All Battles

Operation Veritable

1945 Niederrhein Großoffensive

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45
Troops stop for tea in Kranenberg, next to a large circular swastika emblem, 9 February 1945.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 Troops stop for tea in Kranenberg, next to a large circular swastika emblem, 9 February 1945.

Author: Midgley (Sgt), No 5 Army Film & Photographic UnitLicense:PD
Source
The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45
Troops of the 5/7th Gordon Highlanders in the Reichswald, 9 February 1945.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 Troops of the 5/7th Gordon Highlanders in the Reichswald, 9 February 1945.

Author: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit, Silverside (Sgt)License:PD
Source
WWII Rhineland Campaign - 8 Feb - 5 March 1945

WWII Rhineland Campaign - 8 Feb - 5 March 1945

Author: WWIIEurope76combined.svg: Hans Erren derivative work: Hans Erren (talk)License:PD
Source
A column of Churchill tanks and other vehicles at the start of Operation 'Veritable', NW Europe, 8 February 1945.
Churchill tanks and other vehicles at the start of Operation 'Veritable', 8 February 1945.

A column of Churchill tanks and other vehicles at the start of Operation 'Veritable', NW Europe, 8 February 1945. Churchill tanks and other vehicles at the start of Operation 'Veritable', 8 February 1945.

Author: Ames H (Sgt), No 5 Army Film & Photographic UnitLicense:PD
Source
A soldier standing in the ruins of Kleve, reading a German poster calling for civilians to conserve fuel supplies for the war effort.

A soldier standing in the ruins of Kleve, reading a German poster calling for civilians to conserve fuel supplies for the war effort.

Author: No 5 Army Film & Photographic UnitLicense:PD
Source
British Tanks and Afvs in Nw Europe 1944-45
Churchill tanks supporting infantry of the 2nd Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders during Operation 'Veritable', 8 February 1945.

British Tanks and Afvs in Nw Europe 1944-45 Churchill tanks supporting infantry of the 2nd Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders during Operation 'Veritable', 8 February 1945.

Author: No 5 Army Film & Photographic UnitLicense:PD
Source
British Tanks and Afvs in Nw Europe 1944-45
A Churchill tank ploughs along a muddy, heavily rutted forest track in the Reichswald during Operation 'Veritable', 8 February 1945.

British Tanks and Afvs in Nw Europe 1944-45 A Churchill tank ploughs along a muddy, heavily rutted forest track in the Reichswald during Operation 'Veritable', 8 February 1945.

Author: No 5 Army Film & Photographic UnitLicense:PD
Source
Churchill tanks of 107th Regiment RAC (King's Own), 34th Tank Brigade, at the start of the Reichswald battle in Germany, 9 February 1945.
Churchill tanks of 107th Regiment RAC (King's Own), 34th Tank Brigade, at the start of the Reichswald battle, 9 February 1945.

Churchill tanks of 107th Regiment RAC (King's Own), 34th Tank Brigade, at the start of the Reichswald battle in Germany, 9 February 1945. Churchill tanks of 107th Regiment RAC (King's Own), 34th Tank Brigade, at the start of the Reichswald battle, 9 February 1945.

Author: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit, Silverside (Sgt)License:PD
Source
Op donderdag 8 februari 2018 vond op de Canadese erebegraafplaats aan de Zevenheuvelenweg in Groesbeek de jaarlijkse herdenking van Operatie Veritable plaats.

Op donderdag 8 februari 2018 vond op de Canadese erebegraafplaats aan de Zevenheuvelenweg in Groesbeek de jaarlijkse herdenking van Operatie Veritable plaats.

Author: RN7License:CC-BY-4.0
Source
Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Bomber Command
The German town of Kleve, photographed from a low-flying Auster aircraft, a few days after the major Bomber Command raid on 7-8 February 1945, carried out as a prelude to Operation 'Veritable', the British and Canadian advance across the Rhine.

Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Bomber Command The German town of Kleve, photographed from a low-flying Auster aircraft, a few days after the major Bomber Command raid on 7-8 February 1945, carried out as a prelude to Operation 'Veritable', the British and Canadian advance across the Rhine.

Author: Royal Air Force official photographerLicense:PD
Source
British troops loading rocket projectiles in preparation for the offensive in the Reichswald, Germany.

British troops loading rocket projectiles in preparation for the offensive in the Reichswald, Germany.

Author: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit : Wilkes (Sgt)License:PD
Source
The Rhineland - Operation Veritable  8-21 February 1945

The Rhineland - Operation Veritable 8-21 February 1945

Author: Canadian Army Survey EstablishmentLicense:PD
Source
Ruined Landscape, Reichwald Forest 1945
image: a ruined landscape scarred by war near the Reichswald Forest in Germany. In the foreground various petrol canisters
and implements litter a shell hole, with bomb damaged buildings and trees in the background. Military vehicles move along a road on the

horizon.

Ruined Landscape, Reichwald Forest 1945 image: a ruined landscape scarred by war near the Reichswald Forest in Germany. In the foreground various petrol canisters and implements litter a shell hole, with bomb damaged buildings and trees in the background. Military vehicles move along a road on the horizon.

Author: La Dell, Edwin (ARA)License:PD
Source
The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45
A universal carrier of 51st Highland Division ploughing through thick mud during the Reichswald battle, 9 February 1945.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 A universal carrier of 51st Highland Division ploughing through thick mud during the Reichswald battle, 9 February 1945.

Author: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit, Silverside (Sgt)License:PD
Source
The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45
An Archer 17-pdr self-propelled gun near Nutterden, 9 February 1945.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 An Archer 17-pdr self-propelled gun near Nutterden, 9 February 1945.

Author: Hewitt (Sgt), No 5 Army Film & Photographic UnitLicense:PD
Source
The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45
Men of the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders and Churchill tanks in the Reichswald forest, 10 February 1945.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 Men of the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders and Churchill tanks in the Reichswald forest, 10 February 1945.

Author: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit, Silverside (Sgt)License:PD
Source
The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45
Universal carriers of the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders in the Reichswald forest, 10 February 1945.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 Universal carriers of the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders in the Reichswald forest, 10 February 1945.

Author: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit, Silverside (Sgt)License:PD
Source
The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45
Infantry of 2nd Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 15th (Scottish) Division, dug in outside Kleve in the Reichswald, 10 February 1945.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 Infantry of 2nd Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 15th (Scottish) Division, dug in outside Kleve in the Reichswald, 10 February 1945.

Author: Ames H (Sgt), No 5 Army Film & Photographic UnitLicense:PD
Source
The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45
Archer 17-pdr self-propelled gun in the flooded streets of Kranenburg, 11 February 1945.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 Archer 17-pdr self-propelled gun in the flooded streets of Kranenburg, 11 February 1945.

Author: Hewitt (Sgt), No 5 Army Film & Photographic UnitLicense:PD
Source
The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45
Churchill bridgelayer and fascine carrier in the Reichswald forest, 12 February 1945.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 Churchill bridgelayer and fascine carrier in the Reichswald forest, 12 February 1945.

Author: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit, Stiggins (Sgt)License:PD
Source
The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45
The crew of a machine gun carrier of the Middlesex Regiment shelter beneath a tarpaulin erected over their vehicle in the Reichswald, 12 February 1945.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 The crew of a machine gun carrier of the Middlesex Regiment shelter beneath a tarpaulin erected over their vehicle in the Reichswald, 12 February 1945.

Author: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit, Stiggins (Sgt)License:PD
Source
The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45
Men of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders pose with a captured German swastika flag following the capture of Kleve, 11 February 1945.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 Men of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders pose with a captured German swastika flag following the capture of Kleve, 11 February 1945.

Author: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit, Wilkes (Sgt)License:PD
Source
The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45
Churchill tank of 6th Guards Tank Brigade and infantry of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders in Kleve, 11 February 1945.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 Churchill tank of 6th Guards Tank Brigade and infantry of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders in Kleve, 11 February 1945.

Author: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit, Wilkes (Sgt)License:PD
Source
The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45
Infantry of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders clearing snipers in Kleve, 11 February 1945.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 Infantry of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders clearing snipers in Kleve, 11 February 1945.

Author: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit, Wilkes (Sgt)License:PD
Source
The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45
Churchill tanks of 6th Guards Tank Brigade and infantry of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders in Kleve, 11 February 1945.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 Churchill tanks of 6th Guards Tank Brigade and infantry of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders in Kleve, 11 February 1945.

Author: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit, Wilkes (Sgt)License:PD
Source
The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45
Infantry of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders searching German prisoners in Kleve, 11 February 1945.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 Infantry of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders searching German prisoners in Kleve, 11 February 1945.

Author: No 5 Army Film & Photographic Unit, Wilkes (Sgt)License:PD
Source

Historical Overview

British-Canadian offensive to clear the Reichswald.

Quick Facts

Outcome:Allied victory.

UK / Canada

  • Commander: Harry Crerar
  • Strength: ca. 200.000
  • Casualties: ca. 15.000

German Army

  • Commander: Alfred Schlemm
  • Strength: ca. 50.000
  • Casualties: ca. 10.000

Strategic Context

Reaching the Rhine in the North.

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Historical Locations

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