'Roer Triangle - Operation Blackcock'

Operation Blackcock was an operation to clear German troops from the Roer Triangle, formed by the towns of Roermond and Sittard in the Netherlands and Heinsberg in Germany. It was carried out by the British Second Army in January 1945.
The objective was to drive the German 15th Army back across the rivers Roer and Wurm and advance further into Germany. The operation was carried out by Lt-General Neil Ritchie's XII Corps by three divisions: the 7th Armoured Division (Major-General Lewis Lyne), the 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division (Major-General Gwilym Thomas) and the 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division (Major-General Edmund Hakewill-Smith).

1st Commando Brigade were placed under command of the 7th Armoured Div (British 12 Corps). They were tasked with clearing the enemy from an area between the railroad to Roermond and the Meuse river, and securing the villages of Maasbracht, Brachterbeek and Linne. 
 
The National Archives hold the following records regarding this operation.
DEFE 2/95              Combined Operations Headquarters: "Baboon" "Copyright" "Blackcock" "Bruteforce" "Barbaric" and "Bristle" Date: 1941-1945 
WO 205/846           21st Army Group Operational reports: Operation Blackcock Date: 1945 Jan
WO 205/847           Operation Blackcock: working papers Date: 1945 Jan.
WO 205/848           Operation Blackcock: 7 Army Division Date: 1945 Jan.  
WO 205/849           Operation Blackcock: 52 Division Date: 1945 Jan
WO 351/60             21 Army Group: Operation "BLACKCOCK"; clearing the area between the River Maas and the River Roer 15-26 January 1945 Note: With maps Date: 1945 Jan 01 - 1945 Dec 31.

Notes
This was the second operation codenamed Blackcock. The first was in 1943 at Scaletta Operation Blackcock (1).