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Our first port of call was Cologne, but a boozy night apart (details to come) we were straight off the next morning. A short trip to the south is Remagen, famous for being the first place the Allies crossed the Rhine. A 1969 film was made about the incident starring George Segal and Robert Vaughn, however it turns out it only loosely based on the real facts. This is a shame as its one of my favourite films, but its still an enjoyable tale. The bridge itself has a history rooted in military strategies, being built originally to speed up German reinforcements to the Western Front during World War One. The action for which its famous occurred on the 7th March 1945. Lieutenant Timmermann of the 9th Armoured Division sped ahead and engaged the enemy, taking control of the bridge in the early hours of the 8th. They were joined by elements of the 78th Infantry Division and held the bridge, despite two attempts to blow up the span. In the ensuing days many attempts to destroy the bridge were undertaken including air attacks, and sabotage involving divers. The bridge finally collapsed on the 17th March with the loss of 28 American soldiers. Nowadays, the towers of the bridge house a museum. One is dedicated to the events of those days in March and the other to peace. Its a rather evocative setting, with the names of the 28 soldiers who lost their lives commemorated in the corridor between the two towers. If youd like to know more, the museum has a website: |
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