Loxuru
Graf von Kreuzigung
Seventeen days ago, it was the 75th anniversary of the capture of the Remagen Bridge over the Rhine, giving the Allies a bridgehead across the main natural defense line of the Reich.
But actually, Remagen was located in a mountainous region. A better opportunity for a bridgehead over the Rhine would be more north, where the river crosses a plain, and a thrust into central Germany would have more chance.
There had already been an attempt to cross the Rhine in the Low Countries. That was Operation Market-Garden, in September 1944. It was a massive paratrooper operation, which failed however, due to the impossibility to relieve the troops holding the Rhine bridge in Arnhem.
In March 1945, a new attempt to cross the Rhine was planned – Operation Plunder – this time from more favourable positions, as the Allies had already reached the left banks of the river. In order to improve the chance of success, there would also be an airborne assault on the right bank.
This was Operation Varsity, on March 24 1945, the last great airborne operation of the war. With 16000 troops deployed, Varsity was also the largest in his kind of the war. Up till today, it is still the largest airborne operation ever, carried out in one day and at one place.
Yet, Operation Varsity has hardly been remembered, particularly compared to other such operations in the war : Fall Gelb and Crete by the Germans, Normandy and Market-Garden by the Allies, which all got a more ‘mythical’ status (I myself only heard for the first time of Operation Varsity some 20 years ago, when reading ‘Band of Brothers). Perhaps, because on hindsight, in the end of March 1945, Allied victory seemed to be within reach? Let’s not forget that the toll of Operation Varsity was high : 2700 casualties among the airborne troops, around one in six.
But actually, Remagen was located in a mountainous region. A better opportunity for a bridgehead over the Rhine would be more north, where the river crosses a plain, and a thrust into central Germany would have more chance.
There had already been an attempt to cross the Rhine in the Low Countries. That was Operation Market-Garden, in September 1944. It was a massive paratrooper operation, which failed however, due to the impossibility to relieve the troops holding the Rhine bridge in Arnhem.
In March 1945, a new attempt to cross the Rhine was planned – Operation Plunder – this time from more favourable positions, as the Allies had already reached the left banks of the river. In order to improve the chance of success, there would also be an airborne assault on the right bank.
This was Operation Varsity, on March 24 1945, the last great airborne operation of the war. With 16000 troops deployed, Varsity was also the largest in his kind of the war. Up till today, it is still the largest airborne operation ever, carried out in one day and at one place.
Yet, Operation Varsity has hardly been remembered, particularly compared to other such operations in the war : Fall Gelb and Crete by the Germans, Normandy and Market-Garden by the Allies, which all got a more ‘mythical’ status (I myself only heard for the first time of Operation Varsity some 20 years ago, when reading ‘Band of Brothers). Perhaps, because on hindsight, in the end of March 1945, Allied victory seemed to be within reach? Let’s not forget that the toll of Operation Varsity was high : 2700 casualties among the airborne troops, around one in six.
