Arnhem
Page 122
86. See Haines, p.50
87. Quoted from unpublished account by Major Robert Cain, OC B Company, 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment, Airborne Forces Museum File No. 54; cited in Middlebrook, p.202
88. See Haines, pp.51-52
89. See Zwarts, pp.41 & 48
90. See testimony from Major Robert Cain, OC B Company, 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment, Airborne Forces Museum File No. 54; cited in Middlebrook, p.202
91. See Haines, p.52
92. Testimony from Major Robert Cain, OC B Company, 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment; cited in Haines, p.53
93. Testimony from Corporal Perry, B Company, 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment; cited in ibid., p.56
94. Testimony from Major Robert Cain, OC B Company, 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment; cited in ibid., p.55
95. Rearguard details cited in Middlebrook, p.203; and Haines, p.53
96. 11:00 and 10:50 timings cited in WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, entry for 19/09/1944 and ibid., Appendix: ‘2nd South Staffords at Arnhem 17-25 Sept 44’ respectively; 11:30 timing appears in testimony from Major Robert Cain, OC B Company, 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment, Airborne Forces Museum File No. 54; cited in Middlebrook, p.202
97. See WO 171/589 1st Airlanding Brigade War Diary, Appendix A: 1 Air Landing Brigade: Operation “MARKET” 17th-26th September 1944, entries for 05:00, 07:30, 08:00 & 09:00
98. See WO 171/1235 No. 2 Wing The Glider Pilot Regiment War Diary, entries for 20:00, 18/09/1944 and 09:00, 09:30 & 11:00, 19/09/1944
99. See WO 166/15077 1st Battalion The Border Regiment War Diary, entry for 19/09/1944
100. See 166/15077 1st Battalion The Border Regiment War Diary, entry for 19/09/1944; and Green, pp.28
101. See Green, p.28 Lance-Corporal King does not figure among the members of the 1st Border killed in Holland in Green’s appended Roll of Honour or in the CWGC database
102. See WO 171/406 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron War Diary, entries for 06:30 & 07:30, 19/09/1944
103. The Polsten gun was a lightened and simplified Polish version of the Swedish 20mm Oerlikon automatic cannon taken into general British and Commonwealth service in March 1944. The gun was seven feet long, weighed 126 pounds unloaded, had an effective range of just over 1,000 yards and fired 450 rounds per minute from thirty round box or sixty round drum magazines. The Airborne version was mounted on a lightweight two-wheel carriage intended to be towed by Jeep; the 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron deployed two such weapons in a dedicated Polsten Section as part of Lieutenant John Christie’s Support Troop; see for example Fairley, p.16
104. See WO 171/406 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron War Diary, entries for 09:00 & 09:30, 10:00 & 11:00, 19/09/1944; and Fairley, pp.85-87
105. See Fairley, pp.88-89
106. WO 171/594 4th Parachute Brigade War Diary, Appendix C, entry for 19/09/1944
107. 04:00 timing cited in Middlebrook, p.254; Lieutenant Alexander Donald Milles Murray was actually killed during the action; he is interred in Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Gelderland, Holland, Plot 16, Row C, Grave 18; the CWGC records give his date of death as 18/09/1944
108. See WO 171/1323 7th Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers War Diary, entries for 01:00 and 06:00, 19/09/1944
109. For transfer time see WO 171/589 1st Airlanding Brigade War Diary, entry for 08:00, 19/09/1944; for Hackett visiting 7th KOSB HQ see WO 171/1323 7th Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers War Diary, entry for 06:00, 19/09/1944, and WO 171/594 4th Parachute Brigade War Diary, Appendix C: ‘Diary Kept by Brigadier J. W. Hackett, Commander 4th Parachute Brigade’, entry for 19/09/1944
110. See WO 171/1323 7th Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers War Diary, entries for 06:00 & 09:00 to 14:00, 19/09/1944; seven strafing casualties figure cited in WO 171/594 4th Parachute Brigade War Diary, Appendix C, entry for 19/09/1944
111. See WO 171/1247 156 Parachute Battalion War Diary, entries for 03:30 & 05:00, 19/09/1944
112. See The Pegasus Archive, Battle of Arnhem Archive, Biographies Section, ‘Major John L. C. Waddy’, at www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/john_waddy.htm, accessed 13/01/2013
113. See The Pegasus Archive, Battle of Arnhem Archive, Biographies Section, ‘Major Robert Laslett John Pott’, ‘An Account of the Action of ‘A’ Company 156 Battalion The Parachute Regiment 18/19th Sep 44’ at http//www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/john_pott.htm, accessed 09/01/2013
114. See WO 171/1247 156 Parachute Battalion War Diary, entry for 07:00, 19/09/1944; and Middlebrook, p.255
115. For warning see WO 171/1247 156 Parachute Battalion War Diary, entry for 20:00, 18/09/1944
116. See WO 171/1247 156 Parachute Battalion War Diary, entry for 08:30, 19/09/1944; and The Pegasus Archive, Battle of Arnhem Archive, Biographies Section, ‘Major Robert Laslett John Pott’, ‘An Account of the Action of ‘A’ Company 156 Battalion The Parachute Regiment 18/19th Sep 44’ at http//www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/john_pott.htm, accessed 09/01/2013
117. See Kershaw, pp.172-175; and Middlebrook, p.255
118. Testimony from Sergeant Andrew Thorburn, A Company, 156 Parachute Battalion; cited in Middlebrook, p.256
119. Lieutenants Lindsay David Delacour and Sydney Robertson Smith are interred in Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Gelderland, Holland, Plot 25, Row A, Grave 13 and Plot 30, Row C, Grave 4 respectively
120. See The Pegasus Archive, Battle of Arnhem Archive, Biographies Section, ‘Sergeant Louis Edmund Hagen’ at http//www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/louis_hagen.htm, accessed 11/01/2013. (Louis Hagen is the author of Arnhem Lift and one other book, Ein Volk, Ein Reich, a series of interviews with Berliners immediately post-war, which, in the editor’s opinion, will inform even the most diligent and well-read students of the war.)
121. Captain Terence Patrick Walter Rogers and Lieutenant Stanley Watling are interred in Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Gelderland, Holland, Plot 6, Row B, Grave 16 and Plot 6, Row B, Grave 19 respectively
122. Private Alfred Dennis Trueman is interred in Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Gelderland, Holland, Plot 30, Row C, Grave 10
123. See The Pegasus Archive, Battle of Arnhem Archive, Biographies Section, Major Robert Laslett John Pott’, ‘An Account of the Action of ‘A’ Company 156 Battalion The Parachute Regiment 18/19th Sep 44’ at http//www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/john_pott.htm, accessed 11/01/2013
124. Testimony from Sturmann Alfred Ziegler, SS Panzerjäger Abteilung 9; cited in Kershaw, p.174
125. Testimony from Major John Waddy, OC B Company, 156 Parachute Battalion; cited in Middlebrook, p.258
126. Testimony from Private Ronald Atkinson, B Company, 156 Parachute Battalion; cited in ibid., p.259
127. Testimony from Private Edward Reynolds, B Company, 156 Parachute Battalion; cited in ibid., p.258; Private Desmond Ewart Ford has no known grave and is commemorated on the Groesbeek Memorial, Panel 9
128. See The Pegasus Archive, Battle of Arnhem Archive, Biographies Section, ‘Sergeant Louis Edmund Hagen’ at http//www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/louis_hagen.htm, accessed 16/01/2013
129. Testimony from Major John Waddy, OC B Company, 156 Parachute Battalion; cited in Middlebrook, p.260
130. Testimony from Private Ronald Atkinson, B Company, 156 Parachute Battalion; cited in ibid., p.259
131. See WO 171/1247 156 Parachute Battalion War Diary, entry for 09:30, 19/09/1944
132. For Major Waddy’s account see for example Middlebrook, p.260; for the Luftwaffe strafing attack see for example WO 171/1247 156 Parachute Battalion War Diary, entry for 11:00, 19/09/1944; WO 171/589 1st Airlanding Brigade War Diary, entry for 10:00, 19/09/1944; and WO 171/1511 4th Parachute Squadron RE War Diary, entry for 11:00, 19/09/1944
133. See Airborne Assault ParaData website, Rollcall Section, ‘Personal Account of Col. John Waddy’s Time at Arnhem’ at http://www.paradata.org.uk/article/2252/related/10078, accessed 20/01/2013; and Middlebrook, p.2
60
134. See WO 171/1247 156 Parachute Battalion War Diary, entry for 09:00, 19/09/1944
135. 03:00 time cited in Brammall, The Tenth, p.58; 04:30 time cited in Middlebrook, p.261
136. See Brammall, pp.55-56, 58
137. See Middlebrook, p.261; and WO 171/594 4th Parachute Brigade War Diary, Appendix C, entry for 19/09/1944
138. Testimony from Lieutenant John Procter, commanding 9 Platoon, D Company, 10th Parachute Battalion; cited in Middlebrook, p.264
139. Testimony from Captain Nicholas Hanmer, Adjutant, 10th Parachute Battalion; cited in ibid., p.263
140. Quoted from Brammall, p.58; see also Middlebrook, p.264
141. See Middlebrook, p.265
142. Testimony from Corporal Harry Dicken, Intelligence Section, HQ Company, 10th Parachute Battalion; cited in ibid., p.265
143. Testimony from Private George Taylor, 8 Platoon, B Company, 10th Parachute Battalion; cited in ibid., p.264. Private Albert Douglas Walter in interred in Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Gelderland, Holland, Plot 25, Row A, Grave 16
144. See WO 171/594 4th Parachute Brigade War Diary, Appendix C, entry for 19/09/1944
145. See Brinson, Airborne Troop Carrier, p.140. Major Patrick Anchitel Richmond Anson was captured after being wounded at some point on or after landing on 18/09/1944 and died of wounds in Stalag XI B at Soltau in Germany eleven days later; he is interred in Becklingen War Cemetery, Niedersachsen, Germany, Plot 4, Row E, Grave 12
146. See Middlebrook, p.266
147. Testimony from Corporal Harry Dicken, Intelligence Section, HQ Company, 10th Parachute Battalion; cited in Middlebrook. P.265
148. See WO 171/1511 4th Parachute Squadron RE War Diary, entry for 08:00, 19/09/1944
149. See WO 171/393 1st Airborne Division HQ War Diary, entry for 08:45, 19/09/1944; and WO 171/594 4th Parachute Brigade War Diary, Appendix C, entry for 19/09/1944
150. Quoted from Middlebrook, p.267
151. See WO 171/594 4th Parachute Brigade War Diary, Appendix C, entry for 19/09/1944
152. See Faulkner-Brown, A Sapper at Arnhem, pp.39-40
153. WO 171/1511 4th Parachute Squadron RE War Diary, entry for 11:30, 19/09/1944
154. See Faulkner-Brown, p.40
Chapter 12
1. Testimony from Trooper Kenneth Hope, A Troop HQ Section, 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron; cited in Fairley, Remember Arnhem, p.95
2. See WO 171/406 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron War Diary, entry for 15:30, 19/09/1944
3. Testimony from Lance-Corporal Robert Thomson, D Troop, 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron; cited in Fairley, p.96
4. Quoted from WO 171/406 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron War Diary, entry for 13:50, 19/09/1944
5. See WO 171/406 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron War Diary, entries for 12:30, 14:15 & 15:00, 19/09/1944; and WO 171/393 1st Airborne Division HQ War Diary, entry for 13:30, 19/09/1944
6. Testimony from Sergeant David Christie, 9 Section, C Troop, 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron; cited in Fairley, p.97
7. Testimony from Trooper James Cooke, 9 Section, C Troop, 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron: cited in ibid., p.100
8. Lance-Corporal Alan Coulthurst Baker and Trooper Frederick Brawn are interred in adjacent graves in Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Gelderland, Holland, Plot 1, Row B, Graves 1 & 2 respectively
9. Trooper Raymond McSkimmings is interred in Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Gelderland, Holland, Plot 1, Row B, Grave 17
10. See WO 171/406 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron War Diary, entry for 16:20, 19/09/1944
11. Testimony from Lieutenant Tom Collier, Quartermaster, 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron; cited in Fairley, p.102
12. See ibid., p.102; Trooper Stanley Tickle has no known grave and is commemorated on the Groesbeek Memorial, Panel 1; the CWGC records his date of death as between 25 and 26/09/1944
13. See WO 171/406 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron War Diary, entry for 17:00, 19/09/1944; and Fairley, p.96
14. See WO 171/406 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron War Diary, entries for 17:30, 18:00, 22:00 and 23:30, 19/09/1944; and Fairley, pp.106-107
15. See Green, 1st Battalion The Border Regiment, p.29
16. See ibid., p.29; the red parachutes denoted that the containers were loaded with ammunition
17. See WO 166/15077 1st Battalion The Border Regiment War Diary, entry for 19/09/1944
18. For timings, locations and vehicle details see Zwarts, German Armoured Units at Arnhem, pp.65-66
19. See Kershaw, It Never Snows in September, p.202
20. See WO 166/15077 1st Battalion The Border Regiment War Diary, entry for 19/09/1944; and Green, pp.29-31
21. See WO 171/1236 1st Parachute Battalion War Diary, entries for 11:00, 12:30 and 14:00, 19/09/1944; and WO 171/1238 3rd Parachute Battalion War Diary, entry for 19/09/1944
22. Quoted from Haines, The Holland Patch, p.53
23. See ibid., pp.55-56
24. See WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, Appendix: ‘2nd South Staffords at Arnhem 17-25 Sept 44’; for rearguard details see Middlebrook, Arnhem 1944, p.203; and Haines, p.53
25. Testimony from Sergeant Norman Howes, 10 Platoon, 2nd Battalion The South Staffordshire Regiment; cited in Middlebrook, p.204
26. Testimony from Lieutenant David Russell, commanding 7 Platoon, C Company, 2nd Parachute Battalion; cited in Middlebrook, p.203
27. See ibid., p.204
28. Quotes from Haines, pp.56-57
29. Testimony from Lieutenant David Russell, commanding 7 Platoon, C Company, 2nd Parachute Battalion; cited in Middlebrook, p.203
30. Quoted from WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, Appendix: ‘2nd South Staffords at Arnhem 17-25 Sept 44’
31. Quoted from WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, Appendix: ‘2nd South Staffords at Arnhem 17-25 Sept 44’
32. Testimony from Lieutenant-Colonel Derek McCardie, Commanding Officer, 2nd Battalion The South Staffordshire Regiment; cited in Middlebrook, p.205
33. Quoted from ibid., p.203
34. Testimony from Major Robert Cain, Officer Commanding B Company, 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment; cited in Haines, pp.57, 60-62
35. Testimony from Major David Gilchrist, Officer Commanding A Company, 11th Parachute Battalion; cited in Middlebrook, p.207
36. Testimony from Major David Gilchrist, Officer Commanding A Company, 11th Parachute Battalion; cited in ibid., p.207
37. See ibid., pp.207-208
38. Quoted from WO 171/1244 11th Parachute Battalion War Diary, Appendix A: ‘Account of Arnhem Battle 11th Bn. The Parachute Regiment by Lieutenant J. E. Blackwood’, entry for 19/09/1944
39. See Middlebrook, p.208; and WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, entry for 19/09/1944. Diependaal is sometimes rendered Diependal.
40. See WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, Appendix: ‘2nd South Staffords at Arnhem 17-25 Sept 44’; Major Philip Richard Thomas Wright is interred in Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Gelderland, Holland, Plot 19, Row C, Grave 17
41. Quoted from Haines, p.62
42. See ibid., p.63
43. See WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, Appendix: ‘2nd South Staffords at Arnhem 17-25 Sept 44’; and Haines, pp.62-63
44. See WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, entry for 19/09/1944; and ibid., Appendix: ‘2nd South Staffords at Arnhem 17-25 Sept 44’
45. See WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, Appendix: ‘2nd South Staffords at Arnhem 17-25 Sept 44’
46. See WO 171/1244 11th Parachute Battalion War Diary, Appendix A: ‘Account of Arnhem Battle 11th Battalion the Parachute Regiment by Lt. J. E. Blackwood’
47. Testimony from Sergeant James Drew, 2nd Battalion The South Staffordshire Regiment; cited in Middlebrook, p.205
49. Testimony from Gunner ‘Dickie’ Bird, 1st Airlanding Light Regiment; cited in ibid., p.212
50. Testimony from Gunner Len Clarke, E Troop, 2nd Airlanding Anti-tank Battery; cited in ibid., p.212
51. See WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, entry for 19/09/1944; and WO 171/1244 11th Parachute Battalion War Diary, Appendix A, entry for 19/09/1944. The former refers to German tanks moving onto Den Brink at two separate points, and the latter refers explicitly to two tanks pursuing the Airborne withdrawal to Oosterbeek
52. See WO 171/1244 11th Parachute Battalion War Diary, Appendix A, entry for 19/09/1944
53. See WO 166/14933 1st Airlanding Light Regiment RA War Diary, entry ‘Place: Arnhem, 10:00’, 19/09/1944
54. See WO 171/1244 11th Parachute Battalion War Diary, Appendix A, entry for 19/09/1944
55. 150 figure cited in Middlebrook, p.209
56. See WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, entry for 19/09/1944; and ibid., Appendix: ‘2nd South Staffords at Arnhem 17-25 Sept 44’
57. Testimony from Major Robert Cain, Officer Commanding B Company, 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment; cited in Middlebrook, p.209
58. Figure cited in Haines, p.64
59. See Middlebrook, pp.325-326
60. See WO 166/14933 1st Airlanding Light Regiment RA War Diary, entry for ‘Place: N.W. Arnhem’, 14:00, 19/09/1944
61. See Middlebrook, p.326
62. See WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, Appendix: ‘2nd South Staffords at Arnhem 17-25 Sept 44’
63. See WO 166/14933 1st Airlanding Light Regiment RA War Diary, entry for ‘Place: N.W. Arnhem’, 14:00, 19/09/1944
64. Locations, occupation timing and Major Buchanan’s command details cited in WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, Appendix: ‘2nd South Staffords at Arnhem 17-25 Sept 44’; see also WO 171/1238 3rd Parachute Battalion War Diary, entry for 16:00, 19/09/1944