The German town of Stadtlohn, 4 miles north of Sudlohn, proved a hard task, as having been devastated by RAF bombing it proved a good defensive position for two battalions of the German 857th Grenadier Regiment, which had just returned from the Netherlands. The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers shelled the houses occupied by the Germans at a range of 600 yards, while the 9th Durham Light Infantry captured a flimsy wooden bridge. While the Inniskilling's became bogged down in the town, 'A' Company 1st Rifle Brigade tried to cross the bridge losing some men in the process, but they managed to prevent some trees being blown down across the roads. They then proceeded to clear some houses during the night. By 30th March, 1/5th Queens were mopping up in Stadtlohn and 300 German dead were counted amongst the ruins. The wobbly bridge survived long enough for 1st and the Queens to get across, while the engineers were able to put a Bailey Bridge across the stream. On the left flank 8th Hussars took over the lead from 5th RTR, west of Borken and moved towards Oding, reaching it on the 31 March 1945. The Rifle Brigade and Devonshire's had to clear the woods on the way of Panzerfausts and anti-tank guns, with the men of 33rd Panzer Grenadier 'Ersatz' Battalion, putting up a good fight, despite being and 'odds and sods' unit from the Ersatz name.
Source: Desert Rats
Picture: British soldiers of the 7th Armoured Division clearing the village near Stadtlohn in March 1945.
