Operation Anger - 49th Division brigades question

Hi all,

I want to make sure I get this right, as wikipedia is... wikipedia, and Patrick Delaforce's book is not the most coherent.

Is the following correct?
56th Brigade and 146th Brigade crossed the Rhine (at Emmerich?) and were positioned southeast of Arnhem on the other side of the Ijssel
147th Brigade stayed on "the island", and sent forces across on the night of 13-14 April?

Or did the entire division cross over the Rhine and then attack from the southeast?

PS is it Operation Anger or Op. Quick Anger? Most of the references seem to be just Anger.

 

British Army operations are just one word as far as I’m aware - unless there was more than one element (as in Market Garden), so Operation Anger seems most likely to me.
This web page suggests that ‘Quick Anger’ was a development by the Canadians ‘from the abortive ‘Anger’’.

Quick Anger | Operations & Codenames of WWII

 

Have you checked Stacey?

I also believe the War Diary 49th Div is filed at Heritage Canadiana ... since the Division formed part of 1st Cdn Army.

 

If only! I don't think that war diaries came to Canada of non-Canadian divisions that were in 1st Canadian Army.

There are however a lot of files pertaining to the division in the Canadian archives. But, not digitized. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/colle...|FonAndCol&q=49+and+"inf+div"&start=10&num=10

 

Chris, the War Diaires of the 49th Div HAVE BEEN digitized and are a Heritage Canadiana…….link to the file. BUT, I’m not sure if the info your looking for are in these Diaries

Department of National Defence, Directorate of ... - Héritage

Follow UP: Here are the WD Reels of other “non Canadian” units held at LAC, I’m not sure if any other’s have been digitized yet, I just checked the 49th Division for you

REEL. UNIT
T-2427 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group
T-2428 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group
T-2429 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group
T-2430 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group
T-2431 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group
T-2432 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group
T-2433 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group
T-2434 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group
T-2435 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group
T-2436 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group
T-2437 Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group
T-2438 War Diary of HQ 49th West Riding Infantry Division (General Staff)
T-2439 War Diary of HQ 43rd Wessex Infantry Division (General Staff)
T-2440 War Diary of HQ 51st Highlander Infantry Division (General Staff)
T-2441 War Diary of HQ 52nd Lowland Infantry Division (General Staff)
T-2442 War Diary of HQ 51st Highland Infantry Division (General Staff)
T-2443 War Diary of HQ 52nd Lowland Infantry Division (General Staff)
T-2444 War Diary of HQ "G" Branch, Guards Armoured Division (U.K.)
T-2445 War Diary of HQ Guards Armoured Division (U.K.)
T-2446 War Diary of VIII Corps (U.K.)
T-2447 War Diary of XXX Corps (U.K.)
T-2448 War Diary of 2nd British Army
T-2449 War Diary of 2nd British Army
T-2450 War Diary of 2nd British Army
T-2451 War Diary of HQ, I Corps (U.K.)
T-2452 War Diary of HQ, I Corps, First Flight (U,K.)
T-2453 War Diary of HQ, I Corps (U.K.)
T-2454 War Diary of HQ, I Corps (U.K.)
T-2455 War Diary of HQ, I Corps (U.K.)
T-2456 War Diary of HQ, I Corps (U.K.)
T-2457 War Diary of VIII Corps (U.S.)

 

Wow, thanks! I'm going to have to save that list to a file.

 

As always, these files seem to be a right mess. Here is what I found from inspecting some reels:

T-2438
- this seems to Oct & November 1944, 49th (West Riding) Division
T-2439
- image 105 is February 1945 for HQ 49th West Riding Infantry Division
- image 106 on seems to be 43rd Division, possibly just Feb 1945 backwards
T-2440
- seems to all be 49th Div again
T-2441
- seems to have 43rd Div at image 19
- image 171 starts 51st Division for March 1945
T-2442
- 51 Division, March 1945
- from image 92, 52nd Lowland Division for March 1945
- from image 310, 3rd Division for February 1945

 

Chris - I've just send you a PM.

To reach the area east of Arnhem parts of the 49th Div moved across the Neder-Rijn (or Pannerdensch Kanaal) others crossed the Rhine at Emmerich, the closest Canadian crossing site up-stream of the river.

At Emmerich the Canadian 1st Army, immediately after reduction of the town, started construction of several pontoon bridges. See: RHINE CROSSING 1945: The Rees bridgehead (30 Corps in operation 'Turnscrew')

 

I was aware of those things. Not sure if I will get to the battle of Emmerich but following the Archer led to the award of a DCM to a gunner so then I read about the battle there.

There is an interesting point in Stacey that the bridge at Emmerich could only support four divisions and

"Since General Simonds required three divisions (the 2nd and 3rd Canadian
and 1st Polish) for his responsibilities in Operation "Haymaker", it was evident that only
one could be employed across the Ijssel."​

Stacey has a note about the operation name:

*Both "Anger" and "Quick Anger" occur as code names in the records of the operation to capture Arnhem; but
"Anger" was used in the 49th Division's operation order.​

Also finally now that I read again, he is clear about the brigades. As you know, 56th Brigade began with a crossing on Buffaloes, and then:

On the
morning of 13 April the 146th Brigade crossed the Ijssel and began clearing a large
factory in the eastern outskirts. The Ontario Regiment (whose leading tanks presumably
crossed on one of the 14th Field Company's rafts which began work at 8:00 a.m., earlier
than the bridge) assisted in dealing with snipers and machine-guns. In general, however,
resistance was light, the Ontarios' diary recording that "the enemy nowhere showed much
willingness to fight". By nightfall the main core of resistance was broken and the 147th
Brigade was preparing to pass through the 56th.​

I don't think 147th could have been crossing through the 56th if they were not behind the Ijssel with the other brigades. Someone should chuck a brick at wikipedia. (Or actually I should rouse myself and become a contributor so I can correct hings when I find errors.

 

As you know, the file’s can be a “dog’s breakfast” sometimes, it’s like someone “shuffled a deck a cards” before they microfilmed them…….I just wish they had a better search engine…..and I’ve found if you can’t find something, just keep looking, it’s probably in the reel, or the next reel, but it does take time

BUT, I’m glad more are available on line…..I just wish Heritage Canadiana would move on and get more Canadian Records done…….but they only have a million/zillion/billion pages to do right

Cheers

Oh, some other reels at LAC, some are NON - WW2, but just in case you do any research in other areas (again, I do NOT know if they have been digitized yet)



T-2458 British Army of the Rhine Standing Orders (Excerpts)
T-2459 Naval Secretary of the Royal Canadian Navy Organization, notes on Board procedures, etc.
T-2460 Military District correspondence file lists
T-2461 Canadian Medical Procurement and Assignment Board, minutes and meetings
T-2462 War Diary of the 27th British Commonwealth Brigade (Korean War)
T-2463 War Diary of the 28th Infantry Brigade (U.K.) in the Korean War
T-2464 1st Commonwealth Division (Korean War)
T-2465 2nd Commonwealth Division (Korean War)
T-2466 The Aleutian Islands Campaign: Japanese studies in World War II, translated from the Japanese
T-2467 Detailed correspondence and verbatim conference reports on the organization of the Reichsforschungrnt and research organization generally
T-2468 Detailed correspondence and verbatim conference reports on the organization of the Reichsforschungrnt and research organization generally

 

Sorry Chris, and if you read German, some other reels at LAC (I have NOT checked these out, so don’t really know what’s in them). All of the reels below are titles the same

These HAVE been digitized and are on Heritage Canadiana’s web site, a quick look seems to have all sorts of information, including messages and other documents etc etc. MICROFILMING in some cases is “terrible” to read (if I could read German that is)

Historical World War II documents in German from British and American Sources
T-2405
T-2406
T-2407
T-2408
T-2409
T-2410
T-2411
T-2412
T-2413
T-2414
T-2415
T-2416
T-2417
T-2418
T-2419
T-2420
T-2421
T-2422
T-2423
T-2424

 

Haha, NO I don't know any German.

What we have is a fantastic resource but I agree, I do hope they will continue to digitize more files.

 

Note sequence: Rhine crossing came first at the end of March 45, followed by the IJssel crossing mid-April. Arnhem was liberated from the east.

In addition to the bridges at Emmerich, the Canadians had another bridge across the Rhine at Rees (Blackfriars Bridge). Simonds'Corps also had the 'burden' of the temporary attachment of 1st Cdn Inf Div for the move to and crossing of the IJssel at Gorssel.

I've red somewhere (forgotten where) that 'Quick Anger' was planned as an immediate follow up of Operation Destroyer (final clearing of The Island opposite Arnhem), to be carried out if the situation turned out fluid. 'Anger' was the more deliberate version of the same operation. Eventually 'Quick Anger' was cancelled and 'Anger' was on.


Op Anger: On this day during WW2

 

Postscript to the above discussion - I found the following in The Victory Campaign:

Three days later General Foulkes issued his own detailed directive. His immediate
responsibility, coinciding with the expansion of the "Plunder" bridgehead, was to hold
securely his portion of the line along the Maas and the Neder Rijn. Thereafter, the 1st Corps
would carry out active operations in three phases: first, the 49th Division would clear the
south-eastern sector of the "island"; then the 49th, together with the 5th Canadian Division,
would clear the remainder of the "island" and dominate the left bank of the Neder Rijn (these
two phases would constitute Operation "Destroyer"); finally, either the 49th Division, with an
additional infantry brigade under command, would make a "scramble crossing" of the
Neder Rijn at Oosterbeek ("Quick Anger"), or-in the event of the Germans still holding
the right bank of the Neder Rijn after the 2nd Corps had crossed the Ijssel—the 1st Corps
would force the river about five miles downstream, at Renkum ("Anger"). The target date
for the initial stage of "Destroyer" was set for 2 April.​

 

Hi Temujin, I wanted to come back to this just to ask what was the source of the list? LAC archive entries? I thought I would look at the 30 Corps war diary so loaded up T-2447 but to my surprise it starts with the War Diary of 11th Armoured Division for February 1945.

I imagine it might be useful to create an index of units and months with exact links.

T-2450 starts with the 2nd British Army "Planning Study" for Operation Plunder, which is interesting.

PS I note that some of the pages seemed to have been scanned on the reverse side of the microfilm. I guess you could hold a mirror up to your computer screen and look into it...

 

The page does provide the option to view the whole image which you can then save to disk, and then flip, but... that's not very useful if you just want to browse!

 

War Diary of 146 Brigade April 1945. Preamble to Op Anger in this diary.

Lots of of info, maps refs, casualties, etc, etc.

 

From the War Diary of 102 LAA Regiment, RA. (The term Operation Quick Anger is used in this war diary).

(The Land Mattress Rockets used by 337 & 338 Batteries, 24 Rocket Launchers (probably with other artillery) were used to break the defenses of the Germans prior to the assault of the three brigades of 49 Division.)

9 April 1945

11-00 hrs – CO visits RA 49 Division and receives notice that targets for rockets in Op. QUICK ANGER are to be changed. Op now expected to take place 11 April.

15-30 hrs – Message by telephone from RA 49 Division that rockets will be used in support of attack by 56, 146 & 147 Brigades with targets as specified in message; 2 alternative gun areas Map Refs QE.7573 & QE.7275.

16-00 hrs – Batteries informed and accordingly proceed on recce of proposed gun areas – 337 Battery, Map Ref QE.7275 & 338 Battery, Map Ref QE.7573.

19-00 hrs – Batteries new gun positions selected as follows:- 337 Battery, Map Ref QE.721752 & 338 Battery, Map Ref QE.751732. Regt (TAC) HQ at Map Ref QE.702710. Forward telephone comms will be laid and ammunition moved up tomorrow morning.

10 April 1945

09-45 hrs – Message from G2 RA 49 Division - “No further information re op. Batteries will NOT now be required to move up tonight”. Batteries informed accordingly but line laying and movement of ammunition to continue.

14-00 hrs – ROSSFORCE – Tanks and 1 Section of Infantry to recce OPHEUSDEN (Map Ref QE.554727).
17-00 hrs – CO visits RA 49 Division; received instructions that Batteries must be such position that ALL targets can be engaged by either Battery. Expected that Batteries will move to gun positions tomorrow night.

17-20 – 19-00 hrs – ROSSFORCE – Two SP 40mm deployed in ground role by 336 Battery and engaged targets in HEUSDEN (Map Ref QE.556719) and OPHEUSDEN (Map Ref QE.555726). Ammunition expended 281 rounds HE.

21-15 hrs – Battery Commanders ordered to recce alternative positions in or adjoining each others positions. 337 Battery to be prepared to fire 3 salvos from gun position adjoining 338 Battery and to dump ammunition there for that purpose.

Lieutenant B.K. Lawrence (337 Battery) leaves unit for privilige leave in UK.

11 April 1945

Captain A.C. Christie, REME rejoins unit from privilige leave in UK.

10-30 hrs – Issued Operational Instruction No. 1 dated 11 April.

12-00 hrs – Received RA 49 (WR) Infantry Division Operational Order No. 18 dated 11 April. List of fresh targets in O.O. Shown to Battery Commanders.

13-15 hrs – Order to Batteries. “Batteries to move forward to gun positions in own time in blocks of no more than 10 vehicles. 337 Battery to have last vehicle over NIJMEGAN bridge by 19-00 hrs. 338 Battery first vehicle not before 19-00 hrs. Battery Commanders to to report to CO at RHQ (Tac) at 18-30 hrs.

14-00 hrs – ROSSFORCE – 2 SP 40mm deployed in Field Artillery role. Targets in area OCHTEN (Map Ref QE.5170) engaged and house at Map Ref QE.512698 successfully cleaned up.
CB opened up on OP and GP at 15-50 hrs. 8 – 10 shells. No casualties.

2i/c and IO and necessary personnel move to Tac HQ at ELST (Map Ref QE.721750).

– Issued Operational Order No. 2 dated 11 April 45.

17-30 hrs – CO proceeds to Tac HQ.

18-00 hrs – ROSSFORCE – Two parties of DUTCH stopped in FDL's by 336 Battery including Dutch Military Governor of Island and Adj and local Burgomaster. No satisfactory explanation and sent to Brigade HQ under escort.

18-30 hrs – 337 & 338 Battery Commanders to Tac. CO's conference for Operational Order No. 18.

19-00 hrs – Batteries (337 & 338) move to gun positions. 337 Battery CP established at Map Ref QE.722752. 338 Battery CP established at Map Ref QE.749729.

22-00 hrs – 338 Battery ready for action area Map Ref QE.751730.

12 April 1945

Major W.M. Wilkinson, 2i/c appointed OC 27 LAA Regt and promoted A/Lt. Col wef 9 April 45. Authority; MS/21/4/73 of 091930B.

04-45 hrs – Received RA 49 Division message 0.40 of 092345B.

07-00 hrs – ROSSFORCE ceases to exist. New Brunswick Hussars leave area Map Ref QE.5770 leaving 336 Battery in situ.

08-45 hrs – Received amendment to Appendix J to Operational Order No. 18 and 49 Division message 0.54 RA of 112335.

09-00 hrs – Batteries ready for action.

11-00 hrs – Received Appendix “E” to O.O. No. 18 and trace S to O.O. No. 19.

11-30 hrs – Received Appendix “A” to O.O. No. 18 and 49 Div message 056RA.

14-00 hrs – 336 Battery Commander to 11 Canadian Infantry Brigade and informed that 336 Battery now under command HUTCHINSON Force (7 Can A/Tk Regt, RCA).

15-30 hrs – Received 49 Division Operational Instruction No. 64.

15-40 hrs – Received RA/IC/3 of 10 April.

17-00 hrs – Lt A.G. Watson reports to RHQ as A/Adjt.

18-00 hrs – HUTCHINSON Force – Houses at area Map Ref QE.5571 engaged by 2 40mm.

21-00 hrs – 338 Battery engaged target ABLE (Map Ref QE.752766). Battery salvo appeared to have hit and fired an enemy dump. Brilliant flashes and fires in target area throughout the night.

(Aerial photo from Jan 45 showing location of the above target - ARNHEM)



337 Battery engaged target BAKER (Map Ref QE.755764). Battery Salvo.

21-30 hrs -
338 Battery engaged target DOG (Map Ref QE.765772). Battery Salvo.
337 Battery engaged target CHARLIE (Map Ref QE.760766). Battery Salvo.

22-00 hrs -
338 Battery engaged target FOX (Map Ref QE.775764). Battery Salvo.
337 Battery engaged target EASY (Map Ref QE.772762). Battery Salvo.

22-30 hrs -
338 Battery repeat engagement on target FOX (Map Ref QE.775764). Battery Salvo.
337 Battery engaged target HOW (Map Ref QE.772759). Battery Salvo.

Targets A to H in support of 56 Infantry Brigade, 49 Infantry Division.

23-30 hrs – Batteries ordered to rest.

13 April 1945

Lieutenant Cameron rejoins unit from UK leave and a course.

T/Captain M.R. Hoare (Adjutant) promoted A/Major with effect from 29 March 45. Authority 21 AG/3770/1/4/A (Pers) of 111115B.

11-45 hrs - 338 Battery engaged target JIG (Map Ref QE.771782). Battery Salvo.

11-47 hrs - 337 Battery engaged target KING (Map Ref QE.761789). Battery Salvo.

12-00 hrs – 336 Battery patrol as per patrol programme.

15-00 hrs – Brigadier Murphy, 1 Canadian Armoured Brigade visited 336 Battery.

16-00 hrs – 336 Battery 40mm shoot on area OPHEUSDEN. 205 Rounds expended.

20-21 hrs - 337 Battery engaged target MIKE (Map Ref QE.759799). Battery Salvo.

21-02 hrs - 337 Battery engaged target NAN (Map Ref QE.756805). Battery Salvo.

Targets J – N fired in support of 146 Infantry Brigade, 49 Infantry Division. (2nd Phase).

21-05 hrs – 337 Battery ordered to move to position area, Map Ref QE.755724 enabling remaining targets to be within range.

23-00 to 02-50 hrs – 336 Battery. Ambush patrol – 1 Officer & 6 Other Ranks to rad junction Map Ref QE.571717. Nothing to report.

14 April 1945

02-05 hrs – 337 Battery ready for action. Map Ref QE.755724.

10-00 hrs – 336 Battery Commander to O Group HUTCHINSON Force and received orders to relieve IRC South of ARNHEM, after relief by Belgian Brigade.

10-20 hrs – Received WT Message from RA 49 Division giving new targets V (Map Ref QE.722790) and X (Map Ref QE.726792) and cancelling target Q.

10-40 hrs – 337 Battery engaged target SUGAR (Map Ref QE.723780).

10-50 hrs – 337 Battery engaged target TARE (Map Ref QE.718778).

10-55 hrs – CO orders 337 Battery to move back to first position (Map Ref QE.722752) to bring new targets within range.

12-40 hrs – 337 Battery in action area, Map Ref QE.722752.

13-30 hrs – 336 Battery recce parties to Irish Rifles of Canada.

14-15 hrs – 338 Battery engaged target VICTOR (Map Ref QE.722790).

14-30 hrs – 337 Battery engaged target VICTOR (Map Ref QE.722790).

Targets S – X in support of 147 Infantry Brigade, 49 Infantry Division.

14-45 hrs – 336 Battery 40mm engagement.

19-30 hrs – 336 Battery hand over of FDL's (Forward Defensive Lines) area HEIN (Map Ref QE.576702) completed.

21-45 hrs – 336 Battery take over of IRC (Irish Rifles of Canada) completed. Battery HQ established at Map Ref QE.731752.

15 April 1945

02-45 hrs – Received RA 49 Div message 067RA 041435 and 068RA of 141640.

10-00 hrs – CO to 49 Division and informed that Regt will remain under command for some days.

12-00 hrs – Lt. Hind-Woodward (337 Bty) rejoins unit from UK leave.

12-10 hrs – 336 Battery informed by HUTCHINSON Force HQ that no further move will take place until 16th.

15-15 hrs – HUTCHINSON Force now reverts to own title of 7 Canadian Ant-Tank Regt with 336 Battery under command.

16-20 hrs – Warning order from RA 49 Division to move RHQ, 337 & 338 Batteries to area, Map Ref QE.820740 tonight; recce party to Div HQ as soon as possible.

17-30 hrs – CO left for Div HQ. Battery recce parties to follow and meet at DUIVEN church, Map Ref QE. 822738.

18-30 hrs – 336 Battery informed to abandon “A” Sector and relieve 1 Battalion of Belgian Brigade in “B” Sector. (Map Ref QE.6074 – South West of RANDWIJK) night of 16/17 April. Recce parties to Belgian Brigade HQ at 160900.

21-00 hrs – CO returns fro 49 Div HQ. Bty NOT to deploy tonight in DUIVEN area but to deploy area, Map Ref QE.755760 and fire on targets in VELP, Map Ref QE.7880.

Target 1 – QE.781803. (Near VELP)
Target 2 – QE.784805. (Near VELP)

Lieutenant A.G. Watson promoted A/Captain and assumed appointment of adjutant.

16 April 1945

02-50 hrs – 02-50 hrs – Batteries in action:-

337 Battery – Map Ref QE.781803. (Near VELP)
338 Battery – Map Ref QE.784805. (Near VELP)

06-00 hrs – 337 & 338 Batteries engaged above targets. 1 Salvo per battery.

08-00 hrs – 336 Battery and troop recce parties Belgian Brigade Liaison HQ.

12-12 hrs – Prepare to move from RA49 Division, details later.

12-45 hrs – Message to 337 & 338 Batteries. “Prepare to move”.

14-30 hrs – 336 Battery leave “A” Sector, South of ARNHEM and takes over positions from Belgian Brigade areas of RANDWIJK and HETEREN. BHQ established Map Ref QE.609747 (RANDWIJK). Take over completed by 17-30 hrs.

14-33 hrs – Move order received.

16-10 hrs – This HQ message to 337 & 338 Batteries.

17-00 hrs – IO (Intelligence Officer) receives instructions at RA 49 Division – Regt to concentrate South area Map Ref QE.7378 ARNHEM, prior to posible deployment in support of 56 Brigade.

17-30 hrs – 336 Battery takes over “B” Sector. BHQ established Map Ref QE.608745 (RANDWIJK).

18-00 hrs - This HQ message to 337 & 338 Batteries.

21-00 hrs – RHQ TAC, 337 & 338 Batteries concentrate in ARNHEM area, Map Ref QE.738784 – Sonsbeek Park, ARNHEM.