the 11th Armoured Brigade).[10]. 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. The British Army of the Rhine was born in 1945 out of the British Liberation Army at the close of the war as the military government of the British zone of occupied Germany. An allocation of 300 tonnes (300 long tons) per day was made, but owing to competing American demands, the use of aircraft to repatriate liberated American, British and Commonwealth ex-prisoners of war (PWX), and a somewhat cumbersome procedure for requesting air deliveries, the tonnage of air freight never reached this level, averaging just 145 tonnes (143 long tons) per day for the month of April. 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. To conserve scarce manpower, the British and Canadian forces employed mechanisation and materiel to maximum effect. 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. The 5 miles (8.0km) of the Nijmegen-Cleve road was under 610 millimetres (24in) of water, and DUKWs were employed to move supplies forward along it to a "skeleton" FMC, No. Three bridges were constructed there, but by the time they opened II Canadian Corps already had its three Canadian divisions across the Rhine. 36 British_army_of_the_rhine Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images Happily, we were posted to the British Army of the Rhine, in my case, to 282 (Welsh) Field Company, RE, in the 63rd (Welsh) Division. Stores still required by the 21st Army Group were moved forward to the new advanced base, and the rest returned to the War Office for disposal. The British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) was formed at the conclusion of World War II from various units of the British 21st Army Group. A new type was flown out direct from the UK factory by priority air freight and fitted to the tanks. 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 British presence was estimated to have been contributing 1.5 billion euros annually to the German economy in 2004. British Army of the Rhine - BAOR Locations The British Army of the Rhine - DocuWiki [55], Rising flood waters soon created difficulties. The history of BAOR, then, is not simply a history of an army formation. It was estimated that six one-way class 40 and two one-way class 70 pile bridges would be needed. 10 Army Roadhead commenced on 13 April, and the first train arrived at No. [11] The first phase of this was the transfer of remaining stores to the advanced base. Not only was the 21st Army Group fighting alongside the much larger American armies, it had to deal with a severe shortage of manpower. [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. On the other hand, the 21st Army Group held sufficient stocks of POL to accede to a request from SHAEF to allocate 73,000 long tons (74,000t) of petrol for US use. [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. The Commander-in-Chief of BAOR also served as the commander of NATO's northern Army Group, and as such had Dutch and German units under command in the event of war. [62] XII Corps allocated sixty DUKWs each to the 6th Airborne Division, US 17th Airborne Division and the 15th Infantry Division; thirty were in corps reserve, nine were designated for casualty evacuation and six for the Royal Engineers. [73] In XXX Corps, all DUKWs were retained under corps control. Exercising troops technical accommodation. british army of the rhine bases. [55][56][57], With Antwerp in operation, some supplies were now coming directly from the United States. Select from premium British Army Of The Rhine of the highest quality. [2] With the end of the Cold War, and the Options for Change defence review in the early 1990s, BFG as a whole was considerably reduced, with the British presence centred on the 1st Armoured Division, and supporting elements. Recourse was therefore made to Weasel tracked vehicles, and every available Weasel was rushed to the front. Each man crossing the Rhine was issued with a 24-hour ration, an emergency ration, a tin of preserved meat, a tin of self-heating soup or cocoa, a packet of biscuits and a tommy cooker with six hexamine tablets. [52], Special tracks were provided for the Bren gun carriers to prevent skidding on icy roads, but these had to be withdrawn when it was discovered that they caused excessive wear and tear on their suspensions. 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). It was arranged that 40 tanks, 650 wheeled vehicles, 50 Bren gun carriers, and 3,700 personnel would disembark each day in Marseilles, where accommodation was provided for 10,000 troops in tents and 200 vehicles. 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. Country United Kingdom. [28][29], At the start of January 1945, British bulk storage facilities were more than sufficient to hold the thirty days' reserve of petrol, oil and lubricants (POL) that Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) stipulated should be held, but the American position was not so good. Some 10,000 tonnes (10,000 long tons) of wooden piles, baulks and chesses was assembled for the project. [51] Extremely cold conditions persisted into February, and the divisions were issued with Arctic clothing and equipment that had been stockpiled for operations in Norway. Engineers soon had bridges over the Rhine in operation, which were then superseded by more permanent road and rail bridges. 15 Army Roadhead opened in the Almelo area on 18 April and was stocked by road from No. This included the 6th Airborne Division, but it was held by the seaborne tail. 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). Mar 1. In a broader context, Barnett 1970 and Chandler and Beckett 2003 provide an essential overview of the experiences that have shaped the British Army over its long history. The troops were located principally in the vicinity of Cologne at an approximate cost per month of 300,000. The 3rd Canadian Division made use of Buffalo tracked amphibious vehicles. During the Great War (1914-1918) approximately 900,000 men, a quarter of the whole Army. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003. [103] In this campaign the British Army demonstrated its proficiency in logistics. The purpose of this site is to give people, still serving or not, the opportunity to look back at the places in Germany where they may have served over the years and also a view of the regiments and units which shaped them. It drew fuel from Dungeness on the coast of Kent and transported it across the Strait of Dover to a terminal near Boulogne. Mallinson, Allan. [45], Stocks of ammunition were built up at No. For this the British Second Army deployed 1,520 field and medium guns, and the US Ninth Army had 624 field and medium guns. Red Sash Wargames Army of the Rhine - Ombre de Turenne SW | eBay [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. Technical Services BAOR (British Army of the Rhine), Shooting Team, 1969. Foster. The following day a German swimmer was seen affixing a suspicious cylindrical object to the bridge. Special arrangements were made to supply the Royal Air Force's Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation, which consumed 410,000 litres (90,000impgal) a night, and Gloster Meteor jet fighters, which consumed 14,000 litres (3,000impgal) of kerosene each day. Adjutant Generals Base AGDU Army Guard Dog Unit AGR Army General Reserve A.G.R.A. Sixteen of the bombers were lost to anti-aircraft fire. british army of the rhine bases . This involved a large expenditure of ammunition, including some that was in short supply like ML 4.2-inch mortar rounds and the Mark VIIIz ammunition used by the Vickers machine gun. There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine (BAOR). By 1945 the British Army was highly experienced, professional and proficient. Apart from the Alpine Training Centre Hubertus Haus in Oberstdorf, which is in Bavaria, British Army Germany is entirely based in North Rhine-Westphalia. Overseas military bases of the United Kingdom - Wikipedia Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! BMH Munster was one of several BAOR (British Army On The Rhine) army hospitals in Germany. A sweeping review of four hundred years of British army history. reminiscing, whether colonel or corporal. The problem had been foreseen, and replacements were available on the ordnance depots. The British Army of the Rhine - Apple Books A third bridge, "Westminster", was commenced by the 6th Army Troops Engineers on 26 March, completed at 18:00 on 29 March, and ceremoniously opened by Dempsey the next morning. A double issue of Expeditionary Force Institutes stores was made to all participating units. British Army Germany, is the superior institution under which the remaining installations of the British Forces Germany are organised after the completion of the withdrawal of the British Forces from Germany in February 2020. The 17th and 19th Line of Communications Sub Area assumed responsibility for the region around Lille, allowing the 15th Line of Communications Sub Area to move to the area between the Maas and the Rhine. [51] There was also demand for covered accommodation in the 3,300 bivouacs, and 21st Army Group headquarters released 343 huts and 1,600 100-pound (45kg) tents from its stocks, which were delivered to the railheads around Mill and 's-Hertogenbosch. Additional supplies of fuel were loaded on DUKWs, which ferried fuel across the river until bridges were opened. [18], The British Army Germany rugby union team regularly played games against emerging rugby nations like Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg. 1950s British Army Rhine Royal Artillery Soldiers sergeant - eBay Media in category "British Army of the Rhine". This took another five days. The army roadheads were mainly supplied by rail. This brought the amount of road transport capacity under Second Army's control to 31,580 tonnes (31,080 long tons), which was reckoned to be the equivalent of 76 general transport companies. During February 300,000 long tons (300,000t) of supplies were delivered to the XXX Corps railheads. 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. [60] In the three days preceding the assault, the three hundred and thirty six 25-pounders assigned to the XII Corps fired 225,061 rounds, the sixteen 4.5-inch guns fired 7,002 rounds, the one hundred and sixty 5.5-inch guns fired 69,607 rounds, the fifty two 155 mm howitzers fired 4,335 rounds, the sixteen 7.2-inch howitzer fired 3,964 rounds, and the two 8-inch howitzers 176 rounds. In the forward area, land mines and the few tracks through the Reichswald Forest kept transport on the roads, and the traffic combined with thaws and heavy rains contributed to the rapid deterioration of the roads. British Forces Germany (BFG) was the generic name for the three services of the British Armed Forces, made up of service personnel, UK Civil Servants, and dependents (family members), based in Germany. Army Bases Includes a chapter on the activation of BAOR and its composition throughout the Cold War against the background of government defense reviews. It is a history of British European security commitments, of NATO military strategy, and of the changing character of land warfare after 1945. As the Soviet threat increased, so BAOR became less of an occupational army and assumed the role of defender of Western Europe, and as a major contributor to NATO after . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War and the other after the Second World War. Although our understanding of the service has been considerably deepened by subsequent scholarship, the book provides the broader context for thinking about the army after 1945. Some of the ammunition that had earlier been dumped was to be made inaccessible by flood waters. The Cold War has gotten hot and the 3rd Shock Army is approaching your dugout but how do you differentiate a BTR from a BMP? 2019 Ted Fund Donors General histories of the postwar British army have tended to overlook the services preparations to fight a tactical nuclear war against the Soviet Union in Europe, despite this being its primary mission throughout the Cold War. The British Army of the Rhine After the First World War - Goodreads The deployment of BAOR on the European Central Front was symbolic of British political intent vis--vis European security and was the military means by which Britain sought to deter a conventional or nuclear Warsaw Pact attack. List of units and formations of the British Army, "Neuer britischer Kommandeur in Paderborn", "Adventurous Training Foundation Delivery (AFTD)", Overseas military bases of the United Kingdom, British Forces British Indian Ocean Territories, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=British_Army_Germany&oldid=1141875126, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Military command, support, and administration, Land Training Fleet (Sennelager) which provides and maintains a pool of. During the first three weeks of April 1945, the 21st Army Group advanced about 320 kilometres (200mi) across northern Germany to reach the Elbe on 19 April and then the Baltic Sea. 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] Find British Army Of The Rhine stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. [30], The two airborne divisions participating in Operation Varsity, the airborne operation supporting Operation Plunder, were initially supplied by the First Allied Airborne Army. Read reviews from the world's largest community for readers. The War Office therefore created a new headquarters, called the 25th Garrison, to take over the RMA, and four new line of communications sub area headquarters, the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th. zThis page represents the structure of the British Army in 1989, the last year of the Cold War. 166 FMC also held 200 rounds per gun of field, 175 rounds per gun of medium, 175 rounds per gun of heavy and 50 rounds per gun of super-heavy artillery ammunition. 168 FMC area at Goch. WW2 MAPS OF BRUSSELS/BRUXELLES 1944 D/DAY ORIGINAL RARE. The "Waterloo" class 9 FBE could not be built at the intended site at Rees on 24 March because the town had not been captured. british army of the rhine bases - Tedfund.org [45] No. 616 Squadron RAF began operating Gloster Meteor jet fighters from Brussels, and they required kerosene. Another petrol depot arrived from Italy in April. The 6th Line of Communications Sub Area was earmarked to take over the administration of the port of Rotterdam when it was captured. A thematic study on how the British Army imagined the use of tactical nuclear weapons in land combat. 11 Army Roadhead, it was dependent on the daily arrival of ammunition trains. Preparations were made to move it to a new site, but this was not required. New search features Acronym Blog Free tools . The class 12 Bailey bridge, known as "Sussex", took the XII Corps Troops Engineers and the Royal Navy 43 hours to erect. [51] Rations were moved forward however, and 2,318,222 rations were stockpiled for Operation Veritable. The Regiments Depart: A History of the British Army, 19451970. British Army units from 1945 on - Royal Artillery [4] Its original function was to control the corps districts which were running the military government of the British zone of occupied Germany. A petrol station company was formed from personnel made surplus by the reorganisation with six platoons, each containing three sections. It was therefore conducted over muddy and sometimes flooded ground, and roads were sometimes impassable even to four-wheel-drive vehicles. 166 Field Maintenance Centre (FMC) at Veghel and the two Canadian FMCs at Wijchen and Oss. [31][32], The bulk petrol transport companies that distributed the fuel were reorganised, with each company now having four instead of three platoons, so eight companies were reduced to six. BMH Iserlohn was one of several BAOR (British Army Of The Rhine) army hospitals in Germany. [25] This was codenamed Operation Goldflake, and it involved the redeployment of the I Canadian Corps and British 5th Division from Italy to North West Europe. The Operation Pluto Dumbo pipeline was now in operation. The War Office found that it could provide another two field bakeries from the United Kingdom, along with three field butcheries that were already scheduled to be sent. Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War and the other after the Second World War. Barnett, Correlli. [63][64] When mounted on the proposed trailer, the 15-metre (50ft) LCM was 4.6 metres (15ft) high, which left only 7.6 centimetres (3in) of clearance under some of the bridges they had to pass under between Antwerp and the staging area around Nijmegen. Three trains a day were run over this route under an arrangement with SHAEF and the American Military Railway Service. british army of the rhine order of battle - Greenlight Insights Stocking of No. Structure of the British Army in 1989 | Military Wiki | Fandom After some debate, the Combined Chiefs of Staff endorsed his strategy at the Malta Conference in January and February 1945. British Army Germany was formed in 2020 to administer the remaining service personnel, UK Civil Servants, and dependents (family members), based in Germany.[2]. It was decanted at Bocholt and transported by rail to 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. 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. 15 Army Roadhead. [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. 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. British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) | REME Museum [60], The engineer units in the XII Corps assault area were under 11th Army Group, Royal Engineers (AGRE), commanded by Colonel R. B. The Kangaroo armoured personnel carriers and the Buffalo tracked amphibious vehicles of the 79th Armoured Division were overhauled between January and March.