 97% of the town was destroyed before it was finally taken by Allied troops and the population had fallen from almost 25,000 in 1939 to 1,900 in May 1945.The town was taken quickly with 36 civilian casualties.Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, commanding the Anglo-Canadian 21st Army Group, said "the bombing of Wesel was a masterpiece, and was a decisive factor in making possible our entry into the town before midnight."