British Commandos Capture Westel
Photograph: British Commandos Capture Westel. British Commandos of the 1st Commando Brigade made a surprise crossing of the Rhine in assault craft at 10pm on the night of March 23, under a terrific barrage of 1, 500 guns, to form the spearhead of the British assault. By 2 a. m their first objective, the major town of Wesel, was captured and 350 German prisoners taken. The German commander in Wesel, Major-General Deutsch, was killed. Shows men of the Cheshire Regiment who crossed the Rhine on the afternoon of March 24, in support of the first Commando Brigade at Wesel landing from Buffaloes on the east bank of the Rhine. Picture issued March 1945. One of 37 British Official photographs, nd. Mounted on card with original associated typescript captions. Covering aspects of the preparations for and liberation of North West Europe, 1944-1945, including D-Day, 1944, and the Rhine Crossings, 1945
