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  • Friday, 13 December 1918, in the Great War

    Friday, 13 December 1918, in the Great War

    The 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions, along with selected Corps Troops, marched to the Rhine in December of 1918 to assume occupation duties. A very rainy Friday, 13 December 1918 began ten continuous years of the Allied Occupation of Germany, as the Rhine river officially crossed at Cologne and Bonn.

    Rhein Bridge, Bonn

    Rheinbrücke

    General Sir Arthur Currie and Staff crossing the Rhine at Bonn,, 13 December1918. MIKAN No. 3522440
    General Sir Arthur Currie and Staff crossing the Rhine at Bonn,, 13 December1918. MIKAN No. 3522440

    Sir Arthur Currie

    The Canadian and II Corps (Lieut.-Generals Sir A. Currie and Sir Claud Jacob) would carry out the occupation. Thus, in the occupation of the Rhineland the Dominions were represented by the Canadian Corps, by the New Zealand Division, the 13th Australian Light Horse, the 50th South African Heavy Battery, and by the 1st Royal Newfoundland Regiment.

    1918-12-13 3522439 O-3886 PA-003794 General Sir Arthur Currie takes the salute as theBritish Cavalry cross the Rhine at Bonn (Rheinbrücke at Bonn). December 13, 1918 
    General Sir Arthur Currie takes the salute as the British Cavalry cross the Rhine at Bonn (Rheinbrücke at Bonn). December 13, 1918 MIKAN No. 3522439
    General Sir Arthur Currie takes the salute as the British Cavalry cross the Rhine at Bonn. December 13, 1918. MIKAN No. 3522451 
    General Sir Arthur Currie takes the salute as the British Cavalry cross the Rhine at Bonn. December 13, 1918. MIKAN No. 3522451
    General Sir Arthur Currie takes the salute as theBritish Cavalry cross the Rhine at Bonn, 13 December 1918. MIKAN No. 3522452 
    MIKAN No. 3522452
    1918-12-13 3522445 O-3889 PA-003801 General Sir Arthur Currie takes the salute as theBritish Cavalry cross the Rhine at Bonn (Rheinbrücke at Bonn). December 13, 1918 
    General Sir Arthur Currie takes the salute as the British Cavalry cross the Rhine at Bonn (Rheinbrücke at Bonn). December 13, 1918 MIKAN No. 3522445

    2nd Canadian Division

    Corps Commander, General Sir Arthur Currie, taking the salute of the 2nd Canadian Division on the Bridge at Bonn, December 13th, 1918, (24th Battalion passing Saluting Base). MIKAN No. 3522482
    Corps Commander, General Sir Arthur Currie, taking the salute of the 2nd Canadian Division on the Bridge at Bonn, December 13th, 1918, (24th Battalion passing Saluting Base). MIKAN No. 3522482
    1918-12-13 3522444 O-3892 PA-003799 G.O.C. and H.Q. Staff, 2nd Canadian Division, passing the Saluting Base [on the Bridge over the Rhine at Bonn] December 13, 1918 
    G.O.C. and H.Q. Staff, 2nd Canadian Division, passing the Saluting Base [on the Bridge over the Rhine at Bonn] December 13, 1918 MIKAN No. 3522444

    Canadian Light Horse

    1918-12-13 3522443 O-3893 PA-003798 Canadian Light Horse passing Saluting Base on Bonn Bridge. December 13, 1918
    Canadian Light Horse passing Saluting Base on Bonn Bridge. December 13, 1918 MIKAN No. 3522443
    1918-12-13 3522419 O-3894 PA-003770 General Sir Arthur Currie takes the salute as the British Cavalry cross the Rhine at Bonn. December 13, 1918 
    General Sir Arthur Currie takes the salute as the British Cavalry cross the Rhine at Bonn. Friday, 13 December 1918 MIKAN No. 3522419

    13th Brigade, CFA

    1918-12-13 3522421 O-3895 PA-003772 13th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery passing Saluting Base on Bonn Bridge. December 13, 1918
    13th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery passing Saluting Base on Bonn Bridge. December 13, 1918 MIKAN No. 3522421
    1918-12-13 3522420 O-3895 PA-003771 General Sir Arthur Currie takes the salute as the British Cavalry cross the Rhine at Bonn. December 13, 1918
    General Sir Arthur Currie takes the salute as the British Cavalry cross the Rhine at Bonn. December 13, 1918 MIKAN No. 3522420

    Canadian Field Artillery

    1918-12-13 3522422 O-3897 PA-003773 Artillery crossing the Rhine at Bonn December 13, 1918
    Artillery crossing the Rhine at Bonn December 13, 1918 MIKAN No. 3522422
    1918-12-13 3522423 O-3898 PA-003774 A Canadian Infantry Battalion crossing the Rhine at Bonn. December 13, 1918
    A Canadian Infantry Battalion crossing the Rhine at Bonn. December 13, 1918 MIKAN No. 3522423
    1918-12-13 3522424 O-3899 PA-003775 21st Battalion crossing the Rhine at Bonn, December 13, 1918
    21st Battalion crossing the Rhine at Bonn, December 13, 1918 MIKAN No. 3522424
    1918-12-13 3522425 O-3900 PA-003776 19th Canadian Infantry Battalion passing the Corps Commander on Bonn Bridge (Rheinbrücke at Bonn). December 13, 1918
    19th Canadian Infantry Battalion passing the Corps Commander on Bonn Bridge (Rheinbrücke at Bonn). December 13, 1918 MIKAN No. 3522425
    1918-12-13 3522426 O-3901 PA-003777 24th Canadian Infantry Battalion passing the Corps Commander on Bonn Bridge (Rheinbrücke at Bonn). December 13, 1918
    24th Canadian Infantry Battalion passing the Corps Commander on Bonn Bridge (Rheinbrücke at Bonn). December 13, 1918 MIKAN No. 3522426

    Van Doos

    22nd Canadian Infantry Battalion crossing the Rhine at Bonn, 13 December 1918. Lt.-Col. Sir Arthur Currie saluting. MIKAN No. 3194827
    22nd Canadian Infantry Battalion crossing the Rhine at Bonn, 13 December 1918. Lt.-Col. Sir Arthur Currie saluting. MIKAN No. 3194827
    1918-12-13 3522427 O-3903 PA-003779 Battalions of 2nd Canadian Division passing Corps Commander on Bonn Bridge.
    Battalions of 2nd Canadian Division passing Corps Commander on Bonn Bridge. MIKAN No. 3522427
    1918-12-13 3522428 O-3904 PA-003780 Battalions of 2nd Canadian Division passing Corps Commander on Bonn Bridge.
    Battalions of 2nd Canadian Division passing Corps Commander on Bonn Bridge. MIKAN No. 3522428
    1918-12-13 3522429 O-3905 PA-003781 Battalions of 2nd Canadian Division passing Corps Commander on Bonn Bridge.
    Battalions of 2nd Canadian Division passing Corps Commander on Bonn Bridge. MIKAN No. 3522429
    1918-12-13 3522430 O-3906 PA-003782 19th Canadian Infantry Battalion passing Corps Commander on Bonn Bridge. December, 1918
    19th Canadian Infantry Battalion passing Corps Commander on Bonn Bridge. December, 1918 MIKAN No. 3522430

    Sir Douglas Haig

    1918-12-13 3522431 O-3907 PA-003783 Sir Douglas Haig meets officers of the 2nd Canadian Division Headquarters on the other side of the Rhine. December, 1918
    Sir Douglas Haig meets officers of the 2nd Canadian Division Headquarters on the other side of the Rhine. Friday 13 December 1918. MIKAN No. 3522431
    3522432
    MIKAN No. 3522432
    3522433
    Sir Douglas Haig MIKAN No. 3522433
    3522434
    3522434
    3522435
    MIKAN No. 3522435
    MIKAN No. 3522436
    Sir Douglas Haig meets Officers of the Canadian Corps Headquarters at the Chateau of the sister-in-law of the late Kaiser in Bonn, Germany. Friday 13 December 1918. Sir Arthur Currie sleeps in her bed tonight. MIKAN No. 3522436

    Schiff Bridge, Cologne

    Schiffbrücke

    The Royal Newfoundland Regiment began a march with the British 9th Division to the German border. Their task to provide part of the Allied occupation force in Germany. Setting out from Cuerne, near Harlebeke, Belgium, on 15 November, their route took the Regiment past Brussels, then to the Meuse River, and on to the German border at Rotgen. On 4 December 1918, after 14 days of marching an average of 13 miles a day, the Regiment reached the border, and on 8 December arrived in Cologne on the Rhine River.

    Royal Newfoundland Regiment crossing the Rhine near Cologne, 13 December 1918, led by CO Maj AE Bernard (right) and Adjt Capt A Raley
    Royal Newfoundland Regiment crossing the south bridge over the Rhine at Cologne, 13 December 1918, led by CO Maj AE Bernard (right) and Adjt Capt A Raley

    On Friday 13 December 1918, The Royal Newfoundland Regiment crossed the Rhine River and took up bridgehead duties near Cologne as part of the Allied occupation force in the Rhineland.

    Hohenzollern Bridge, Cologne

    Hohenzollernbrücke

    © IWM (Q 7219) The head of the 4-hour long column of the 29th Division (Divisional Band and pipes of the 1st King's Own Scottish Borderers) reaching General Herbert Plumer, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief the British Army of the Rhine, at the saluting point on the Hohenzollern Bridge at 9.30 am on Friday
    The head of the 4-hour long column of the 29th Division (Divisional Band and pipes of the 1st King’s Own Scottish Borderers) reaching General Herbert Plumer, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief the British Army of the Rhine, at the saluting point on the Hohenzollern Bridge at 9.30 am on Friday. © IWM (Q 7219)

    Lt.-Col. Dick Worrall

    General Plumer takes the salute on the bridge at Cologne where 1st Canadian Division crossed the Rhine,13 December 1918. John Pollands Garvin. MIKAN No. 3522442
    Lt.-Col. Dick Worrall leads the 14th Battalion as General Plumer takes the salute on the bridge at Cologne where 1st Canadian Division crossed the Rhine, 13 December 1918. MIKAN No. 3522442
    © IWM (Q 7213) Friday 13 December 1918
    General Sir Claud William Jacob (GOC II Corps Fifth Army) and staff on the Hohenzollern Bridge taking the salute at the march past of the 29th Division, on entering Cologne. © IWM (Q 7213)

    Plumer stands with his staff to one side of the road leading across the bridge. With him are Lieutenant-General C Jacob, commanding II Corps, and Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Kavanagh commanding the Cavalry Corps.

    3522441 O-3884 PA-003796 General Plumer takes the salute on the bridge at Cologne where 1st Canadian Division crossed the Rhine, December 13th, 1918
    General Plumer takes the salute on the bridge at Cologne where 1st Canadian Division crossed the Rhine, December 13th, 1918. MIKAN No. 3522441
    © IWM (Q 7214)
    The column took 4 hours to pass. General Plumer moved to the Schiffbrücke later, his place being taken by General Claude Jacob. © IWM (Q 7214)
    © IWM (Q 7215) Friday 13 December 1918
    © IWM (Q 7215)
    © IWM (Q 7216)
    © IWM (Q 7216)
    © IWM (Q 7220)
    29th Division entering Cologne by the Hohenzollern Bridge. General Herbert Plumer, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief the British Army of the Rhine taking the salute. © IWM (Q 7220)
    © IWM (Q 7221)
    © IWM (Q 7221)