Operation Veritable

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Order of Battle


Order of Battle for Operation Veritable


The Order of Battle (OrBat) shows the formation of the forces that were in Operation Veritable in the beginning of February 1945. Displayed here are the main battle/fighting formations; the infantry- and tank divisions and independent tank brigades. (Numerous supporting units were also involved in the battle, but are not mentioned specifically here)

Allied command & staff formation:

Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe, General Dwight Eisenhower, had the responsibility for planning and supervising the invasion into Germany in the winter of 1944-1945. Field-Marshal Bernard Montgomery's 21st Army Group was supplied with the task of advancing into Germany in the Niederrhein (Lower-Rhine) area, which eventually resulted in both the operations 'Veritable' and 'Grenade'. The northern offensive (Operation Veritable) was carried out by General Harry Crerar's First Canadian Army, which consisted of just under half a million men split into two corps:
-The 2nd Canadian Corps, commanded by Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds, contained both Canadian (two Canadian infantry divisions, one Canadian armoured division, one Canadian independent armoured brigade) and British units (the 15th and 52nd Infantry Divisions and the 11th Armoured Division).
-The British XXX Corps, commanded by Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks, comprised six infantry divisions, one armoured division, three armoured brigades, eleven regiments of specialized armour (mostly 79th Armoured Division) and five groups Royal Artillery which consisted of a thousand guns. The Corps also included two anti-aircraft artillery brigades.
OrBat Allied Formations
Click the emblems/names for information about the specific formation
2nd Canadian Division 3rd Canadian Division 3rd Infantry Division 15th Scottish Division 4th Canadian Armoured Division 11th Armoured Division 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade 43rd Wessex Division 51st Highland Division 52nd Lowland Division 53rd Welsh Division Guards Armoured Division 79th Armoured Division 4th Armoured Brigade 6th Guards Armoured Brigade 8th Armoured Brigade 34th Armoured Brigade

German command & staff formation:

Commander-in-Chief West Gerd von Rundstedt was supplied with the task to . Army group H (Balskowitz). The German formations in the battle of the Reichwald (Operation Veritable) 1945, came under the control of General Schlemm (FIRST PARACHUTE ARMY), he fought a costly delaying action, his Corps consisted of the 2. PARACHUTE CORPS, 47. PANZER CORPS and the 86. INFANTRY CORPS. Many of the German formations were weak battle groups recovering from the earlier battles in Normandy or the Eastern Front. Some Divisions were only at Brigade level. But the Germans did have a number of Jagdpanters, and six of the heavy rocket firing Sturmtiger, of which only twelve were ever built.
OrBat Axis Formations
Click the emblems/names for information about the specific formation
6. Parachute Division 7. Parachute Division 8. Parachute Division 116. Panzer Division 130. Panzer Lehr Division 15. Panzer Grenadier Division 84. Infanterie Division 180. Infanterie Division 190. Infanterie Division




Divisions


Allied Order of Battle


2nd Canadian Division
2nd Canadian Division

          (C.O. Maj.-Gen. A.B.Matthews)
    4th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig.F.N.Cabeldu)
  • The Royal Regiment of Canada
  • The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth regiment)
  • The Essex Scottish Regiment
    5th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig.W.J.Megill)
  • The Black Watch of Canada (Royal Highlanders)
  • Le Regiment de Maisonneuve
  • The Calgary Highlanders
    6th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig.R.H.Keefler)
  • Les Fusiliers Mont Royal
  • The Queens Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada
  • The South Saskatchewan Regiment
    Artillery
  • 4th Field Regiment
  • 5th Field Regiment
  • 6th Field Regiment
  • 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment
  • 3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment

3rd Division
3rd Infantry Division

          (C.O. Maj.-Gen. I.G.Whistler)
    8th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. E.H.Goulburn)
  • 1st Battalion Suffolk Regiment
  • 2nd Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment
  • 1st Battalion South Lancashire Regiment
    9th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. G.D.Renny)
  • 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment
  • 1st Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borderers
  • 2nd Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles
    185th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. F.R.G.Martews)
  • 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment
  • 1st Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment
  • 2nd Battalion Kings Shropshire Light Infantry
    Support
  • RAC: 3rd Recce Regiment
  • MMG: 2nd Battalion Middlesex Regiment
    Artillery (Self-Propelled)
  • 7th Field Regiment
  • 33rd Field Regiment
  • 76th Field Regiment
  • 20th Anti-Tank Regiment
  • 92nd Light Anti-Aircraft regiment

3rd Canadian Division
3rd Canadian Infantry Division

          (C.O. Maj.-Gen. D.C.Spry)
    7th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. J.G.Spragge, from 20.02.45 Brig. T.G. Gibson)
  • The Royal Winnipeg Rifles
  • The Regina Rifles Regiment
  • The Canadian Scottish Regiment
    8th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. J.A. Roberts)
  • The Queens Own Rifles
  • Le Regiment de la Chaudière
  • The North Shore Regiment (New Brunswick)
    9th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. J.M.Rockingham)
  • The Highland Light Infantry of Canada
  • The Stormond,Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders
  • The North Nova Scotia Highlanders
    Support
  • RAC: 7th Recce Regt. Duke of Yorks Royal Canadian Hussars
  • MMG: The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa
    Artillery
  • 12th Field Regiment
  • 13th Field Regiment
  • 14th Field Regiment
  • 3rd Anti-Tank Regiment
  • 4th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment

15th Scottish Division
15th (Scottish) Infantry Division

          (C.O. Maj.-Gen. C.M.Barber)
    44th Infantry (Lowland) Brigade (C.O. Brig. Hon.H.C.Thurlow-Cumming-Bruce)
  • 8th Battalion Royal Scots
  • 6th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers
  • 6th Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borderers
    46th Infantry (Highland) Brigade (C.O. Brig. R.M. Villers)
  • 9th Battalion Cameronians
  • 2nd Battalion Glasgow Highlanders
  • 7th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders
    227th Infantry (Highland) Brigade (C.O. Brig. E.C.Colville)
  • 10th Battalion Highland Light Infantry
  • 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders
  • 2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
    Support
  • RAC: 15th Recce Regiment
  • MMG: 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment
    Artillery
  • 131st Field Regiment
  • 181st Field Regiment
  • 190th Field Regiment
  • 102nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Northumberland Hussars)
  • 119th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment

43rd Wessex Division
43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division

          (C.O. Maj.-Gen. G.I.Thomas)
    129th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. J.O.E. Vandeleur)
  • 4th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry
  • 4th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment
  • 5th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment
    130th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. B.A. Coad)
  • 7th Battalion Hampshire Regiment
  • 4th Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment
  • 5th Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment
    214th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. H. Essame)
  • 7th Somerset Light Infantry
  • 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment
  • 5th Battalion Duke of Cornwall´s Light Infantry
    Support
  • RAC: 43rd Recce Regiment
  • MMG: 8th Battalion Middlesex Regiment
    Artillery
  • 92nd Field Regiment
  • 112th Field Regiment
  • 179th Field Regiment
  • 59th Anti-Tank Regiment
  • 110th Anti-Aircraft Regiment

51st Highland Division
51st (Highland) Infantry Division

          (C.O. Maj.-Gen. T.G. Rennie)
    152nd Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. A.J.H. Cassel)
  • 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders
  • 5th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders
  • 5th Battalion Queens Own Cameron Highlanders
    153rd Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. J.R.Sinclair)
  • 5th Battalion Black Watch
  • 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders
  • 5/7 Battalion Gordon Highlanders
    154th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. J.A. Oliver)
  • 1st Battalion Black Watch
  • 7th Battalion Gordon Highlanders
  • 7th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
    Support
  • RAC: 2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry
  • MMG: 1/7 Battalion Middlesex Regiment
    Artillery
  • 126th Field Regiment
  • 127th Field Regiment
  • 128th Field Regiment
  • 61st Anti-Tank Regiment
  • 40th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment

52nd Lowland Division
52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division

          (C.O. Maj.-Gen. E. Hakewill-Smith)
    155th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. J.F.S. MacLaren)
  • 7/9 Battalion Royal Scots
  • 4th Battalion King´s Own Scottish Borderers
  • 6th Battalion Highland Light Infantry
    156th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. G.D.Renny)
  • 4/5 Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers
  • 6th Battalion Cameronians
  • 7th Battalion Cameronians
    157th Infantry brigade (C.O. Brig. E.H.G.Grant)
  • 5th Battalion Highland Light Infantry
  • 6th Battalion Highland Light Infantry
  • 5th Battalion King´s Own Scottish Borderers
    Support
  • RAC: 52nd Recce Regiment
  • MMG: 7th Battalion Manchester Regiment
    Artillery
  • 79th Field Regiment
  • 80th Field Regiment
  • 186th Field Regiment
  • 54th Anti-Tank Regiment (Queens Own Royal Glasglow Yeomanry)
  • 108th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment

53rd Welsh Division
53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division

          (C.O. Maj.-Gen. R.K.Ross)
    71st Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. M. Erlington)
  • 4th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers
  • 1st Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
  • 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry
    158th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. J.H.O.Wilsey)
  • 7th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers
  • 1st Battalion East Lancashire Regiment
  • 1/5 Battalion Welsh Regiment
    160th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. C.F.C. Coleman)
  • 6th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers
  • 4th Battalion Welsh Regiment
  • 2nd Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment
    Support
  • RAC: 53rd Recce Regiment
  • MMG: 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment
    Artillery
  • 81st Field Regiment
  • 83rd Field Regiment
  • 133rd Field Regiment
  • 71st Anti-Tank Regiment
  • 25th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment

Guards Armoured Division
Guards Armoured Division

          (C.O. Maj.-Gen. A.H.S. Adair)
    5th Guards Armoured brigade (C.O. Brig. N.W. Gwatkin)
  • 2nd Armoured Battalion Grenadier Guards
  • 1st Armoured battalion Coldstream Guards
  • 2nd Armoured Battalion Irish Guards
  • 1st Motor Battalion Grenadier Guards
    32nd Guards Brigade (C.O. Brig. G.F. Johnson)
  • 5th Battalion Coldstream Guards
  • 3rd Battalion Irish Guards
  • 2nd Battalion Scots Guards
    Support
  • RAC: 268 Forward Delivery Squadron
  • RAC: 2nd Armoured Recce Battalion Welsh Guards
  • MMG: 1st Company Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
    Artillery
  • 55th Field regiment
  • 153rd Field Regiment (Leicestershire Yeomanry)
  • 21st Anti-Tank regiment
  • 94th light Anti-Aircraft Regiment

4th Canadian Armoured Division
4th Canadian Armoured Division

          (C.O. Maj.-Gen. C. Vokes)
    4th Armoured Brigade (C.O. Brig. R.W. Moncel)
  • The Governor Generals Foot Guards
  • The Canadian Grenadier Guards
  • The British Columbia Regiment
    10th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. J.C. Jefferson)
  • The Lincoln and Welland Regiment
  • The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise´s)
  • The Algonquin Regiment
  • The Lake Superior Regiment
    Support
  • RAC:
  • MMG:
    Artillery
  • 15th Field Regiment
  • 23rd Field Regiment
  • 5th Anti-Tank regiment
  • 8th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment

11th Armoured Division
11th Armoured Division

          ( C.O. Maj.-Gen. G.P.B.Roberts)
    29th Armoured Brigade (C.O. Brig. C.B.C. Harvey)
  • 23rd Hussars Regiment
  • 3rd Royal Tank Regiment
  • 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry
  • 8th Motor Battalion The Rifle Brigade
    159th Infantry Brigade (C.O. Brig. J.B.Churcher)
  • 4th Battalion King´s Shropshire Light Infantry
  • 3rd Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment
  • 1st Battalion Herefordshire Regiment
    Support
  • RAC: 270th Forward Delivery Squadron
  • RAC: 15/19 King´s Royal Hussars
    Artillery
  • 13th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery (HAC)
  • 151st Field Regiment (Ayshire Yeomanry)
  • 75th Anti-Tank Regiment
  • 58th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment

79th Armoured Division
79th Armoured Division

          (C.O. Maj.-Gen. Sir P.C.S.Hobart)
The 79th did not operate as a division in the same sense as the other divisions. Due to it´s specialist vehicles, mine clearing etc, the unit found itself split up amongst the other Divisions and Independent Brigades. Sherman Flails, AVRE, Buffalos and Kangaroo personnel carriers.
    30th Armoured Brigade (C.O. Brig. N.W. Duncan)
  • 22nd Dragoons
  • 1st Lothians and Border Horse Yeomanry
  • 2nd County of London Yeomanry (Westminster Dragoons)
    1st Army Armoured Brigade (C.O. Brig. P.S.B. Sydenham)
  • 11th Royal Tank Regiment
  • 42nd Royal Tank Regiment
  • 49th Royal Tank Regiment
    1st Assault Brigade
  • 5th Assault Regiment
  • 6th Assault Regiment
  • 42nd Assault Regiment
  • 87th Assault Dozer Squadron
  • 149th Assault Park Squadron
    Support
  • RAC: 264th Special Delivery Squadron
  • RAC: 269th Forward Delivery Squadron
  • RAC: 1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment
  • RAC: 49th Armoured Carrier Regiment

Independant Armoured Brigades
Independant Armoured Brigades

          ( A= Infantry support. B= without infantry support)
    2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade (C.O. Brig. G.W. Robinson)
  • 6th Armoured Regiment (1st Hussars)
  • 10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort Garry Horse)
  • 27th Armoured Regiment (The Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment)
  • "C" Squadron, 25th Armoured Delivery Regiment (The Elgin Regiment)
    4th Armoured Brigade (A) (C.O. Brig. R.M.P. Carver)
  • Royal Scots Greys
  • 3rd County of London Yeomanry
  • 44th Battalion Royal Tank Regiment
  • 2nd Battalion King´s Royal Rifle Corps (Motor)
    6th Guards Armoured Brigade (B) (C.O. Brig. W.D.C. Greenacre)
  • 4th Tank Battalion Grenadier Guards
  • 4th Tank Battalion Coldstream Guards
  • 3rd Tank Battalion Scots Guards
    8th Armoured Brigade (A) (C.O. Brig. G.E. Prior-Palmer)
  • 4/7 Royal Dragoon Guards
  • 13/18 Hussars
  • Notinghamshire Yeomanry (Sherwood Rangers)
  • 12th Battalion King´s Royal Rifle Corps (Motor)
    34th Armoured Brigade (A) (C.O. Brig. W.S. Clarke)
  • 107th Royal Armoured Corps
  • 147th Royal Armoured Corps
  • 9th Royal Tank Regiment

German Order of Battle


84. Infantry Division
84. Infantry Division

          (C.O. Col. Fiebig)
          Wehrkreis VI
  • 1051. Grenadier Regiment
  • 1052. Grenadier Regiment
  • 1062. Grenadier Regiment
  • 184. Artillery Regiment
  • 84. Füsilier Battalion
  • 184. Anti-Tank Battalion
  • 184. Engineer Battalion
  • 184. Signal Battalion

180. Infantry Division
180. Infantry Division

          (C.O. Maj.-Gen. Bernhard Klosterkemper)
          Verden Wehrkreis X
  • 1221. Grenadier Regiment
  • 1222. Grenadier Regiment
  • 1223. Grenadier Regiment
  • 180. Artillery Regiment
  • 180. Füsilier Battalion
  • 180. Anti-Tank Battalion
  • 180. Engineer Battalion
  • 180 Signal Battalion

190. Infantry Division
190. Infantry Division

          (C.O. Lt.-Gen. Ernst Hammer)
          Neumünster Wehrkreis X
  • 1224. Grenadier Regiment
  • 1225. Grenadier Regiment
  • 1226. Grenadier Regiment

116. Panzer Division
116. Panzer Division

          (C.O. Maj.-Gen. Siegfried von Waldenburg)
          Rheine Wehrkreis VI
  • 116. Panzer Battalion
  • 60. Panzer Grenadier Regiment
  • 156. Panzer Grenadier Regiment
  • 146. Motorized Artillery Regiment
  • 59. Motorcycle Battalion (may have had Armoured Cars by this time)
  • 116. Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion
  • 146. Anti-Tank Battalion
  • 146. Motorized Engineer Battalion
  • 228. Motorized Signal Battalion

130. Panzer Lehr Division
130. Panzer Lehr Division

          (C.O. Lt.-Gen. Fritz Bayerlein)
          Wehrkreis III
  • 130. Panzer Regiment
  • 901. Panzer Grenadier Regiment
  • 902. Panzer Grenadier Regiment
  • 130. Panzer Artillery Regiment
  • 130. Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion
  • 130. Anti-Tank Battalion
  • 130. Panzer Engineer Battalion
  • 130. Panzer Signal Battalion
  • 311. Army Anti-Aircraft Battalion

15. Panzer Grenadier Division
15. Panzer Grenadier Division

          (C.O. Col. Wolfgang Maucke)
          Kaiserslautern Wehrkreis XII
  • 115. Panzer Battalion
  • 104. Panzer Grenadier Regiment
  • 115. Panzer Grenadier Regiment
  • 33. Motorized Artillery Regiment
  • 115. Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion
  • 33. Anti-Tank Battalion
  • 33. Motorized Engineer Battalion
  • 33. Motorized Signal Battalion

6. Parachute Division
6. Parachute Division

          (C.O. Lt.-Gen. Hermann Plocher)
          Formed in June 1944 - battlegroup strength
  • 16. Parachute Regiment
  • 17. Parachute Regiment
  • 18. Parachute Regiment
  • 6. Parachute Artillery Regiment
  • 6. Parachute Anti-Tank Battalion
  • 6. Parachute Engineer Battalion
  • 6. Parachute Signal Battalion
  • 6. Parachute Anti-Aircraft Battalion
  • 6. Parachute Heavy Mortar Unit

7. Parachute Division
7. Parachute Division

          (C.O. Lt.-Gen. Wolfgang Erdmann)
          Formed in September 1944
  • 19. Parachute Regiment
  • 20. Parachute Regiment
  • 21. Parachute Regiment
  • 7. Parachute Artillery Regiment
  • 7. Parachute Anti-Tank Battalion
  • 7. Parachute Engineer Battalion
  • 7. Parachute Signal Battalion

8. Parachute Division
8. Parachute Division

          (C.O. Lt.-Gen. Wadehn)
          Formed in December 1944
  • 22. Parachute Regiment
  • 23. Parachute Regiment ( Never fully formed)
  • 24. Parachute Regiment
  • 8. Parachute Artillery Regiment (not fully formed)
  • 8. Parachute Anti-Tank Battalion (not fully formed)
  • 8. Parachute Engineer Battalion
  • 8. Parachute Signal Battalion