Meanwhile, on the afternoon of the 24th, the remainder of the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade had joined their comrades east of the Rhine. Their casualties during the two days’ fighting were, for the circumstances, light: 33, including ten killed. relieved the trapped detachments of the Black Watch and put out the last embers of resistance. Houses had to be cleared at the point of the bayonet and single Germans made suicidal attempts to break up our attacks… It was necessary to push right through the town and drive the enemy out into fields where they could be dealt with. The battle continued well on into the morning. Within the village the enemy held out desperately in fortified houses, which could only be reduced by “Wasp” flame-throwers and concentrations of artillery fire. The defending paratroops fought fiercely, but the assault was pressed with determination over open ground, valuable supporting fire being provided by six field and two medium regiments and two 7.2-inch batteries. Some parties of the Black Watch were still cut off and surrounded in Speldrop when, in the late afternoon, the Highland Light Infantry advanced against the outskirts. The 154th Brigade, we have seen, had met stiff resistance at Speldrop (the Highland Division’s commander, General Rennie, was killed in the brigade area during the morning) and the Canadians were ordered to capture the village. On the farther bank, guides led it to an assembly area north-west of Rees. The H.L.I., fighting in this phase under the154th Brigade, was the first Canadian unit across. Strickland) began crossing the Rhine in Buffaloes under “sporadic shelling”. At 4:25 AM on the morning of 24 March the four rifle companies of The Highland Light Infantry of Canada (Lt.-Col.
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