The Investement and Capture of Bremen
The Division was now committed to the assault of the city and huge port of Bremen. After a few days training for this task 130 Brigade, the Dorsets and Hampshires, moved into the area of Verden on the south bank of the Weser river, While other formations were to attack first from the south the role of the 43rd Division was to make the assault from the east, moving along the north bank of the Weser.
The investment of the city began on the 23rd April with the Hampshires clearing the difficult wooded country between Dauelsen and Ahausen. The 5th Dorsets captured the latter village (after a sharp encounter on the outskirts) and high ground to the west. The next day these units switched west to Oyten, on the Bremen-Hamburg autobahn, approximately the line of the Division's axis For the Bremen operation, The same evening the 4th Dorsets captured Bloediek and Ellem after a stiff fight for a bridge crossing. On the 25th the Dorsets and the Hampshires together took part in a large scale clearing manoeuvre lastrng all day, the Dorsets capturing Sagehorn and Rockwinkel. The enemy here reacted rather violently (from a distance) with Nebelwerfer and 88 millimetre airbursts, But their only positive resistance was met by the 5th Dorsets at Rockwinkel, where a hundred prisoners were captured, two German military hospitals overrun, and a number of 88 and 20 millimetre guns taken, At the same time the Hampshires advanced to consolidate on a crossing of the autobahn, captured some 150 prisoners, a number of AA guns with much ammunition, and also overran a hospital.
The stage was now set for the thrust into the eastern Quarter of Bremen, Passing through. 129 Brigade moved rapidly into the fashionable residential area adjoining the big Burger Park, The 4th Somersets led the assault, supported by flame throwers, on the evening of the 26th. Their task was to clear the residential area bordering the south east corner of the Park and then move into the Park itself. In the area were Nazi Party Headquarters, Volkssturm Headquarters and the residences of a number of personalities. Though there was no desperate fight in the defence of these Headquarters the street battle was often tough and difficult, German marines in particular fought cleverly and stubbornly amongst the bomb scarred buildings. A junction of six roads at the edge of the Burger Park (the Hyde Park Corner of Bremen) was the scene of the toughest opposition, and the Somersets had to Face intense small arms and Panzerfaust fire before' they were across and into the area of the Park.
The 4th and 5th Wiltshires meantime had begun the clearing of the Burger Park itself. Before the attack was launched it was known that the chiefs of the Bremen forces had withdrawn into this area to make their so called "last stand". Their "fortresses" were the massive concrete and brick surface air raid shelters of which there were a number in the Park. The 4th Wiltshires were working their way with tanks through the park roads against only spasmodic small arms fire. This clearing operation continued until after midnight, It was while returning down the road to make contact with the 4th Somersets that a Company Commander of the 4th Wiltshires spotted the air raid shelter in which Major General Siber, Bremen Garrison Commander. had his Headquarters. Returning to this shelter with a Company Commander of the Somersets. the two Majors entered the shelter to find Siber and his staff and accent his surrender. Early the next day the same Company Commander of the 4th Wiltshires took the surrender of Lieut General Fritz Becker, Commander of Bremen Defences, A Wiltshire platoon had just begun to assault a small barrack area, and were fired on by a Panzerfaust, when a party of Germans came out of what proved to be the Gun Operations Room for the Bremen AA defences, a reinforced building standing in the middle of the barracks, Entering this building the Wiltshire Major found Becker and a considerable number of staff officers and personnel, all of whom were disarmed and taken prisoner. It was clear that the Bremen Defence Commander had in fact been isolated and out of touch with the battle since the last RAF raid had cut his communication. There was no serious resistance round the Headquarters of either of the two Generals, situated within 800 yards of one another in the middle of the Park, Later on the 27th. 214 Brigade, the DCLI the Worcestershire s and the 7th Bn Somerset Light Infantry, moved through unopposed to occupy the north east corner of Bremen behind the dock area.
While other formations had entered the centre of Bremen and the dock area, the 43rd, moving up fast on the right flank, "stole most of the thunder" by capturing the chiefs of the city's defences in their Burger Park hide-outs, among them an Admiral, the Chief Warden of Bremen and the Permanent President Courts Martial. In one 48 hours the Division took over 2,500 prisoners.
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