The Military Service of Alan Griffiths

Alan served in the army during the war, and in 1945 was with the 7th Battalion, Manchester Regiment (service number 3863056), which was part of the 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division. They had been landed in Belgium in the middle of October 1944, several months after D-Day, and participated in the Allied advance into north-western Germany. They took part in the battle for Wesel, and later the battle around the Dortmund/Ems Canal.

By the end of March 1945 the Allies had crossed the Rhine and were preparing to attack the great port city of Bremen. The operation began on 13 April, with the 3rd Infantry Division attacking into the city’s suburbs. The defenders were a mix of new recruits, anti-aircraft crews, senior citizens, police officers, and U-boat crews. For days they battled for the small houses of Bremen’s suburbs. The defenders fought hard, being advantaged by partially flooded land that was impregnable to conventional tank and infantry assault. The British called in a massive tactical bombardment by nearly 800 aircraft of RAF Bomber Command. This was followed by heavy shelling during which over 4,000 shells were fired at the city. On April 24, the 52nd Lowland Division and the 3rd Infantry Division were sent to cross the flooded areas while the RAF and artillery pounded the defenders again. Alan was killed in action on 23 April. He was 33 years old. Bremen fell a few days later, and two weeks later the war was over.