32. See for example ibid., p.93; Powell, p.29; and Middlebrook, p.11
33. See Ryan, pp.93-94
34. See Urquhart, Arnhem, p.4
35. See Baynes, Urquhart of Arnhem, p.87
36. See for example Powell, pp.29-30; and Baynes, p.87
37. See Baynes, p.85
38. See Ryan, p.94
39. See Harvey, p.7
40. See Baynes, p.87
41. See Powell, p.39; and Blair, Ridgeway’s Paratroopers, p.320
42. According to Baynes the outline plan was drawn up by Dempsey, whereas Powell attributes it to Montgomery; see Baynes, p.87; and Powell, p.29
43. See Urquhart, pp.1-4
44. See Gavin, On to Berlin, p.144
45. See Baynes, p.87
46. Quote from WO205/693 Operation Market Garden: Reports and Instructions; also quoted in Powell, p.30
47. For a graphic illustration of this scattering see Harrison, Cross Channel Attack, Map IX, ‘101st Airborne Division Drop Patterns, 6 June 1944’; and Map X, ‘82nd Airborne Division Drop Pattern, 6 June 1944’, between pp.104-105
48. Peter Harclerode, “Go to It!” The Illustrated History of the 6th Airborne Division, p.71
49. See Shannon & Wright, One Night in June, pp.112-113
50. Quote from Gavin, Airborne Warfare, p.93; cited in Powell, p.77
51. Squadron figures cited in Otway, Airborne Forces, p.265; Otway erroneously refers to No. 38 Group providing ten rather than nine squadrons; for overall aircraft total see Powell, p.35
52. For details see Middlebrook, Appendix 3, ‘Order of Battle, 38 and 46 Groups RAF and RASC Air Despatch Units’, pp.462-463
53. For the 130 figure See Powell, p.33; for USAAF Group details see Middlebrook, Appendix 4 ‘Order of Battle, US Air Units Carrying British and Polish Parachute Troops on Operation “Market”’, p.464
54. Aircraft figures from Powell, p.35; and Middlebrook, p.75
55. See WO 219/319 Operation Market: Order of Battle and Plan; AIR 37/260 No. 38 Group (38 Wing): Operation ‘Market: Orders and Instructions; and Powell, p.34
56. See Blair, pp.199-200
57. See Baynes, p.92
58. See AIR 37/418 ‘No. 38 Group (38 Wing): Report of British Airborne Effort in Operation “Market” by Nos. 38 and 46 Groups’
59. See for example Middlebrook, p.443; Harvey, p.180; and Harclerode, Arnhem: A Tragedy of Errors, p.162-163
60. See for example Baynes, pp.91-92; and William F. Buckingham, Arnhem 1944: A Reappraisal, p.67; having reviewed the evidence, the present author has revised his opinion as laid out in the text
61. See Blair, pp.199, 220
62. See ibid., p.201
63. See Gavin, On to Berlin, pp.146-147
64. See Rapport & Northwood, Rendezvous with Destiny, pp.263-264
65. See Blair, pp.327-328, endnote referring to a private communication from Cutler
66. According to Powell, a copy of an alleged flak map showing the location of approximately a hundred gun positions was given to Major John Frost after the war, but its provenance and accuracy are open to doubt; see Powell, p.36
67. See AIR 37/979 No. 38 GROUP (38 Wing): Operation Order No. 524: Operation ‘Comet’; also cited in Powell. p.36
68. See Harclerode, Arnhem: A Tragedy of Errors. p.51; unfortunately there are no references in this work to indicate the source of information
69. See Kershaw, It Never Snows in September, p.73
70. See WO 219/319 Operation Market: Order of Battle and Plan
71. See Urquhart, pp.6-7
72. See AIR 2/7338, paper from Air Ministry DMC Goddard to various AM recipients, ‘Provision of Airborne Forces – Air Ministry Aspect’, dated 23/12/1940
73. See for example Urquhart, p.7; and Powell, p.35
74. See Urquhart, pp.6-7; and Harclerode, Tragedy of Errors, p.54
75. See Harvey, p.45
76. Conversation between Browning and Chatterton cited in Harclerode, Tragedy of Errors, pp.51-52. Interestingly, Chatterton makes no mention of this in his combined memoir and history of the Glider Pilot Regiment, The Wings of Pegasus
77. According to Middlebrook, Gale confided this with the proviso that it was not to be revealed while any of those involved were alive. Norton passed the information to Middlebrook in March 1992; see Middlebrook, p.18, footnote 5
78. Major Urquhart was no relation the commander of 1st Airborne Division, Major-General Roy Urquhart
79. See Brian Urquhart, A Life in Peace and War, p.73; Middlebrook, pp.64-66; and Harvey, p.34
80. See for example WO 171/393, 1 Airborne Division War Diary, ‘1 Airborne Division Planning Intelligence Summary No.1’
81. Quoted from Otway, p.293
82. See Ellis, Victory in the West, Volume II: The Defeat of Germany, p.47
83. See Kershaw, p.28; and Reynolds, pp.102-103
84. See Powell, p.46
85. See Middlebrook, pp.66-67; and Powell, pp.46-47
Chapter 4
1. Twenty figure cited in Dugdale, Panzer Divisions, p.93; cited in Reynolds, Sons of the Reich, footnote 21, p.99
2. See Reynolds, pp.97-98
3. Figures cited in Kershaw, It Never Snows in September, p.38; and Reynolds, p.101; the former refers to this as the combined total for II SS Panzerkorps, whereas the latter infers it applied to each division. It is also unclear if this figure includes or excludes the personnel detached with Kampfgruppe Heinke
4. See Kershaw, p.104
5. See ibid., p.28; and Reynolds, pp.102-103;
6. See Kershaw, p.43
7. See ibid., p.40
8. See Ryan, A Bridge Too Far, pp.131-133
9. See Reynolds, p.102 and endnote 15, p.112; and Zwarts, German Armoured Units at Arnhem, p.16
10. in some accounts Gräbner’s forename is given as Paul; vehicle types and numbers cited from TO&E charts in Zwarts, p.4
11. See Ryan, p.134
12. Figures cited in Kershaw, p.41
13. See ibid., p.104
14. Testimony from Rottenführer Paul Mueller, SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 20; cited in Kershaw, p.74
15. See ibid., p.41
16. See ibid., pp.41-42
17. Kershaw cites both strength figures in different places with no explanation for the disparity; see ibid., pp.36, 73
18. See Verney, The Guards Armoured Division, p.96; Lieutenant Frank is interred in Leopoldsburg Military Cemetery, Limburg, Belgium, Plot I, Row A, Grave 17
19. See WO 171/1257, 3rd Battalion Irish Guards War Diary, entry for 8 September 1944
20. See Wilson, The Ever Open Eye, pp.85-86
21. Casualty figures cited in WO 171/1257, 3rd Battalion Irish Guards War Diary, entries for 08 & 09/09/1944
22. Quoted from Wilson, p.87
23. See Verney, p.96; the bridge is variously rendered as Groot or Groote
24. See Wilson, pp.91-93
25. Figures cited in WO 171/1257, 3rd Battalion Irish Guards War Diary, entries for 11 & 12/09/1944; see also Verney, p.96
26. See WO 171/1257, 3rd Battalion Irish Guards War Diary, entry for 10/09/1944; Captain Edward Ernest Rawlence is interred in Leopoldsburg Military Cemetery, Limburg, Belgium, Plot 1, Row D, Grave 6
27. See Kershaw, pp.26-28
28. According to Kershaw the attack began on Friday 15 September, but the 3rd Battalion Irish Guards refer to an attack at the same time and location on 14 September, and to being relieved on 15 September. As Kershaw’s dates are somewhat confused on occasion, the Irish Guards War Diary version is cited here; see Kershaw, p.29; and WO 171/1257, 3rd Battalion Irish Guards War Diary, entries for 14 & 15/09/1944
29. Quoted from Heinz Volz, ‘Fallschirmjaeger Regiment von Hoffmann’, Der Deutsche Fallschirmjaeger 2/55 (Donth); cited in Kershaw, p.29
30. See Verney, p.96; and Wilson, p.95
31. See WO 171/1257, 3rd Battalion Irish Guards War Diary, entry for 14/09/1944
32. See Kershaw, pp.29-30
33. See Wi
lson, p.96
34. Figures cited in WO 171/1257, 3rd Battalion Irish Guards War Diary, entry for 14/09/1944; Lieutenant Humphrey Oscar Coleridge Kennard is interred in Geel War Cemetery, Belgium, Plot II, Row D, Grave 2
35. See Wilson, pp.98-101
36. See WO 171 /1257, 3rd Battalion Irish Guards War Diary, entry for 15/09/1944
37. See Wilson, p.102
38. Figures cited in Verney, p.96
39. See WO 171/1257, 3rd Battalion Irish Guards War Diary, entries for 08/09/1944 and 16/09/1944
40. Quoted from Wilson. p.102
41. See Kershaw, p.43
42. Quoted from ‘Die Kämpfe in Belgien und Süd Holland September 1944. Die Einsätze der Kampfgruppe Richter.’ November 1982; cited in ibid., p.43
43. See ibid., p.45
44. Quoted from Essame, The 43rd Wessex Division at War, p.116; cited in Powell, The Devil’s Birthday, p.84
45. See CAB 44/254 Part II: Operation MARKET GARDEN, Appendix C, RE Aspect of ‘GARDEN’; and Harclerode, Arnhem: A Tragedy of Errors, pp.59-62
46. For the full details see for example WO 205/192 Operation ‘Market-Garden’: outline plans and instructions; WO 205/872 Operation ‘Market’ and ‘Garden: Outline Plan and Organisation; and WO 219/2887 Operation ‘Market’: Seizure of Maas, Rhine and Neder Rijn Bridge in Arnhem
47. See Urquhart, Arnhem, p.4; the term ‘allegedly’ is used because there does not appear to be any primary source or minutes for the meeting, at which Browning is also supposed to have made his famous but equally unsupported and fatuous assertion that MARKET GARDEN might be going ‘a bridge too far’
48. See CAB 44/254, Part II: Operation MARKET GARDEN, Chapter IV, Section II, Part 12 ‘Comments by Narrator on the Ground Phase – Operation “MARKET GARDEN”’, p.21
49. See Baynes, Urquhart of Arnhem, p.87
50. Quote from Horrocks, Corps Commander, p.99
51. See WO 171/605 5th Guards Armoured Brigade War Diary, Appendix D, dated 15/09/ 1944; and Appendix F, dated 16/09/1944
52. See Ryan, p.148
53. See Wilson, p.103
54. See Harvey, Arnhem, pp.35-36. The latter work cites the information as coming from WO 371/341 XXX Corps’ Operation Instruction No. 24 dated 15 September 1944, but that file designation does not appear to figure in the National Archive online database
55. See for example Ellis, Victory in the West, Volume II: The Defeat of Germany, pp.26-27
56. 20,000 vehicle figure cited in Powell, p.85
57. For details see for example Horrocks, A Full Life, p.175
58. Field Marshal Lord Alanbrooke, War Diaries 1939-1945, p.555
59. See Powell, pp.83, 183
60. See WO 171/1236, 1st Parachute Battalion War Diary, entries for 10-14/09/1944
61. See WO 171/1238 3rd Parachute Battalion War Diary, entries for 10-15/09/1944
62. See WO 171/1244 11th Parachute Battalion War Diary, entries for 10-13/09/1944; and WO 171/1247 156 Parachute Battalion War Diary, entry for 10/09/1944
63. See Diary of Sergeant George Kosimaki, cited in Rapport and Northwood, Rendezvous with Destiny, p.259
64. See Rapport and Northwood, p.284
65. The Molenhoek bridge is referred to as the Heumen bridge in some accounts
66. Quoted from MacDonald, The Siegfried Line Campaign, footnote 35, p.158
67. Quote from Gavin, On to Berlin, p.146
68. See ibid., p.149; and Powell, p.75
69. See Gavin, On to Berlin, p.147
70. See Powell, pp.75-77
71. See MacDonald, The Siegfried Line Campaign, pp.156-158
72. Quote from letter from Gavin, dated 25/07/1945; cited in MacDonald, The Siegfried Line Campaign, p.163
73. See Gavin, On to Berlin, pp.147-149, 151, 161-162
74. See Powell, pp.75-77
75. For full details of the 1st Airborne Division’s lifts See Otway, Airborne Forces, pp.267-268
76. See ibid., p.265
77. Cited in unpublished memoir of Mr Jack Smith, formerly Trooper 881 Jack ‘Red’ Smith of the 44th Royal Tank Regiment, 4th Armoured Brigade. Mr Smith insisted that the plan involved a Polish parachute drop on the Zuider Zee, but the present author has thus far failed to locate any reference to this in the official documentation. I am indebted to Mr Smith for permission to cite his memoir.
78. See Urquhart, Arnhem, p.18
79. See Middlebrook, p.165
80. See ibid., p.76
81. See ibid., p.165
82. See Ryan, pp.173-174
83. Quote from Gavin, On to Berlin, p.150
84. Quote from ibid., p.150
85. Quoted from ibid., p.150
86. Quoted from Frost, A Drop Too Many, p.194
87. See for example Baynes, pp.72-73; Henniker, An Image of War, p.163; and Middlebrook, pp.21-22
88. Quoted from Sosabowski, Freely I Served, p.145
89. See Middlebrook, p.62
90. See comment by Urquhart in Hamilton, Monty: The Field Marshal, p.66; cited in Baynes, p.100
91. Quoted from Middlebrook, p.63
92. See ibid., p.64
93. Quoted from General Sir John Hackett, ‘Operation Market Garden’ in Foot, Holland at War Against Hitler, p.166; cited in Baynes, p.100
94. See Middlebrook, p.63
95. See Ryan. pp.160-161
96. See WO 171/592, 1st Parachute Brigade War Diary, entries for 13/09/1944 & 15/09/1944
97. PIAT: Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank, a spring and recoil operated bomb thrower with hollow charge ammunition, the British equivalent to the US Bazooka and German Panzerfaust. PIAT ammunition were issued in carry cases containing three bombs; as the PIAT weighed 32 pounds and the bombs 3 pounds apiece, this was a not inconsiderable burden.
98. See Victor Miller, Nothing is Impossible, pp.83-85
99. See WO 171/1236 1st Parachute Battalion War Diary, entries for 14-16/09/1944; see also recollections from Lieutenant Eric Vere-Davies, cited in Middlebrook, p.64
100. See Middlebrook, p.64
101. See James Sims, Arnhem Spearhead, pp.28-30
102. See Ryan, pp.164-165
103. See WO 171/1238 3rd Parachute Battalion War Diary, entries for 15/09/1944 & 16/09/1944
104. See Sims, p.30
105. See Robert M. Bowen, Fighting with the Screaming Eagles, p.81
106. See Rapport and Northwood, p.256
107. See Gavin, On to Berlin, p.150
108. See Ryan, p.155
109. While the 50th Troop Carrier Wing’s HQ was located at Exeter in Devon, the 439th, 440th and 441st Troop Carrier Groups were stationed in Nottinghamshire at Balderton, Langer and Fulbeck respectively. The 442nd Troop Carrier Group was despatched to Bonnetable in France, from where it carried out resupply sorties for MARKET
110. Quoted in Ryan, p.157
111. All quotes from ibid., pp.156-158
112. See Rapport and Northwood, pp.256-259
113. See Ryan, pp.154-155, 156; and Rapport and Northwood, p.257
114. See Ryan, pp.155-156
115. See Donald R. Burgett, The Road to Arnhem, p.16
116. Quoted from The English Silver Summer, an unpublished memoir by Mr Stone, kindly provided via private communication on 30 July 2000. I am indebted to Mr Stone for permission to quote his memoir
117. See Burgett, pp.16-17
118. See Miller, p.85
119. See Sims, p.30; and Ryan, p.163
120. See John Fairley, Remember Arnhem, pp.29-32
121. See Middlebrook, pp.73-74
122. See MacDonald, The Siegfried Line Campaign, pp.136-137; and Powell, p.51
123. See Gerard M. Devlin, Silent Wings, p.245
Chapter 5
1. 223 figure cited in Middlebrook, Arnhem: The Airborne Battle, p.74; 282 figure in Powell, The Devil’s Birthday, p.51
2. See Ellis, Victory in the West, Volume II: The Defeat of Germany, p.31
3. See Middlebrook, p.74
4. See Devlin, Silent Win
gs, p.246; Powell cites a figure of 821 B-17s; see Powell, p.51
5. See Powell, p.51
6. See Miller, Nothing Is Impossible, pp.85-86
7. See Burgett, The Road to Arnhem, p.28
8. Figure cited in Powell, p.51
9. Figures cited in Middlebrook, Appendix 3: ‘Order of Battle, 38 and 46 Groups RAF and RASC Air Despatch Units’ and Appendix 4: ‘Order of Battle, US Air Units Carrying British and Polish Parachute Troops on Operation “Market”’, pp.462-464
10. Figure cited in Powell, p.51, but this total may only include British gliders and thus be significantly low. Although he cites a figure of 359 British gliders in the first lift including Browning’s 38, figures compiled and listed by Middlebrook show the 1st Airborne Division took 442 Horsas and at least thirteen Hamilcars into Arnhem on the first day, giving a total of 455 machines, and adding the thirty-eight gliders Browning co-opted for his Forward Corps HQ lifts the total to 493, slightly more than Powell’s figure. In addition, the 82nd Airborne Division took fifty Waco CG4 gliders into Nijmegen, and the 101st Airborne Division took an additional seventy Waco CG4s into Eindhoven. This raises the overall glider total to 613. For figures see Middlebrook, pp.75-76, 78 and Appendix 1: ‘Order of Battle and Operational Details, 1st British Airborne Division and Attached Units’, pp.455-460; and for example Devlin, Silent Wings, pp.242-243
11. Details from Otway, Airborne Forces, Appendix A Annexure: Glider Specifications, p.397
12. See Devlin, Silent Wings, pp.245-246
13. The 1st Airborne Division mounted out from eleven airfields, and the 101st Airborne Division from six. At the time of writing the author has been unable to locate a definitive list of airfields used by the 82nd Airborne Division. For locations see Middle brook, Map 2, ‘The Air Armada’, p.84; and Rapport & Northwood, pp.256-257
14. See Middlebrook, p.79
15. Figures cited in MacDonald, The Siegfried Line Campaign, p.137
16. See Powell, p.52
17. See WO 171-1236 1st Parachute Battalion War Diary, entry for 17/09/1944
18. See Sims, Arnhem Spearhead, p.31; and Alan T. Green, 1st Battalion the Border Regiment, p.1
19. See Middlebrook, p.77
20. See WO 171/1238 3rd Parachute Battalion War Diary & WO 171/1236 1st Parachute Battalion War Diary, entries for 17/09/1944; and Green, p.1
21. See Steven J. Zaloga, US Airborne Divisions in the ETO 1944-1945, p.46
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