bigpigeon.us webpage WWII-Germany > The ETO > To The Rhine > ETO, 1 March 1945, updated by RAC 1 Nov 2022.​
By 1 March 1945, seven Allied armies faced the German Wehrmacht along the battle line that ran from the North Sea south to the Swiss border. In only three locations had the Allies advanced to the left bank of the Rhine River:
  • In the southern Netherlands, elements of the Canadian First Army occupied the south bank of the Maas/Meuse River, which here formed part of the braided Rhine River estuary.
  • Just upstream, elements of the Canadian First and British Second armies had advanced from south of Arnhem southeast between the Maas and Rhine Rivers. After a delayed start, the US Ninth Army was advancing north in a pincers movement.
  • Along the French-German border, from just north of Strasbourg to the Swiss border, the Rhine's left bank was held by the French First Army and elements of the US Seventh Army.
Salient events in the ETO around 1 March:
  • 23 February - the postponed Operation Grenade begins with the US Ninth Army crossing the swollen Roer River and heading northeast towards the Rhine.
  • 1 March - The US First Army is released from its primary mission of supporting the Ninth Army's right flank and begins a southeast movement towards the Rhine as part of Operation Lumberjack.
  • 2 March - The Ninth Army reaches the Rhine at Neuss opposite Düsseldorf.
  • 7 March - The First Army completes capture of west bank of Cologne, the 4th largest German city.
  • 7 March - The First Army reaches the Rhine at Remagen between Bonn and Koblenz.
Rhine River
Rhine River
Scalable View of above Map
The war of attrition now became a war of pursuit. Within three weeks from 7 March, the Wehrmacht presence west of the Rhine was eliminated and most Allied armies had crossed to the east.
ETO Order of Battle 1 March 1945
Summary of ETO front line organization on 1 March 1945, including army groups, armies and corps.
Units are generally listed clockwise from northwest.
21st Army Group – (Montgomery)
Canadian 1st Army (Crerar)
  • Canadian I Corps
  • British I Corps, in Canadian 1st Army 1 August 1944 - 1 April 1945, thereafter rear area duty.
  • Canadian II Corps, near the Rhine, advancing SE from Nijmegen.
  • British XXX Corps, detached from British 2nd Army, on right flank of Canadian II Corps; Rhine crossing 23-24 March 1945.
British 2nd Army (Dempsey), preparing for Rhine crossing, not in action.
  • British VIII Corps
  • British XII Corps, Rhine crossing 23-24 March 1945.
US Ninth Army – (Simpson)
  • XVI Corps (Anderson), advancing N from Roer River to Venlo; Rhine crossing 23-24 March 1945.
  • XIII Corps Gillem), advancing NE from Roer River to München-Gladbach.
  • XIX Corps (Corlett/McLain), advancing NE from Roer River to Neuss.

12th Army Group – (Bradley)
US First Army (Hodges)
  • VII Corps (Collins), advancing NE from Roer River to Cologne.
  • III Corps (Millikin/Van Fleet), Third Army --> First Army 11 February '45; beginning advance E towards Bonn & Remagen.
  • V Corps (Gerow/Huebner), beginning advance SE.
US Third Army (Patton)
  • VIII Corps (Middleton), pushing E in Prüm area.
  • XII Corps (Cook/Eddy/Irwin), occupying Bitburg.
  • XX Corps (Walker), occupying Trier 1 March.

6th Army Group – (Devers)
US Seventh Army (Patch), recovering from Operation Nordwind & preparing to advance N into Germany.
  •  XXI Corps (Milburn), ? January 1945
  •  XV Corps (Haislip)
  •  VI Corps (Brooks)
French First Army (de Lattre)
  • French First Corps
  • French Second Corps

Other Allied Corps in the ETO:
US Fifteenth Army - rear area duties (Gerow)
  • XVIII Airborne Corps - theater reserve (Ridgway)
  • XXII Corps (Harmon)
  • XXIII Corps (Van Fleet)
 Sources for Big Pigeon's To the Rhine > The ETO, March 1945 webpage:​Sources specific to this webpage: