The German town of Wesel was heavily bombed in Allied air raids during World War II. Between this and the attacks in support of the crossing of the Rhine, the town was devastated. Wesel became a target of the Allies, particularly in its strategic position with a depot and the Wesel Railway Bridge over the Rhine. On the 16, 17, 18 and 19 February 1945, the town was attacked by the British Royal Air Force with impact and air-burst weapons and almost entirely destroyed.