Appendix March 1945

On 1 March 1945 the Battalion was relieved from attachment to 30th Infantry Division and attached to 83rd Infantry Division and the next day moved from Grottenherden to Rockrath where it went into position with the mission of general support of the division. It moved from there to positions in Neuss on 3 March, remaining there until 12 March, where it was attached to 30th Infantry Division and moved to Heinsberg, Germany, in the Division rest area. Cleaning and checking equipment, bathing, laundering and general cleaning up occupied the unit until 16 March. During the night 16-17 March the Battalion marched 66 miles, to positions in the vicinity of Ossenberg, Germany. The attack on and crossing of the Rhine River took place on 24 March; the artillery preparation began at 0100 hrs. and the Battalion fired continually from 0100 hrs. to 1515 hrs. in support of the attack, expending 2938 rounds. Reconnaissance parties crossed the River, by LCM, at 1550 hrs, and reconnoitered positions in the vicinity of Spellen to which the Battalion moved the next morning, arriving at 0445 hrs. That afternoon the unit moved forward to positions near Vorde; on the 26th March to Bruckhausen and on the 27th March to Hunxe Wald. On 29 March the Battalion was relieved from attachment to 30th Infantry Division and attached to 75th Infantry Division. It moved into positions at Dorsten, with the mission of general support and reinforcing the fires of 899th Field Artillery Battalion. It moved to Marl on 31 March, the end of the period.