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Spoils of War - Taken from a member of the German National Guard

Between 18 January and 25 January 1946, in the vicinity of Marche, Belgium and Jemelle, Belgium, the battalion was responsible for sweeping of critical spots along the many miles of roads this Battalion was using to rehabilitate open wire" lines damaged by the German breakthrough in the Ardennes. Approximately 35 mines were destroyed as a result of this work which otherwise would have produced casualties.

Then back into Germany again. First there was the open wire lead from St. Vith to Prum, Germany. Lt. Wood was injured surveying that one by one of the mines left behind the Siegfried line. There was an aerial cable job at Julich, then an open wire line from the north of Julich to Eupen-Gladbach. There was more cable work to be done and then another open wire job.

This next open wire job went thirty-two miles from Bad Kreusnach to Wiesbaden. But 1745 feet of that distance was across the Rhine river. A respectable enough job in itself, but also, it was the first wire across the Rhine. The 40th was first again!

From the 10 to the 25 March 1945, the battalion swept a path through the Siegfried Line minefields west of Prum, Germany to permit the construction of an open wire line. A large number of mines were encountered.

There was some spiral four to be placed around Wiesbaden, work around Koenigsburg and Erlingen, then a thirty mile open wire lead from Frankfurt to Long Gons. The thirty-seven mile open wire job from Ensler to Nurnberg was under way as the war ended. But work went on as everyone counted points and traded rumours.