146. See Ellis, Victory in the West, Volume II: The Defeat of Germany, p.43; quote taken from Alanbrooke Papers, 14/32; cited in Powell, p.218
147. Quote from Essame, p.131
148. See ibid., pp.132-133
149. See for example William F. Buckingham, Arnhem 1944: A Reappraisal, pp.46-47
150. See Sikorski Institute AV 20/31/27 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade War Diary, entry for 10:00, 24/09/1944
151. See Sosabowski, p.182
152. See Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, pp.214-215
153. See Sosabowski, p.182
154. See Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, p.217; for departure time see Sikorski Institute AV 20/31/27 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade War Diary, entry for 11:30, 24/09/194
155. See Sosabowski, pp.182-183
156. See Essame, pp.132-133
157. See Middlebrook, p.415
158. For Lieutenant Dyrda’s account and quotations see Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, pp.217-221
159. See ibid., p.220
160. See ibid., p.183
161. See CAB 44/254 Part II: Operation MARKET GARDEN, Book III, Chapter VII, ‘Section V – Operations on the Island 21 to 26 Sep’, Para. 53 ‘30 Corps plan – 24 Sep’; and Ellis, Victory in the West, Volume II: The Defeat of Germany, p.43
162. Quotes from Sosabowski, pp.183-184
163. See CAB 44/254 Part II: Operation MARKET GARDEN, Book III, Chapter VI, ‘Preparations for Operation ‘MARKET GARDEN’, Appendix C – ‘RE Aspect of Operation “GARDEN”’; and Sliz, The Storm Boat Kings, pp.40-41
164. See WO 171/1586 204 Field Company RE War Diary, entries for 16:45, 20/09/1944 and 11:00, 21/09/1944
165. See WO 171/1586 204 Field Company RE War Diary, entries for 18:00 & 22:30, 21/09/1944 and 06:00, 22/09/1944
166. See WO 171/1586 204 Field Company RE War Diary, entries for 15:15, 22/09/1944 & 21:00, 23/09/1944
167. See WO 171/1608 260 Field Company RE War Diary, entries for 18:00, 20/09/1944; 10:00, 21/09/1944; and entries for 22, 23 & 24/09/1944
168. See Sliz, The Storm Boat Kings, pp.41-42
169. See WO 179/3129 20th Field Company RCE War Diary, entries for 07:30 & 19:30, 16/09/1944 and 06:30 & 17:00, 17/09/1944; Eksel is rendered Exsel in the War Diary
170. See WO 179/3129 20th Field Company RCE War Diary, entries for 10:30, 12:30, 16:00 & 22:00, 21/09/1944
171. See WO 179/3129 20th Field Company RCE War Diary, entries for 12:00 & 14:00, 22/09/1944 and 06:30, 23/09/1944
172. See WO 179/3129 20th Field Company RCE War Diary, entries for 11:00, 12:00 & 13:30, 24/09/1944
173. See WO 179/3130 23rd Field Company RCE War Diary, entries for 16/09/1944 and 17/09/1944
174. See WO 179/3130 23rd Field Company RCE War Diary, entries for 21, 22, 23 & 24/09/1944
175. See Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, p.228
176. See Sosabowski, pp.197-198
177. See WO 171/1286 4th Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment War Diary, entry for 16:45, 23/09/1944; Essame’s account renders the 4th Dorsets’ commander’s surname as Tilley
178. See WO 171/1286 4th Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment War Diary, entries for 12:00, 14:00 & 16:00, 24/09/1944; for use of Driel church tower and 16:30 Brigade O Group see Essame, p.133
179. Essame cites the involvement of Major Rooke and four vehicles but later refers to six vehicles; see Essame, pp.133, 134
180. See WO 177/359 Assistant Director Medical Services 1 Airborne Division War Diary, entries for 10:00 & 10:30, 24/09/1944; and Essame, pp.133, 135; the latter cites four DUKWs on the former page but six on the latter; for Lieutenant Tiernan and 181 Airlanding Field Ambulance see Middlebrook, p.420; Middlebrook cites Tiernan’s forename as Jimmy and gives his rank as Captain
181. See WO171/1586 204 Field Company RE War Diary, entry for 11:00, 24/09/1944
182. See WO 171/1286 4th Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment War Diary, entry for 18:00, 24/09/1944; and Essame, p.133
183. Testimony from Major Philip Roper, OC C Company, 4th Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment; cited in Middlebrook, p.419
184. See WO 171/1286 4th Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment War Diary, entry for 19:30, 24/09/1944; and Essame, p.133
185. See WO171/1586 204 Field Company RE War Diary, entry for 24/09/1944
186. See WO 177/359 Assistant Director Medical Services 1 Airborne Division War Diary, entries for 08:00, 10:00, 10:30 & 14:00, 24/09/1944; The Pegasus Archive website, Battle of Arnhem Archive, Biographies Section ‘Lieutenant-Colonel Martin Edward Meakin Herford MBE, MC’ at www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/martin_herford.htm [accessed 20/03/2018]; and Middlebrook, pp.418-419, 437. Captain Percy Louis has no known grave and is commemorated on the Groesbeek Memorial, Gelderland, Holland, Panel 9
187. For 17:00 briefing see Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, p.233; for 22:00 timing see Sikorski Institute AV 20/31/27 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade War Diary, entry for 11:30, 24/09/1944; there is no mention of the 17:00 briefing in the War Diary
188. For crossing order see Sikorski Institute AV 20/31/27 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade War Diary, entry for 11:30, 24/09/1944; for varying numbers see ibid. and Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, p.233 respectively; for transport details & timing see Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, p.232
189. See Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, pp.233, 234, 237-238; for arrival timing see Sikorski Institute AV 20/31/27 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade War Diary, entry for 19:30, 24/09/1944. Cholewczynski cites an arrival time of 23:00, but this is contradicted by the Polish Brigade War Diary and Sosabowski’s account, which refers to the 1st Battalion arriving ‘early in the evening’; see Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, p.237; and Sosabowski, p.184
190. For departure time see Sikorski Institute AV 20/31/27 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade War Diary, entry for 21:00, 24/09/1944; for Engineer Company see Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, p.238
191. See Essame, p.133; and Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, p.237
192. See WO 171/1286 4th Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment War Diary, entry for 21:45, 24/09/1944; Sikorski Institute AV 20/31/27 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade War Diary, entry for 21:45, 24/09/1944; and Sosabowski, p.185
193. Quoted from Essame, p.134
194. Quoted from Sosabowski, p.185
195. See Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, p.238; and Essame, p.134
196. See Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, pp.238-239
197. For cancellation timing see Sikorski Institute AV 20/31/27 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade War Diary, entry for 22:45, 24/09/1944
Chapter 20
1. See Middlebrook, Arnhem 1944, p.419; and WO 171/1586 204 Field Company RE War Diary, entry for 11:00, 24/09/1944. According to the former some vessels were manned by personnel from 533 Field Company RE
2. See Mark Henniker, An Image of War, p.188; for examples of the tactic being employed in Normandy and Germany see Essame, The 43rd Division at War, pp.83-84 and 167-168
3. For departure time see WO 171/1286 4th Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment War Diary, entry for 01:00, 25/09/1944; for 112 Field Regiment RA Forward Observer teams see Middlebrook, p.420
4. See WO 171/393 1st Airborne Division HQ War Diary, entry for 06:05, 25/09/1944
5. See Middlebrook, p.419; and Kershaw, It Never Snows in September, p.288; the latter gives the unit title as ‘Schiffsturmabteilung’
6. See Essame, p.134
7. For Major Crocker details see Middlebrook, p.419; for Captain Hall details see The Pegasus Archive, Battle of Arnhem Archive, Biographies Section ‘Captain Ronald Francis Hall’ at www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/ronald_francis_hall.htm, accessed 10/04/2018
8. See Green, 1st Battalion The Border Regiment, pp.72-73
9. See Middlebrook, p.420
10. See WO 171/1016 1st Airlanding Light Regiment RA War Diary, entry for 06:00, 25/09/1944; and Middlebrook, pp.420-421; for arrival of the Dorsets liaison officer at the Hotel Hartenstein see WO 171/393 1st Airborne Division HQ War Diary, entry for 08:40, 25/09/1944
11. See Middlebrook, p.421; Captain Thomas Douglas Rose is interred in Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Gelderland, Holland in Plot 24, Row B, Grave 16
12. See Essame, p.134
13. See Ryan, A Bridge Too Far, p.513
14. See Green, pp.73-74
15. See WO 171/1286 4th Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment War Diary, entry for 02:15, 25/09/1944
16. See Essame, pp.134-135; and Middlebrook, p.420
17. See WO 171/393 1st Airborne Division HQ War Diary, entries for 06:05 and 09:40, 25/09/1944
18. See Middlebrook, pp.421-422. Private Harold Wyer has no known grave and is commemorated on the Groesbeek Memorial, Gelderland, Holland, Panel 5
19. See Essame, p.134; and Middlebrook, p.421
20. Testimony from Private Aubrey Steirn, C Company, 4th Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment; cited in Middlebrook, p.421
21. See Kershaw, p.288
22. See Green, pp.74-75
23. See Kershaw, p.288
24. For figures see WO 171/1286 4th Battalion The Dorsetshire Regiment War Diary, entry for 02:15, 25/09/1944; Middlebrook, Arnhem 1944, p.422; and WO 171/1586 204 Field Company RE War Diary, entry for 11:00, 24/09/1944
25. See Essame, p.134-135; and WO 171/1586 204 Field Company RE War Diary, entry for 11:00, 24/09/1944
26. See Middlebrook, p.422
27. See CAB 44/254 Part II: Operation MARKET GARDEN, Book III, Chapter VII, ‘Section V – Operations on the Island 21 to 26 Sep’, Para. 51 ‘30 Corps Operation Instruction No. 25 0f 23 Sep’; and ibid., Para. 53 ’30 Corps Plan – 24 Sep’
28. See CAB 44/254 Part II: Operation MARKET GARDEN, Book III, Chapter VII, ‘Section V – Operations on the Island 21 to 26 Sep’, Para. 56 ‘30 Corps plan – 25 Sep’
29. See CAB 44/254 Part II: Operation MARKET GARDEN, Book III, Chapter VII, ‘Section V – Operations on the Island 21 to 26 Sep’, Para. 55 ‘Narrative 130 Bde night 24/25 Sep’
30. See Urquhart, Arnhem, pp.163-165; interestingly, Browning’s rather less than useful missive is reproduced in full, whereas the communication from Thomas is merely paraphrased in three sentences
31. See Urquhart, p.165; and WO 171/393 1st Airborne Division HQ War Diary, entry for 06:05, 25/09/1944
32. See Essame, p.135
33. See Middlebrook, p.423
34. See WO 171/393 1st Airborne Division HQ War Diary, entries for 08:08 and 10:30, 25/09/1944; and Urquhart, Arnhem, pp.165-168
35. See Kershaw, p.291
36. See ibid., p.293
37. See ibid., p.291
38. See ibid., p.228
39. See WO 171/1234, 1 Wing Glider Pilot Regiment War Diary, entries for 06:15, 25/09/1944
40. See for example WO 166/15077 1st Battalion The Border Regiment War Diary, Appendix A, entry for 25/09/1944; WO 171/1016 1st Airlanding Light Regiment RA War Diary, entry for 25/09/1944; and WO 171/1234, 1 Wing Glider Pilot Regiment War Diary, entries for 05:30, 25/09/1944
41. See WO 171/1323 7th Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers War Diary, entry for 06:30 to 13:00, 25/09/1944
42. See WO 171/589 & WO 171/590 1st Airlanding Brigade HQ War Diary, Appendix F, entry for 10:00, 25/09/1944
43. See Green, p.78
44. Captain William Kitching Hodgson is interred in Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Gelderland, Holland, Plot 1, Row C, Grave 2
45. Corporal Lawrence Cowin is interred in Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Gelderland, Holland, Plot 19, Row C, Grave 1; his name is rendered Cowan in Green’s Battalion history
46. See WO 171/589 & WO 171/590 1st Airlanding Brigade HQ War Diary, Appendix F, entry for 14:30, 25/09/1944
47. See WO 171/589 & WO 171/590 1st Airlanding Brigade HQ War Diary, Appendix F, entry for 14:30, 25/09/1944; for 15:30 & 16:00 timings see WO 166/15077 1st Battalion The Border Regiment War Diary, Appendix A, entry for 25/09/1944
48. See Green, p.77
49. See for example WO 166/15077 1st Battalion The Border Regiment War Diary, Appendix A, entry for 25/09/1944; WO 171/1511 4th Parachute Squadron RE War Diary, entry for 25/09/1944; ibid., Appendix I, entry for 25/09/1944; and WO 171/1513 9th (Airborne) Field Company RE War Diary, entry for 25/09/1944
50. See WO 171/1323 7th Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers War Diary, entries for 04:30 to 06:30 & 06:30 to 13:00, 25/09/1944
51. See WO 171/1059 64 Medium Regiment RA War Diary, entries for 11:47, 12:45 & 13:45, 25/09/1944
52. Testimony from Private Alfred Robin Holburn, Mortar Group, Support Company, 7th (Galloway) Battalion The King’s Own Scottish Borderers; cited in Middlebrook, pp.426-427
53. See John Fairley, Remember Arnhem, pp.188-189
54. See WO 171/1247 156 Parachute Battalion War Diary, Appendix C: 156 Bn Parachute Regiment Arnhem, entry for 14:00, 25/09/1944
55. See Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, pp.234-235
56. See ibid., pp.237, 240
57. See ibid., pp.241, 247
58. See WO 171/1248 21st Independent Parachute Company War Diary, entry for 25/09/1944
59. See Kent, First In!, p.127
60. See WO 171/594 4th Parachute Brigade War Diary, Appendix D, entry for 25/09/1944; and WO 171/1248 21st Independent Parachute Company War Diary, entry for 25/09/1944
61. See for example Zwarts, German Armoured Units at Arnhem, p.59; for commander’s names see the Defending Arnhem website, Eastern Sector Order of Battle Section, ‘Schwere Panzer Abteilung 506’ page at www.defendingarnhem.com/schpzabt506.htm, accessed 01/05/2018
62. See WO 171/1016 1st Airlanding Light Regiment RA War Diary, entry for 25/09/1944; and WO 171/590 1st Airlanding Brigade HQ War Diary, Appendix ‘F’, entry for 10:00, 25/09/1944
63. For 10:00 timing see WO 171/1016 1st Airlanding Light Regiment RA War Diary, entries for 10:00, 25/09/1944 and WO 171/589 & 590 1st Airlanding Brigade HQ War Diary, Appendix ‘F’, entry for 10:00, 25/09/1944; for 11:00 timing see WO 171/1238 3 Parachute Battalion War Diary, composite entry for 22/09/1944 & after; for early afternoon timing see WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, Appendix J1 ‘2nd South Staffords at Arnhem 17-25 Sept 1944’
64. Quoted from WO 171/1236 1Parachute Battalion War Diary, entry for 25/09/1944
65. See WO 171/589 & 590 1st Airlanding Brigade HQ War Diary, Appendix ‘F’, entry for 09:00, 19/09/1944
66. See WO 171/589 & 590 1st Airlanding Brigade HQ War Diary, Appendix ‘F’, entry for 10:00, 25/09/1944
67. For dispositions see WO 171/1016 1st Airlanding Light Regiment RA War Diary, ‘Appendix’, sketch map appended to end
68. See WO 171/1016 1st Airlanding Light Regiment RA War Diary, entry for 10:00, 25/09/1944
69. See WO 171/589 & 590 1st Airlanding Brigade HQ War Diary, Appendix ‘F’, entry for 10:51, 25/09/1944
70. See WO 171/1016 1st Airlanding Light Regiment RA War Diary, entry for 10:00, 25/09/1944
71. Testimony from Gunner Robert Christie, 2 Battery, 1st Airlanding Light Regiment RA; cited in Middlebrook, p.424. Middlebrook gives Christie’s rank as Gunner but another member of 2 Battery refers to him being a Lance-Bombardier; see The Pegasus Archive website, Battle of Arnhem Archive, Biographies Section ‘Lance-Bombardier Percy Parkes’ at www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/percy_parkes.htm, accessed 04/06/2018
72. See The Pegasus Archive website, Battle of Arnhem Archive, Biographies Section ‘Lance-Bombardier Percy Parkes’ at www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/percy_parkes.htm; ‘Lieutenant Adrian Donaldson’ at www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/adrian_donaldson.htm; and ‘Lance-Bombardier James Henderson Dickson’ at www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/james_dickson.htm, both accessed 04/06/2018
73. See WO 171/1016 1st Airlanding Light Regiment RA War Diary, entry for 10:00, 25/09/1944
74. Quoted from WO 171/1244 11th Parachute Battalion War Diary, entry for 25/09/1944
75. Quoted from WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, Appendix J1 ‘2nd South Staffords at Arnhem 17-25 Sept 1944’
76. See WO 171/1059 64 Medium Re
giment RA War Diary, entries for 13:135 and 15:56, 25/09/1944; and Baynes, Urquhart of Arnhem, p.147
77. For timings and quotes see WO 171/1059 64 Medium Regiment RA War Diary, entries for 13:35, 13:45, 14:50, 15:25, 15:40, 15:56, 16:55, 17:11, 17:34, 18:35 and 19:30, 25/09/1944
78. Quoted from WO 171/1238 3 Parachute Battalion War Diary, composite entry for 22/09/1944 to 25/09/1944
79. Quoted from WO 171/1236 1Parachute Battalion War Diary, entry for 25/09/1944
80. Quoted from WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, Appendix J1 ‘2nd South Staffords at Arnhem 17-25 Sept 1944’
81. See WO 171/1375 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment War Diary, Appendix J1 ‘2nd South Staffords at Arnhem 17-25 Sept 1944’; and Middlebrook, pp.425-426. Major John Mellor Simonds has no known grave and is commemorated on the Groesbeek Memorial, Gelderland, Holland, Panel 5
82. For a list of German units that fought at Oosterbeek and in some instances their date of arrival see the Defending Arnhem website, ‘Order of Battle’ page at www.defendingarnhem.com/OoB.html, accessed 07/06/2018
83. See WO 171/589 & 590 1st Airlanding Brigade HQ War Diary, composite entry for 23 and 24/09/1944
84. See CAB 44/254 Part II: Operation MARKET GARDEN, Book III, Chapter VII, ‘Section V – Operations on the Island 21 to 26 Sep’, Para. 56 ‘30 Corps plan – 25 Sep’
85. See CAB 44/254 Part II: Operation MARKET GARDEN, Book III, Chapter VII, ‘Section V – Operations on the Island 21 to 26 Sep’, Para. 57 ‘Narrative 25 September’
86. See Essame, pp.135-136
87. See CAB 44/254 Part II: Operation MARKET GARDEN, Book III, Chapter VII, ‘Section V – Operations on the Island 21 to 26 Sep’, Para. 57 ‘Narrative 25 September’
88. See Essame, p.136
89. See Sikorski Institute AV 20/31/27 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade War Diary, entries for 04:00 & 05:00, 25/09/1944; and Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, p.243
90. See Sikorski Institute AV 20/31/27 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade War Diary, entries for 12:00, 17:30, 18:00 and 19:00, 25/09/1944; for Sosabowski’s shock see Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, p.249
91. See Cholewczynski, Poles Apart, pp.254-255; for heavy casualties quote see Sikorski Institute AV 20/31/27 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade War Diary, entry for 19:00, 25/09/1944
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