Operation Blackcock

Dispositions in the Roer Triangle, January 1945.

Date	14 January 1945 – 27 January 1945
Location	Limburg (Netherlands) and Heinsberg (Germany)
Result	Allied victory

Belligerents

Commanders and leaders

Units involved

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

~2,000 total 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 14 and 26 January 1945. The objective was to drive the German 15th Army back across the rivers Rur 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 Gwilym Ivor Thomas) and the 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division (Major-General Edmund Hakewill-Smith). The operation, named after the Scottish black male grouse, is relatively unknown despite the sometimes fierce battles that were fought for each and every village and hamlet within the Roer Triangle.