Rhine crossing in colour - 16mm film shot in March 1945

Hello,
today we posted this film on our website:
1945 - The Rhine Crossings in the Wesel Area - Films

"Memories of World War II": British Rhine Crossing near Xanten 1945 (colour film)
This excerpt from a silent 16mm colour film shows British military activities on the Rhine near Xanten and Bislich on March 24th, 1945, such as the construction of a pontoon bridge and the use of amphibious Buffalo personnel carriers (LVT). This is followed by images of the glider landing zones near Hamminkeln, taken on March 25th or 26th. The footage was filmed by U.S. Army Colonel Kirke B. Lawton, who was in command of the U.S. Army Pictorial Services in 1945. Today, his film is part of the collection of the Harry S. Truman Library in Independence, Missouri (film signature: Motion Picture MP 59-2).

 

Yo,

Not sure why but your site doesn't play (or download) the film for me very well. Do you have an original or a Youtube link?

Regards ...

 

You've posted a really good clip here, alberk. A sightseeing tour of all the well-known places. Right at the beginning, Rheinberger Strasse with the tall poplars on the right.



The effect compared to black and white shots was amazing for me. You are virtually right there with the action, whereas there is always a certain distance with b/w shots. The movie runs a little too fast at 30 fps, but that doesn't detract from the overall effect. Really worth seeing.

 

Thank you, ometei, I agree, colour brings it closer to our own world. We will see what we can do about the runnung speed...

 

alberk

Thanks for posting the video link, interesting shots of the gliders.

Cheers.

 

Agreed!

Looking into this a bit:
I am fairly sure the location for the Waco's is the same as the one that was discussed in the thread linked below:

Some color photographs also came up in that area which follow roughly the same route, and I now wonder if there was a Color Recording Team (photographer and Cine operator) that worked together to take and record these.

SGT R.D. Martin’s Film Footage - Operation Varsity
Note: I have posted to the point in the thread where the location was verified the photographs appear on the pages prior to this point.

At 6:09 a distinctive tree can be seen in the background (very green and round), as can the power poles a few moments later as they pan to the right.

"colour brings it closer to our own world" - Agreed to this as well!

Best Regards,
SH

 

Hello SH,

yes, a team of the USAAF "Special Film Project" filmed in colour and they also did a shot of the torn-open Waco glider that lost a wing. That film is held in the US National Archives. As far as colour photos are concerned - I do not know about these.

Best, Alex

 

Hi SH,
maybe you want to take a look at this film - you'll be surprised by what you see at TC 05:27 and 08:08.

 

Stitch

Nothing special - a stitch of still frames from one clip showing a west bank scene. It will be greatly reduced here.



Regards ...

 

Lt. General Brereton's HQ

Does anyone know where it was located? Suspect it was in the British sector. A couple of views from there:



Think this is Colonel Lawton in a Buffalo and talking to a British tank Officer.



Regards ...

 

Some further comments on the movie clip

At 01:20 we see B-24s approaching the American supply drop, exactly on the planned route. All the more astonishing then at 01:50 a returning B-24 on the opposite course. For the way back, however, the troop carrier route should be followed after a right turn, which would be in the Wesel area. Puzzling!

Nice to see Brereton in the picture for once. After all, he was in command of the First Allied Airborne Army. He had traveled from Belgium especially for the big show and landed on B-100. Together with Ridgway, he then watched the flyover.

Let's see what else there is to discover ...

 

Windmill

This scene with the windmill was part of the Brereton HQ group of clips. A flag flutters in a yard with military vehicles nearby. Darker structures are partially glimpsed to rear of front house. So perhaps the site of the HQ.



Regards ...

Later - Here's a cropped closeup which shows all those features a little clearer. There is also a tallish looking structure to far background. ... ?

 

I can't access the site in the original post at all. Is it possible to watch the video?

 

Hi Chris, I was told that the server was hacked. Unfortunately, the website is down the moment - we are working on it... sorry about this.

 

Hello,

As a temporary fix until site is back up the Rhine Crossing colour film can be downloaded at link below - approximately 227 mbs.

Lawton - Rhine Film.mp4 - Icedrive

And if that is a bit large here's a PDF overview:

A Rhine Crossing Film - Col. Lawton.pdf - Icedrive

Regards ...

 

1st Allied Airborne Army/18th Airborne Corps HQ

I have been looking for the above HQ (if combined?). Its location just prior to Varsity/Plunder is probably contained in a war diary somewhere. The Lawton contingent visited Lt. General Brereton's HQ. They passed through Xanten so maybe they were enroute to the HQ.

Similar Klever Str. scenes - past and present



A Mark Felton film presentation shows Montgomery visiting a HQ where he is met by General Ridgway. Was this taken in Germany prior to Varsity/Plunder? Unfortunately it is not the best quality so the background features do not show well.



Hopefully not too speculative or unrelated.

Regards ...

 

Hello Chris,

our website is back - we´re online again. And here's the film:
1945 - The Rhine Crossings in the Wesel Area - Films

 

This map from a Battlefield Tour book marks the main HQ and Tac HQ. I am away from home and do not have access to better map at the moment. But TAC HQ ist west of Xanten, Main HQ near Menzelen, as far as I can make out.

 

Thanks alberk. I'll look it over. Things are so slow with WW2Talk for me at the moment that I'll just leave it there.

Regards ...

 

House ... ?

In the Felton clip above as Montgomery and Ridgway pass the camera a house is seen momentarily in the background. Is it the same one as caught in the Lawton film from the opposing side (front)?



Windmills

Going by alberk's leads I have been looking at the various windmills in the Zanten area. As it turns out both East and West Menzelen have windmills.



The East Menzelen one doesn't quite fit the bill for me and at present I have been unable to find the West Menzelen one which is claimed to be a house conversion.

Regards ...