Commemorating the Battle of the Bulge to crossing the Rhine
With the Battle of the Bulge ending in January 1945, the Allied forces continued their advance through northern Europe and into Germany.
The fighting was bloody and bitter as they crossed the heavily defended Siegfried Line along the Dutch-German border and into the forested areas between the Maas and Rhine rivers. Ahead lay the last major obstacle, the successful crossing of the Rhine, then the push on into the heart of Nazi Germany.
Casualties from this key phase of the Second World War are commemorated in the following cemeteries, brought in from their field burials to their final resting place after the war. The same care was also taken in the recovery and reburial of the many aircrews lost over northern Europe throughout the war, with many of the aircraft crews were buried together in communal graves.
SITTARD WAR Cemetery, THE NETHERLANDS
Sittard War Cemetery commemorates 234 casualties, the majority from the Scottish regiments of the 52nd (Lowland) Division who fought in the area between January and February 1945 . Among the casualties is Fusilier Dennis Donnini, the youngest soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross in the Second World War, aged 19.
REICHSWALD FOREST War Cemetery, GERMANY
Close to the Dutch border and the town of Kleve, the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery is the largest CWGC cemetery in Germany with over 7500 commemorated. It includes casualties from the fighting in the Riechswald Forest and Rhine crossing including members of the 6th Airborne Division. Many of the aircrews lost throughout the war were also brought into Reichswald from their original burial spots including members of 617 Squadron lost on the Dambusters raid on 16/17 May 1943.
RHEINBERG War Cemetery, GERMANY
Located near Duisburg, Rheinberg War Cemetery was established in 1946 to take the recovered Commonwealth casualties from Aachen, Cologne, Dortmund Dusseldorf, Essen, Krefeld and Munchen-Gladbach. 3,300 casualties are commemorated here, recovered from the battle of the Rhineland, advance from the Rhine to the Elbe and recovered aircrews, again including members of 617 Squadron 'The Dambusters'.
Help us keep alive the stories of those who died in the World Wars
A gift in your will can help us continue telling those stories for generations to come, so their sacrifice is not forgotten.
BATTLE OF THE BULGE TO THE RHINE - SHARE THEIR STORIES
Read and share the stories of the people involved in the advance into Germany and crossing the Rhine at For Evermore: Stories of the Fallen, our online commemorative resource.
All images © IWM unless otherwise indicated.