Wesel Railway Bridge

The Wesel Railway Bridge was a bridge on the Haltern–Venlo railway, built as part of the Hamburg–Venlo railway by the Cologne-Minden Railway Company, and opened on 1 March 1874. The 1,950-metre (6,400 ft) long railway bridge at Wesel was the last Rhine bridge remaining in German hands during World War II.

From 16th to 19th February 1945 the city of Wesel, Germany, was heavily bombed in Allied air raids, and more than 95 percent destroyed.

On 10 March 1945 the Rhine and Lippe bridges, among others, were blown up by the Wehrmacht in compliance with Hitler's scorched earth policy that became known as the Nero Decree.

Operation Plunder, tasked with establishing Rhine-crossings at Rees in the north, Xanten in the center, and Wesel in the south, started on March 23 with four thousand Allied guns firing for four hours during the opening bombardment. The town of Wesel was subsequently taken quickly during the night with only 36 casualties. Field-Marshal Montgomery said of the bombing: "The bombing of Wesel was a masterpiece, and was a decisive factor in making possible our entry into the town before midnight."

The 371st Engineer Construction Battalion moved by a convoy code named "Boobie Trap" on March 29, 1945, from Geldern, to Menzelen, 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) north of Alpen, Germany, preparing to move northeast towards Wesel and the Rhine River rail bridge.

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