Publications 1945
Click on the covers to open the publications.
On April 9th, 1945, "Life" magazine
reported on Operation Varsity, featuring a series of photos taken by war photographer Robert Capa on p. 27-37. Capa had landed by parachute east of the Rhine near Hamminkeln on March 24th, 1945, and accompanied US 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment as it advanced towards its objectives.
The War Diary of the "North Nova Scotia Highlanders" for March 1945
describes the actions of this Canadian battalion on the western bank of the Rhine in early March and east of the river at Bienen from March 25th onwards. War diaries were kept in most armies in World War Two - usually from the battalion level upwards. After crossing the Rhine, the "North Nova Scotia Highlanders" were involved in the fighting at Bienen and suffered heavy casualties. The war diary lists the events day by day, from p. 131 it also contains detailed accounts of the battle from the perspective of the four companies involved. The battalion was part of 9th Infantry Brigade of Canadian 3rd Infantry Division.
(Source: Library and Archive of Canada)
"The Talon Crosses the Rhine" - Publication of US 17th Airborne Division
This publication describes the advance of US 17th Airborne Division from the Rhine crossing until VE-Day in May 1945. The booklet was published in 1945 and printed in Paris. It was intended as a memento for the division's soldiers. "The Talon" means "The Talon" and refers to the division's insignia, a bird of prey's talon.
Report of the US Engineer Corps on the Rhine Crossing
In this book, the engineer units of Ninth US Army report on their activities during the Rhine crossing in the Lower Rhine region. The work provides precise technical details and contains numerous photographs and sketches. Published in June 1945.
British magazine "The Picture Post", April 1945
The magazine reported on the Rhine crossing and the airborne operation near Wesel on April 14, 1945.
Report of XVIII Airborne Corps on "Operation Varsity"
British 6th Airborne Division and US 17th Airborne Division were part of XVIII Airborne Corps. The official report dated April 25th, 1945, briefly describes the airborne operation near Wesel and Hamminkeln. The report is supplemented by numerous maps at the end.