tactics and were able to bring armour forward with them (despite a high rate of damage due to the natural conditions combined with the age of the tanks). The German defences had not anticipated such tactics, so these tanks, including Churchill Crocodile flame-throwers, had great shock value. Operation Blockbuster Once the Reichswald had been taken, the Allied forces paused to regroup before continuing their advance towards the Hochwald (High Foretst) ridge, plus Xanten to the east of it, and the US 9th Army. This stage was Operation Blockbuster. As planned, it would start on 22 February when the 15th (Scottish) Division would attack woods north-east of Weeze, to be followed two days later on the 24th when the 53rd (Welsh) Division would advance southwards from Goch, take Weeze and continue south-westward. Finally, the II Canadian Corps would launch, on 26 February, the operation intended to overcome the German defences based on the Hochwald and then exploit to Xanten. By the time the waters from the Roer dams had subsided and the US 9th Army was able to cross the Roer on 23 February, other Allied forces were also close to the Rhine's west bank. Rundstedt's divisions which had remained on the west bank of the Rhine were cut to pieces in the Rhineland and 230,000 men were taken prisoner. Aftermath After the battle, 34 Armoured Brigade conducted a review of its own part in the forest phase of the battle, in order to highlight the experiences of the armoured units and learn lessons. After the war, Eisenhower commented this "was some of the fiercest fighting of the whole war" and "a bitter slugging match in which the enemy had to be forced back yard by yard". Montgomery wrote "the enemy parachute troops fought with a fanaticism un-excelled at any time in the war" and "the volume of fire from enemy weapons was the heaviest which had so far been met by British troops in the campaign." Notable participants British Formula 1 commentator Murray Walker was Captain with the Royal Scots Greys in the 4th Black Rats Armoured Brigade See also Western Front Notes Footnotes Citations References Chapter 17 Chapter 18: Chapter 19: External links The 3rd Canadian Infantry Division in the Rhineland A detailed, personal account of the battle A biography of Henry Crerar "Battle of the Rhineland". The Canadian Encyclopedia. 2nd Lincolnshires' history 51st (Highland) Division – Reichswald Battle