Allied Capture of Issum, Germany, March 1945

British and US troops greet each other in Issum, 6 March 1945. (Imperial War Museum B15237)

In March 1945, British and American troops met in Issum, Germany. The American tanks captured the town and people in Issum raised white flags to signal surrender.  

A Sherman tank crew of the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry (Sherwood Rangers), 8th Armoured Brigade, shaking hands with US troops in Issum, Germany, 6 March 1945. (Imperial War Museum  B15235)

Issum, Germany. 1:25,000. Map Sheet 4404, 3rd Edition, Defence Overprint, 6 February 1945, Version 2. This is a 1:25,000 scale map (defence overprint) of the region of Issum, Germany. It is the third edition of this map, published on February 6, 1945 by the Geographical Section, General Staff (GSGS) of the War Office of Great Britain. This overprint was referenced from air photographs taken January 16, 1945, and utilizes the Nord de Guerre Zone Grid. [To view the large version of this map, click on the image and download and save the file to your computer and open it in an image program. The image can be enlarged considerably in the image program to view the details. Issum can be found on the map by finding the point where the map grid lines 27 horizontal and 09 vertical intersect.]

Brigadier G E Prior-Palmer (right), commanding 8th Armoured Brigade, consults a map in Issum, Germany, 6 March 1945. A Crusader AA tank of the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry (Sherwood Rangers), can be seen in the background. (Imperial War Museum B15234)

Tanks which dashed towards the Rhine from Geldern found the people still in their houses in Issum who quickly get out their white flags British Army, 21st Army Group.

American armor pours into Issum where the white flags were out for our tanks which captured the town only two hours before British Army, 21st Army Group.

Our infantry march into Issum to consolidate our gains on road to Wesel, after our tanks had dashed to this village, British Army, 21st Army Group.

American and British greetings in Issum. A white flag waves overhead, British Army, 21st Army Group.

American soldier talks to a British tank colonel in Issum British Army, 21st Army Group.

General scenes in Issum British Army, 21st Army Group.

Sherman medium tank, 8th Armoured Brigade, moving through Geldern headed towards Issum, March 6, 1945. (Imperial War Museum B15229)