Operation Varsity Footage Airborne Assault Across the Rhine Near Wesel Germany Largest of WW2

Allied paratroopers jumping across the Rhine river into Germany near Wesel during Operation Varsity on 23-24 March, 1945. British, Canadian and American soldiers participated in this airborne op as well as more than 1000 planes. It was the largest airborne operation of the war. Also shown is some of the prior air bombardment including incendiary bombing and gun camera footage of British Typhoons firing rockets at ground targets.

Public domain footage produced by the US Army Signal Corps' Army Pictorial Service.

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[nizzlefrizzle]

My great uncle died in this war particularly in this operation.
Roy O Porter
PFC, 17th Airborne Division, 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment
Died between Wesel and Hamminkeln.

[binko]

Awesome footage. Those small incendiary bombs exploding amongst the huge flashes of the 250-500 pounders on that clear night is some of the best footage I’ve ever seen besides the notorious Bremen firestorm/firebombing footage. Remarkable. Great post thanks

[mariannelynnlatjow]

My father was 507PIR 17Airborne US Army paratrooper.

[Invicta]

yeah this was the biggest SINGLE airborne drop of ww2 and Varsity was apart of Operation Plunder and this is what they learned from market garden. Not to drop Airborne too far behind enemy lines and of course try too drop as many paras in a short period of time.

[jefflantz]

My grandpa - Corporal Ed Lantz- 17th ABD & BSV I loved my

[mikelkane]

7:35: "Over the ruins of Belgish towns" hah... This is Xanten. You can see the Viktor Dome.

[karabinas]

My Grandfather received his Purple Heart during this mission

[boboala]

Uh, because it would be very stressful on me to be towed inside a glider for a one-time-get-it-right engineless landing (wherever) then file out - hopefully with my cranium/legs/arms/guts intact - and then face German machine gun nest & tanks. Can I just admit I'm a 'girly man' and prefer not to endure such an operation and can't imagine the horror! Bless those who did!

[vhjmvn]

Could someone please restore this film to its original format? It was not wide screen and treating it like this anyway does injustice to the (unmentioned!!!) makers of the film and the people and materiel they chose to show us.

[hbf]

0:03 min. also war die ems mal der Rhein oder wie