Can someone tell me who actuality took the City of Bremen. Delaforce says 1st KOSB, Then I have from another source The Scotts Greys or 155/156/157 Bdes. Or am I going to look an idiot and getting it all mixed up? Cheers Rob
See here, O's post #6 has map Royal Ulsters - What was happening in April 1945? http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2697&d=1147336048
Third British Infantry Division (Monty's Ironsides) took Bremen. To quote the official record "The last battle had been won, The Division marched into Bremen with little difficulty" Sapper"
Third British Infantry Division (Monty's Ironsides) took Bremen. To quote the official record "The last battle had been won, The Division marched into Bremen with little difficulty" Sapper" As in the original post; Delaforce's book "Monty's Ironsides" 3rd Div says it was the 1st KOSB that took the City, but others say different Bde's. Confusing Rob.
Rob, see map I edited into D's post. Thanks Di + Sapper. Owen Lovely all the brigades, just what I wanted! Regt supporting 43rd Div; Regimental Commander visited the 5th Wilts and saw Major IRISH, the Rep from the 43rd Div Arty with the Wiltshire’s. Arranged to pass information and Shelreps to one another. 14.00 A little enemy shelling near the Regt area. 16.00 The IO went to 43rd Div HQRA and obtained from the BM and CMO details of known gun positions on the Regimental front.
From The Times, April 27, 1945: BREMEN CITY FALLS SURRENDER TO R.N.V.R. COMMANDER From Our Special Correspondent. BREMEN, APRIL 26 The city of Bremen surrendered this morning to an R.N.V.R. commander. This commander, in charge of a shore party composed of naval ratings and Royal Marine commandos, was gingerly reconnoitring the deserted centre of the town at about 10.30 this morning when his armoured car was stopped by a German policeman, the only living person it seemed in acres of ruins. The policeman stated that in the Rathaus was the acting Burgomaster*, who was anxious to surrender the city. Two British armoured cars went to the Rathaus and the commander got out. In the lobby of this historic building, dating back to Hansa times, he found the Burgomaster, in frock coat and striped trousers, waiting to give up the city. The commander accepted the surrender and went on with his original reconnaissance, leaving troops of the 52nd (Lowland) Division, who had fought their way through the city all night long, to organize a more formal ceremony of surrender later in the day. After a night of intermittent street fighting in which Scottish troops with a battalion of The Manchester Regiment in support burned their way through enemy strong-points with flame-throwers under the light of a full moon, the Germans fell back to the outskirts of the city, and this afternoon were only holding out in the dock area, where an action was in progress around the Deschimag shipbuilding yard - the biggest producer of large U-boats, and the birthplace of the 50,000-ton liner Bremen - and in the Buerger park on the north side of the town, where the local garrison commander was reported to have his headquarters in an air-raid shelter. FIRST TROOPS IN The first troops in the city were from The King's Own Scottish Borderers, the Royal Scots Fusiliers, and the Cameronians. In parts of the city they found that foreign workers had had an opportunity to raid the local wine stocks, and that the Germans had seconded them in their task, so that their reception was confused but tumultuous. Among the various mines that our sappers found were a series of 1,000lb. bombs buried and camouflaged after having been wired to detonators. Each of these captured towns seems to present at least one quite ridiculous sight, and for me in Bremen it was the sight of a woman standing on a street corner waving a white flag on a broomstick with one hand and a sword with the other. *see article below From The Times, April 28, 1945 BREMEN VIRTUALLY CAPTURED 5,000 PRISONERS SO FAR FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT NORTH-WEST GERMANY, APRIL 27 The city and port of Bremen is now virtually in British possession. The surrender, it appears to-day, was not by the Burgomaster, but by the chief of police, Schroeder. His police force had been helping the sailors and marines in the defence. Two major-generals, Becker and Zieber, are among the prisoners, but there is no mention of the bishop who is believed to have been taking a fighting part in the defence. There is a park in the city in which some Germans are holding out, and the bishop may be with them in company with an S.S. general and a Nazi Kreisleiter who are not yet reported taken. About 5,000 prisoners have been taken in Bremen so far, and another 1,000 fell to the Second Army elsewhere to-day, bringing the total for General Dempsey's forces since March 23 to 102,000. To-day the Guards armour has compressed a body of the enemy into another pocket north-east of Bremen by advancing about seven miles south-west from Zeven to Kirchtimke.
Several divs took Bremen .But Monty's Ironside were the driving force that enabled it The Borderes were in first.
The city of Bremen surrendered this morning to an R.N.V.R. commander. This commander, in charge of a shore party composed of naval ratings and Royal Marine commandos, was gingerly reconnoitring the deserted centre of the town at about 10.30 this morning when his armoured car was stopped by a German policeman, the only living person it seemed in acres of ruins. It was the NAVY and a reservist at that...oh the shame !
It was the NAVY and a reservist at that...oh the shame ! Andy, There were RN Commandos with the party. Shore party indicates that they sailed into the port. Is that called entering by the back door. Regards Tom
From 22nd Dragoons War Diary "25 0830 A Sqn crosses the S.L. with Inf Bn (Br at 721934) and begin attack on “Hobbs”. B Sqn is to move up at 1130 hrs to “Lords” and be at ½ hrs notice to move from there onwards. App E Folio 28. 0930 A Sqn is advancing steadily and enemy opposition is reported as practically nil. 1200 B Sqn now concentrated with 2 Lincs and ready to move forward. 1305 B Sqn begins to advance. 1800 Sitrep for today’s actions appended giving full details. App J Folio 12. The day was altogether most encouraging and most surprising for the lack of enemy opposition and both Sqns are now well in the Southern parts of Bremen and are remaining there for the night. Odd enemy snipers are still giving trouble. 1930 Tac HQ moves to Bremen with 9 Bde HQ. Main HQ remains in old location. A & B Echs are now also with Main HQ. A Sqn 22nd Dragoons were up front for the KOSBs B Sqn 22nd Dragoons were up front for 2 Lincs then the RUR 22nd Dragoons TAC HQ was attached 9 Brigade. When 9 Brigade moved out of bremen to Delmenhorst, the SS barracks there became the location for 22nd Dragoons.
The War Diary for the Notts Yeomanry (Sherwood Rangers) for the 26th April 1945 has this: "Regiment moved up to attack BREMEN from the south-east in support of 129 Bde, before the regiment attacked, the south-western part of BREMEN had already been taken by attack of 3rd British Div. and 52 Div. B Sqn Bn Group were on the right and the A Sqn Group on the left. Little opposition encountered until the park area reached. C Sqn and the 4 Somerset then went south of A Sqn and took the German defenders in the park from the rear. During the day General Becker 2 Colonels and 300 PW were taken. General Becker handed over his car in excellent condition to Maj. McKay commanding B Sqn who held for a short time this vehicle in trust for Military government. RHQ remained with 129 Bde at map ref. 9796. ‘C’ Company 12 KRRC rejoined and went in support of C Sqn, when they moved up." There was still some sporadic resistance on the 27th April 1945: "B Sqn only were engaged and moved up in park area. 1 tank skidded into a ditch and caught fire. Trooper Harris killed by a sniper." There's also some detail about the taking of Bremen in "An Englishman at War" the Wartime diaries of Stanley Christopherson: pages 503-505. Englishman at War Ps... There is also this: BBC - WW2 People's War - 'Fire Orders' Chapter 19c, The End The 4th Wiltshires, supported by tanks, worked their way through the Park roads against only spasmodic small arms fire. This clearing operation continued until after midnight, and it was while returning down the road to make contact with the 4th Somersets that Major Pope, a Company Commander of the 4th. Wiltshires, spotted the air raid shelter in which Major General Siber, the Bremen Garrison Commander, had his headquarters. He returned to the shelter with a Company Commander of the Somersets and the two majors entered the shelter to find General Siber and his staff and accept their surrender. Six hours later Major Pope accepted the surrender of Lieut. General Fritz Becker, Commander of the Bremen Defences. & On the 27th April, 214 Brigade, the D.C.L.I., the Worcesters, and the 7th Somersets moved through the city unopposed and occupied the northeast corner behind the docks area. While these formations had entered the centre of the city and the docks area, other units of the 43rd. Division had moved speedily on the right flank and stolen most of the thunder by capturing the chiefs of the city's defences in their hideouts in Burger Park, among them being an admiral, the Chief Warden of Bremen and the Permanent President Courts Martial. In one period of only forty-eight hours the 43rd.took over 2,500 prisoners.
I am so pleased to have found this thread as my dad was a Captain with the Manchesters and fought in Bremen. I have some small B &W photos of the ruins of the city. I'm trying to tie in his service record with the war diaries and I am also reading "Mountain and Flood".
Thank goodness I made an alert! Good evening. Yes he was. I do have the war diaries and can look if you're after anything in particular. He was Captain Murdo Moir.
I was curious if you had anything specific on Bremen April 45? When the 7th was assigned to 52nd LL div. Oh and thank you for your response!
Daddy died when I was 6 but he always told my siblings that he was one of the first into the city. I can look at the Manchester's war diaries for that time and post later if you like.
