Dick’s 1945 diary for March:
2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th – Leave!
52nd (Lowland) Reconnaissance Regiment:
The Regiment at last left Afferden. ‘A’ Squadron, after difficulties on the road due to craters and mines, reached high ground early on 3rd March. ‘B’ Squadron pushed on through in front of them achieving their own objective and then ‘C’ Squadron; who arrived at Twisteden (now in Germany, between Afferden and Geldern) without opposition. Six prisoners of war were taken. The Regiment then remained at Langstraat unable to move because of unpassable roads.
(From the War Diary of the 52nd Reconnaissance Regiment held by the Archive and Reference Library, the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset)
On March 3rd 53rd Reconnaissance Regiment, on the central axis of the Rhineland offensive, made contact with the Americans reaching Geldern from the south. Canadians Divisions advanced through the Hochwald Forest and took Xanten, a town close to the Rhine. Allied troops closed in on west bank of the Rhine opposite Wesel but were met with fierce enemy resistance.
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