Luxembourg The Netherlands Belgium France Britain 1941–1943 1944–1945 Germany Strategic campaigns During the Second World War, Operation Clipper was an Allied offensive by the British XXX Corps (which included the American 84th Infantry Division) to reduce the Geilenkirchen salient in mid-November 1944.

Anglo-American cooperation was prompted by the availability of British artillery and the specialised armour support of "Hobart's Funnies" (such as flail and flamethrower tanks).

A two-pronged attack was planned on the salient and the temporary attachment of the 84th Infantry Division to XXX Corps, avoided problems of divided command.

First, on 18 November the U.S. 84th Division – commanded by Major General Alexander R. Bolling – would pass through the troops manning the frontline, advance north-east 2 mi (3.2 km) and take Prummern and the surrounding high ground, east of Geilenkirchen.

Second, at midday, the British 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division – commanded by Major-General Ivor Thomas – was to advance and capture the high ground north and west of the town (around Bauchem and Tripsrath).

General der Infantrie Günther Blumentritt—commander of the XII SS Corps which the 176th and 183rd were subordinate to —had placed the bulk of his artillery in the area.

[7] After a brief artillery bombardment, the 334th Infantry Regiment advanced through the cleared strips at 07:00 and easily secured the high ground east of Geilenkirchen.

When the attack resumed, supported by British Sherman tanks, there was steady progress and the regiment's objectives were achieved by late afternoon.

The Worcestershire Regiment advanced on Tripsrath, capturing its intermediate objectives of Rischden and intervening woods with little opposition and few casualties.

[5] Despite further counter-attacks and "friendly fire" casualties, the Worcestershires occupied Tripsrath after dark, aided by artillery, and held most of the village sometimes with Germans as next-door neighbours.

A reconnaissance patrol toward Beeck, however, reported an impending German counter-attack on Prummern by two companies of the 9th Panzer Division′s 10th Panzergrenadier Regiment, with six tanks.

[11] Geilenkirchen itself was subdued relatively easily by the 333rd Infantry Regiment on 19 November, but the Allied advance suffered from the lack of artillery support which had been held back by the fear of friendly fire incidents, as had occurred earlier in the British sector.

Two troops of tanks from the British Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry provided close support, although they could not make up entirely for lack of artillery.

German artillery heavily bombarded Tripsrath for the next four days, but, sheltering in basements, the British infantry suffered few losses.