Operation 'Varsity', March 1945 1:12,500-scale defense overprints

[Simon Trew]

I hope some people find these interesting.  Six contiguous 1:12,500-scale defense overprints covering the entire DZ / LZ for US 17th Airborne Division and almost the entire area for British 6th Airborne Division.   Various dates from 15-19 March 1945. The operation began on 24 March.  Superb detail, down to individual MG positions.

Additional posts will provide closer images. Here the overview plus the defense legend. 

[Simon Trew]

Now the 'top row' Sheets 4205/3 'Schnellshof', 4205/4 'Hamminkeln' and 4206/3 'Brunen'.

[Simon Trew]

Now the 'Bottom Row' Sheets 4305/1 'Diersfordt', 4305/2 'Wesel' and 4306/1 'Drevenack'

[Simon Trew]

This is the British Army of the Rhine 'battlefield tour' Operation Varsity guide (1947).  One of seven such tours produced after the war so officers could visit battlefields (four in Normandy and three in the Rhineland) and learn lessons.  The guides come in two editions - a student's edition (which has a blue cover) and a Directing Staff edition (red cover and some important additional content).  This is the DS edition.  All the original handbooks are rare, though most can be found easily in a modern reprint edition. The DS editions were printed in much smaller numbers and verge on being impossible to find. This one was expensive even in a damaged condition and I have had it professionally restored. So it ought to survive to be passed on to future generations.   The content is almost entirely about British 6th Airborne Division but some of the maps include interesting information about the US role. Posted here to help contextualise the images already posted. Enjoy!

[Simon Trew]

This is the fire support plan for 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division, crossing the Rhine from the west as part of Operation 'Plunder', to link up with US 17th and British 6th Airborne divisions. The four 1:25,000 defence overprints are from different dates (the 'Wesel' Sheet from 5 March still shows German defences SW of Wesel, on the west bank of the Rhine - these had been overrun before 'Plunder / Varsity' began. The overlay (conserved last year to increase longevity) and fire plan for 'Torchlight' (15th Division's part of 'Plunder') were eBay purchases about two years ago.  Very interested to see if any contributor to this forum has maps or overlays (especially for 17th Airborne) that add to the overall picture.