John Wilmot
OPERATION VARSITY
The Rhine Crossing
After the Allies stooped the Ardennes Offensive in January 1945, they began to push forward again towards the fronteir of Germany itself. By March, the 21st Army Group under Field Marshall Montgomory's command was facing the last obstacle into Germany, the Rhine River. The operation planned for the crossing of the Rhine was called "Operation Plunderer" and the Airborne element of it was called "Operation Varsity". The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, was part of the 3rd Parachute Brigade of the British 6th Airborne Division in the XVIII Airborne Corps.
The Plan
This operation was different from most of the Allied Airborne Operations that preceeded it. The lessons learned at Arnhem months earlier were taken into account during the planning of Operation Varsity. This would be a daylight drop to increase the chances of the pilots finding the proper Drop Zones. The area would be subjected to an intense bombing and artillery campaign prior to the drop. Link-up with ground forces was scheduled for the end of the first day. The Aiurborne Force would be within reach of the ground force's artillery and could call on it for support. Unlike previous operations, the Paratroops would be used as a tactical rather than a stategic force. The amphibious crossing would take place before the drop. The role of the Airborne Forces would be to seize and hold vital high ground overlooking the river and prevent enemy reinforcements from reaching the bridgehead.
1 CAN PARA
As part of the 3rd Para Bde, the Canadians would drop on the west side of a high wooded feature known as the Diersfordter Wald. The entire 2200 men of the Brigade were to be put down on a 800x1000 yard Drop Zone within 6 minutes. The first task would be to secure the DZ and then to gain a hold in the woods. the British 8th Bn was assigned the north end, the British 9th Bn would take the south end and the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion would capture the center including the woodline, a road and some houses towards the south of their objective. The Commanding Officer, LCol J. A. Nicklin, assigned "C" Coy to clear the northern part of the objective near the road junction. Afterwards, "A" Coy would pass through and clear the houses while "B" Coy cleared the western part of the woods and provided flank protection.
The Drop
The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion arose at 0200 hrs and began their preparations. They emplaned at Chipping Ongar Airfield in England at 0730 hrs on March 24th, 1945. The weather was clear and the flight took just over two hours. The Air Force provided cover for the transport planes by supressing the flak batteries and keeping enemy fighter aircraft out of the area. On the ground, the German 7th Parachute Division were expecting an Airborne Assault as part of the Rhine crossing but they did not expect it would come after the Amphibious Assault. Most of the jumpers landed on the Drop Zone which was right next to the objective. Many of them had holes shot through their canopys during their descent. Some landed in the trees on top of the German positions. The LCol Nicklin landed in the trees directly above an enemy machine gun nest and was killed in action. Major G. Fraser Eadie assumed command and led the battalion during the operation and for the rest of the war.
With the enemy so close, the companies found themselves in action as they landed. Clearing the Drop Zone was a task for the 8th Bn but it was not complete when the Canadians landed so they had to fight their way off the DZ. There are many stories of close calls and acts of bravery from the men who were trying to assemble into their companies. Although the fighting was intense in many areas the companies managed to take their objectives by about noon and began consolidating their positions. The plan had work well. Now the Paratroopers had to hold-on until the ground forces linked-up later that night. There were counter attacks by the enemy but none were successful. Fighting continued through the day but the intensity diminished. A re-supply air drop came in at 1500 hrs with more ammunition. By late afternoon reconnaisance elements of the 15th Scottish Division had made contact and at 0800 hrs the next morning 2nd Army infantry units moved into the position.
Cpl Fred Topham, V.C.
On 24th March 1945, Corporal Topham, a medical orderly, parachuted with 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion onto a strongly defended area east of the Rhine. At about 1100 hours, whilst treating casualties sustained in the drop, a cry for help came from a wounded man in the open. Two medical orderlies from a field ambulance went out to this man in succession, but both were killed as they knelt beside the casualty.
Without hesitation and on his own initiative, Corporal Topham went forward through intense fire to replace the orderlies who had been killed before his eyes. As he worked on the wounded man he was himself shot through the nose. In spite of severe bleeding and intense pain, he never faltered in his task. Having completed immediate first aid, he carried the wounded man steadily and slowly back through continuous fire to the shelter of a wood.
During the next two hours Corporal Topham refused all offers of medical help for his own wound. He worked most devotedly throughout this period to bring in the wounded, showing complete disregard for the heavy and accurate enemy fire. It was only when all casualties had been cleared that he consented to his own wound being treated.
His immediate evacuation was ordered, but he interceded so earnestly on his own behalf that he was eventually allowed to return to duty.
On his way back to his company he came across a Bren gun carrier, which had received a direct hit. Enemy mortar bombs were still dropping around, the carrier itself was burning fiercely and its own mortar ammunition was exploding. An experienced officer on the spot had warned all not to approach the carrier.
Corporal Topham, however, immediately went out alone in spite of the blasting ammunition and enemy fire, and rescued the three occupants of the carrier. He brought these men back across the open, and although one died almost immediately afterwards, he arranged for the evacuation of the other two, who undoubtedly owe their lives to him.
This N.C.O. showed sustained gallantry of the highest order. For six hours, most of the time in great pain, he performed a series of acts of outstanding bravery, and his magnificent and selfless courage inspired all those who witnessed it.
Lessons Learned
This operation went very well. Many of the men who were there talk about it as an example of what Airborne troops can do when proper planning is done. The lessons learned from previous operations were addressed here and it paid off in the overall success of the mission. The American 17th Airborne Division, who were operating to the south of the British, learned a hard lesson about their new C-46 Commando aircraft. It had been designed as a jump plane with two rear doors to speed up the exits and keep the troops closer together on the ground. Unfortunately, the wing fuel tanks were not self sealing and that made them vulnerable to ground fire. Of the 72 C-47s used in the drop, 22 were shot down and another 38 were damaged. BGen Matthew Ridgeway, the Commander of XVIII Airborne Corps, refused to allow the C-47 to be used for Airborne Operations after this disaster.