The Day When Hamburg Surrendered

Paul Henderson Scott

In the 1939-45 War I was an artillery officer who took part in the campaign in Europe. Shortly after the crossing of the Rhine I was transferred from my battery to the HQ of the Division. At that time it was already apparent that German resistance in the west was collapsing, especially as the Soviet forces were also advancing rapidly in the east. Thoughts were already turning to the next phase when fighting ceased and military government began. The powers that be had evidently decided that I might be useful in that capacity.

As we approached the river Elbe near Hamburg I was asked to take an armoured car, along with the driver, and establish contact with the Division advancing on our right. When I returned I was told that the German command in Hamburg had sent a party to offer the unconditional surrender of the city. This was their second attempt because the first envoys had unfortunately been mistaken by our forward troops as an enemy attack. When the second part arrived on 2nd May 1945 they told us that their Supreme Command also wanted to surrender their entire force in the west. This was rather beyond our competence and for that purpose we passed them on to Montgomery in his tactical HQ on Luneburg Heide. ... (continues)