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G-3 Report -
Enemy Operations During Period.
29 March
The enemy defended Dorsten A4751 with heavy arty and HV fire together with hvy AW fire. After our troops occupied the town they were subjected to intense Med and Hvy Cal Arty fires. Our Adv to the E from Vic A445347 and fr Vic 468339 initially met light resistance - SA and some Arty fire. However, our troops encountered severe mortar and AW fire plus Hvy Arty fire as they debouched from Schoven A512335 and at A512329. In the north portion of the Div zone our troops met Hvy SA, AW and Arty fire on the E outskirts of Dorsten and progress was slowed at A496379 by road craters and blown bridges. Mortar fire was reported as hvy along road Dorsten - A490375.
30 March
General Summary: Our advance met determined resistance all day with the enemy contesting every foot of ground with intense SA and AW fire, very heavy arty and HV fire, and tank fire.
Armor: Tanks were reported in our zone all during the period. Tanks and Inf counterattacked CCR Vic A5234 early in the period and tanks were reported moving S from Westerholt A5434. At 0900 5 Panthers were milling about in Polsum and were hit hard by our artillery fire and five were reported knocked out. 4 Panther tanks were observed moving S on main road out of Buer-Hassel A525340 and also observed in the town.
Artillery: Heavy caliber artillery fire was received in Zwecke A4833. The enemy used emplaced HV weapons from the ridge NE of Polsum to hold up our advance into the town. 105mm and heavier caliber fire also received; believed to be coming from woods Vic A555360 and A575413.
31 March
General Summary: During the night of 30 Mar the enemy clung stubbornly to Buer-Hassel (5243) and Westerholt (A5534), the lower extremeties of his A5240 - Polsum A525365 - Buer A525315 defense line. By 0700 he had been driven from both positions but continued to impede our progress to the E by using high velocity AT and AW fire in liberal quantity. Resistance, however, was scattered up to a point approx 4000 yds W of Recklinghausen. Here the Germans clamped down. SA & AT fire were intense. Fighting degenerated into a house to house affair. At 1415 the 16th PGR made its appearance in the form of approx 15 tks which stoutly defended all routes into Recklinghausen in conjunction with infantry.
Armour: Tanks were obsvd at the following places; 2 tks vic 588365 at 1456, 3 tks vic 5935 at 1415, 10 tks vic 595360 at 1415 and 1 tks vic 543368 at 1200. Following a concentration by our arty in W edge of Recklinghausen several tanks were obsvd burning.
Arty: High velocity AT fire was continuous throughout the period everywhere in our zone. Heavy concentrations fell at 568378, 526336, 560400 and 575384.
2 April
Delbruck 5752 was occupied without opposition early in the period, however our reconnaissance troops met scattered opposition in Sande B6542 and hit very determined resistance in the form of heavy SA, AW & HV fire in Neuhaus B6749. Tanks were seen in Neuhaus & 2 Officer PWs reported that there were 20 Tiger Royal tanks near Neuhaus. PWs stated that tanks were almost out of gas, however, civilians report that a tank car of gas arrived in vic Neuhaus yesterday.
Our patrols entered & occupied Sennelager 6853 this afternoon without meeting resistance.
3 April
During the early hours of the period enemy resistance to our adv in Neuhaus (675500) was quite determined and our adv was slowed down considerably. At 0200 the enemy had still not given up Neuhaus. On the contrary, he launched a counterattack against CCR, employing from 2 to 3 cos of infantry supported by a plt of Tiger tks. The c/a was beaten off by early morning. Fighting continued in Neuhaus with slow progress being made by our troops.
At the end of the period, CCA and CCR were attacking south in our new zone. Enemy resistance in the form of s/a, AW and some AT fire was being received in the vic of Erwitte (4235) and Eikelch (4636).
4 April
Resistance was light in the eastern advance to the final objective. In the center our advance was slowed down by the enemy's stubborn defense of Erwitte 4235 by S/A, 88's, S/P guns and 3 tks. In the west, CCR had a tough fight in vic of Stripe 4036. AT, SA, AW and arty fire was encountered thus slowing the advance considerably. This was the first time during the period that arty fire was encountered. Small groups of tanks were constantly active in our entire zone.
5 April
Resistance in our northern sector was very light during early hours of the period. CCR occupied Robringhausen 3729, Klieve 3830, Ebbinghausen 3735, Horn 3535 and Bernbrock 3834 with little fighting. CCB passing thru CCR found the burgomeisters of Kaldemei 3738, Uninghausen and Schaller 3333 ready to surrender without resistance. CCA advanced rapidly in the southern sector meeting light resistance at scattered points. Most heavily defended sector was Echelnhoten 3624 where S/A and H/V fire was encountered. In the afternoon the enemy employed mortar fire and arty fire in moderate quantity. H/W fire continued at scattered points thru out the sector.
6 April
Enemy resistance in the zone of CCB was very light during the period. Scattered resistance was encountered in zones of CCA during the morning increasing to moderate in the afternoon. At 1500 a counterattack from the west was launched against the 194th Glider Regt in the vic of Kallenhardt B4717. This attack was made by Battle Group Hass with a strength of 150 to 200 men. Enemy artillery support in this action was meager. The attack was repulsed with an estimated 25 enemy killed and 100 taken prisoner. A PW states there are plans to attack Kallenhardt B4717 the night of 6 - 7 April.
7 April
General Summary: Our advance met determined resistance from various enemy service and replacement battalions. They are holding every critical town and road junction as long as possible by employing intense S/A and AW fire, heavy mortar and arty fire and H/V fire.
Artillery: Heavy artillery and mortar fire was received at B182232 - B2222.
The promised counterattack against 194 Glider Regt failed to materialize during the early morning hours, and by 1600, objective Suttrop, B4417, and Warstein B4216, had been taken from the hastily organized Battle Gruppe Haas. In front of CCB, the enemy was forced to give up Gerlingen B1828, Blumenthal B1326 and Ostonnen B1827.
8 April
8th Armd Div Front: The tedioud process of mopping-up continued during the period and as in days past, the enemy employed similar delaying tactics. At Blumenthal B135260 and at Bremen B155230, resistance was stiff. Bremen, the former CP of 60 PGR, was defended by 100 to 200 entrenched infantry supported by 4 or 5 tks and back up by heavy guns vic Echthausen B115220 and woods at B1124. CCB, by-passing Blumenthal, found opposition in Werl generally light with the exception of arty and AT fire which increased in volume as Werl was cleared. By 2000, CCB had advanced W to take Buderich B1027. Opposition during the advance was from the usual odd assortment of units under the guiding hand of 116 Pz.
9 April
Enemy resistance increased considerably over the previous two days. Along the Unna - Soest highway, which formed the boundary for 156 and 50 PGRs, 116 Pz Div was forced back slowly. Holtum B080226, was taken with light resistance but, along the line Hemmerede, B0528 - Vinning B050250, entrenched inf supported by SPs and heavy arty put up a determined fight. By 1800, CCB had cleared Westhemerede B035149 and Stockum B029271 and our units were encountering heavy fire as they passed through Stockum toward Unna.
CCR engaged in the heaviest fighting in our zone. Progress was quite slow against the 60 PGR and elms of 16 Pz Regt, who supported by 3 Bn, 23 Para Regt of 2 Para Div. Dual purpose AA, SP, and arty were emplaced in the woods vic Wickede on the S of the Ruhr River. These guns, plus many heavy weapons in the woods vic 1124, fired continuous, well-planned concentrations. 16 Pz Regt did not emply its tanks in mass despite many PW reports that they were in the vic of Wickede, but they added their bit by supplementing the already plentiful arty. By 1600, most of the woods N of the Ruhr were clear and resistance had lessened somewhat as the enemy began withdrawing slowly west. By 1800, CCR was advancing on Wiehagen, B0823, Schluckingen B0925 and Wickede B0922, against lessening opposition.
CCA mopped up the Waltringen B1323 - Neheim B160175 - Nieder Ense R1822 triangle exclusive of Neheim, meeting little resistance except for SA and AW fire at road blocks.
10 April
Enemy opposing the advance of CCB toward Unna offered heavy resistance to our troops. Arty fire was moderate but heavy A/W and AT fire were intense on the eastern fringes of Unna.
In front of CCR elms of 156 and 60 PGR's gave ground more easily than they had on 9 April. Wiehagen (0823), Schluckingen (0925) and Wickede (0922) fell during the evening of 9 Apr and by 1800 10 Apr our elms had taken Frohnhausen (048216) and Hohen (033214), while at 1800 Framern (004228), ex-CP of 16 Pz Regt, was being attacked. 16 Pz Regt opposed CCR by piecemeal use of its tanks. 6 tanks were observed moving SW from vic 045214 at 091800 April. 10 tks observed vic 075183 at 101600 April. Heavy arty fire continued from position S of the Ruhr River against our left flank elms. 116 Pz is now less the use of seven tanks, four being destroyed at 06215 at 1300 and three having been disabled vic 991265.
Enemy action was characterized by a slow withdrawal of 116 Pz Div with its various miscellaneous supporting units toward Unna, covered by well observed large caliber fire from arty, AA ground fire and mortar fire. 3 Bn 23 Para Regt is firmly in contact on our south flank but it is becoming increasingly more apparent that 3 Bn is the only bn in 23 Para Regt and that the regt itself is operating independently of 2 Para Div, which is still fighting in the Essen area.
11 April
Enemy resistance in Unna A9726 was very heavy. The Volkssturm backed by SS troops used 88mm and tank fire to cover all roads leading into the town. Although surprised by an attack from the S, the enemy defended the southern outskirts of Unna with heavy S/A, AT, Mortar and Arty fire. The defense of Unna south to the Ruhr R was moderate. Fromern A005228 and Frondenberg A025195 was defended with S/A, mortar and arty fire.
12 April
Enemy resistance to both CCA and CCR was light. There was no organized defense attempted and the enemy troops encountered consisted of small miscellaneous groups. Arty, HV and mortar fire continued to fall on CCR from S of the Ruhr River, while both CCA and CCR received fire in somewhat lesser volume from the W. At 1100 five enemy tanks appeared at 922206 in what had the earmarks of a small C/A against CCR. This was stopped cold by friendly air. At the same time, fighting flared up in vic of 925215 but the enemy was forced from this position and withdrew to the W. By 1800, a line generally along 92 northing had been thoroughly cleaned out of all enemy troops.
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