Private
Essex Scottish Regiment, R.C.I.C.
On March 8, the attack by the Essex Scottish Regiment on Xanten began while it was pouring rain; the first objective was to capture the western part of the city. At 05:10 am, all companies were in position, and at 05:30 am, the German positions came under an artillery barrage.
At 06:45 am, the leading companies advanced, and fifteen minutes later, they were combing the farms between the railway lines. They were held up because the Germans had fortified a castle; they repeatedly attacked the building, which was repulsed, and the companies suffered heavy losses.
The Crocodile tanks arrived, and their fire helped drive off the Germans.
By noon, they had reached the town’s outskirts, and all their targets were secured. However, they were under continuous German mortar and machine gun fire throughout the attack and fired upon by enemy heavy artillery from across the Rhine. The ESR reached the city around noon, and the fighting ended around midnight.
But the fierce battle took many lives, and many were injured. Ted Bartholomew also died on the eighth of March.
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