Hello, does anyone have further information on Operation Gatwick? There is very little information on the internet - maybe not a surprise, as it never took place. Apparently it was an operation planned for October 1944 to achieve what was later (in Feb 1945) achieved by Operation Veritable. I found one mention in a war diary of 6 Gds Armoured Bde: WO 171/607 - 6 Guards Tank Brigade - October 1944 - TracesOfWar.com Apparently it was planned for October 10th but cancelled on October 8th. One reason - supposedly - was that Montgomery had decided to give priority to the liberation of the Scheldt estuary. But I believe that decision for attacking the Scheldt estuary had already been made earlier, at the end of September. Why am I asking? There are quite few German entries on the web claiming that the bombing of the cities of Cleves and Emmerich on October 7th 1944 was in support of Operation Gatwick and took place despite the cancellation of Gatwick. A "tragic mistake", so to say. I have certain doubts - both cities are situated on the main roads leading the battlefield between Nijmegen and Arnhem, where the Allies had gained a foothold on the "island" between the river Rijn and Waal. And where they were under constant pressure from German counterattacks. So, it would have made sense to seal off the battlefield by interdicting German transport closely behind the frontlines. Does anyone have reliable information on this?
See Post 137 by Stolpi in: RHINE CROSSING 1945: The Rees bridgehead (30 Corps in operation 'Turnscrew') Post 94 in: NIJMEGEN BRIDGEHEAD: II.SS Pz Corps' counterattack in October 1944 Post 20 in: VERITABLE 1945: 15th Scottish & 43rd Wessex Divisions in the Reichswald battle There a few others and on a glance they don't have additional information. A very short thread on bombing Emmerich see Post 6, gives scale of RAF bombers involved: Aircraft found in the sixties On pg. 3 Emmerich appears, on a glance I could not see it; it refers to a German counter-attack: NIJMEGEN BRIDGEHEAD: II.SS Pz Corps' counterattack in October 1944 Apologies for duplication I searched twice using Gatwick and Emmerich. Hopefully there is an indication there!
The above seems to support my assumption that the bombing of Cleves and Emmerich was not so much connected to support Operation Gatwick but rather to relieve pressure on the bridgehead across the Waal.
NIJMEGEN BRIDGEHEAD: II.SS Pz Corps' counterattack in October 1944 | WW2Talk Hi stolpi, maybe you can help: In the light of the situation on the Betuwe island (as described in your thread above) how could Montgomery even consider to plan or launch Operation Gatwick? What was the plan for Op. Gatwick? It is said that it was supposed to be something along the lines of Operation Veritable. But without any preparation and concentation of troops? And after the experience of rushing to enact Market Garden? That does not sound like Montgomery... Was any plan ever spelled out for Op. Gatwick?
A bit background information about Op Gatwick, see reference and information in the attached text document. THIS IS JUST the part i could copy. the rest you can read online, or buy the book. 283396 Here another document with good references. Maybe it gives answers on your questions.
Bedee, I converted your text document to Word, then PDF and in the process it was easier - for me - to read. Alas it appears to have lost words in doing so.
