Torgau, Germany, 25th April 1945.
The war appeared to be as good as over… but for British forces of Twenty-First Army Group, 240 miles to the north-west, contact with the Soviet forces, would have to wait until they had crossed the river Elbe with another potentially tricky amphibious operation against a still determined enemy.
In the weeks following the Rhine crossing, British Second Army had covered 200 miles of northern Germany to reach the river Elbe, encountering strong opposition and grim discoveries such as Bergen-Belsen concentration camp along the way. The sudden loss of President Roosevelt, US Commander in Chief, on the 12th April was also keenly felt so close to achieving victory. Consequently, as Twenty-First Army Group’s commander, Field-Marshal Mongomery’s focus was one last push across the Elbe striking towards Lubeck, clearing the area around the Danish frontier before the Red Army, pushing from the East arrived.
To facilitate the crossing, Sherman Crab Flails, Churchill Crocodiles, LVT Buffaloes, AVREs, Ram Kangaroos, and CDL tanks from 79th Armoured Division were allocated to Second Army, First Canadian Army and 21st Army Group Reserve. The only DD Shermans to be involved were the 24 operated by the A Squadron Staffordshire Yeomanry, with an attachment of a Troop from C Squadron. These were newly issued Sherman DDs with their screens intact.
Whilst still an amphibious crossing, this was to be on a far smaller scale than the Rhine Crossing in March, with a small recce party, instructed to identify landing areas, being despatched across the river, only three hours before the tanks were launched from Artlenburg at 05.15. The tanks successfully landed on the east bank near the ferry ramp by 06.00 but were held up by fallen trees which blocked the roads exiting ramp. By 08.15 they were approaching the small town of Lauenburg.
Enemy resistance was encountered at midday, with infantry and half the Squadron despatched to the left flank to deal with it. Considerable air activity was also met leading to Buffalo crews engaging them with their 20mm Polsten Cannons and .50 cal machine guns reputedly downing some of the strafing FW190s.
At first light the following day, the Staff Yeomanry were greeted by enemy shelling and progress slowed due to stiff opposition being encountered on both flanks. No tanks were lost but two men were killed, with an officer and three other ranks wounded during the shelling. A line was later established from Lautau to Basedow.
Having established a bridgehead VIII Corps was able to push on to Lubeck and eventually Kiel. The first British contact with Soviet forces was at Wismar on the 2nd May, eight days after American and Soviet forces met at Torgau and six days before the long war in Europe finally ended.
