Operation Blackcock

Operation Blackcock
Part of the Western Front of the Second World War

Dispositions in the Roer Triangle, January 1945.
Date13–27 January 1945
Location
Result British victory
Belligerents
 United Kingdom
 Canada
 Germany
Commanders and leaders
United Kingdom Neil Ritchie
United Kingdom Lewis Lyne
United Kingdom Ivor Thomas
United Kingdom E. Hakewill-Smith
Nazi Germany Günther Blumentritt
Nazi Germany C.J. Landau
Nazi Germany Wolfgang Lange
Nazi Germany Friedrich Hübner
Units involved

United Kingdom XII Corps

XII SS Corps

Nazi Germany Fallschirmjäger
Regiment Hübner
Strength
1 armoured division
2 infantry divisions
1 commando brigade
2 infantry divisions
2 paratroop regiments
1 heavy panzer battalion
Casualties and losses
1,152 casualties
20 tanks destroyed
23 tanks broken down
4 aircraft destroyed
2 aircraft crashed
2,000 casualties

Operation Blackcock was an operation to clear German troops from the Roer Triangle, formed by the towns of Roermond and Sittard in the Netherlands and Heinsberg in Germany during the fighting on the Western Front in the Second World War. It was conducted by the British Second Army between 13 and 26 January 1945. The objective was to drive the German 15th Army back across the rivers Roer and Wurm and move the frontline further into Germany. The operation was carried out by Lieutenant-General Neil Ritchie's XII Corps by three divisions: the 7th Armoured Division (Major-General Lewis Lyne), the 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division (Major-General Ivor Thomas) and the 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division (Major-General Edmund Hakewill-Smith). The operation, named after the Scottish male black grouse, is relatively unknown.[1]