Soldiers of the Cheshire Regiment landing from Buffaloes on the east bank of the Rhine, 24 March 1945

Official photograph, World War Two, North West Europe (1944-1945), 1945.

The Cheshires crossed the Rhine in support of the 1st Commando Brigade at Wesel after the latter had made a surprise crossing of the Rhine in assault craft at 10 pm the previous night. They advanced under a terrific barrage of 1,500 guns to form the spearhead of the British assault. By 2 am on 24 March their first objective, the town of Wesel, was captured and 350 German prisoners had been taken. The German commander in Wesel, Major-General Deutsch, was killed.