Glider pilots at Arnhem

614 Pages·2009·8.71 MB·English

by  Peters

First published in Great Britain in 2009
and reprinted in 2010 by
PEN & SWORD MILITARY
An imprint of
Pen & Sword Books Ltd
47 Church Street
Barnsley
South Yorkshire
S70 2AS
Copyright © Mike Peters, 2009, 2010
ISBN 978 1 84415 763 1
ISBN 9781844683482 (epub)
ISBN 9781844683499 (prc)
The right of Mike Peters to be identified as Author of this work has been
asserted by him
in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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Contents

Foreword
Acknowledgements
List of Maps
Introduction
Chapter 1– Genesis
Chapter 2– A Long Summer of Frustration
Chapter 3– Operation COMET
Chapter 4– Operation MARKET
Chapter 5– Preparation for Battle
Chapter 6– D-Day – The First Lift
Chapter 7– One Foot on the Ground
Chapter 8– The Fog of War
Chapter 9– The Second Lift
Chapter 10– High Tide
Chapter 11– The Third Lift
Chapter 12– A Steel Grip
Chapter 13– The Cauldron
Chapter 14– ‘Up Agin It’
Chapter 15– Forlorn Hope
Chapter 16– Morning Hate
Chapter 17– Operation BERLIN
Chapter 18– The Final Hurdle
Chapter 19– Aftermath

Appendix 1– GPR Wing – Establishment Table
Appendix 2– GPR Squadron – Establishment Table
Appendix 3– GPR Flight – Establishment Table
Appendix 4– Airlanding Battalion Loading Plan
Appendix 5– Field Return of Officers for the Week Ending 16 September
1944
Appendix 6– Appreciation of the Situation by Colonel G.J.S. Chatterton
DSO
Appendix 7– Airlanding Plan
Appendix 8– Air Load Manifest Operation MARKET – First Lift
Appendix 9– Air Load Manifest Operation MARKET – Second Lift
Appendix 10– Air Load Manifest Operation MARKET – Third Lift
Appendix 11– Alphabetical Nominal Roll of Members of the Glider Pilot
Regiment Deployed on Operation MARKET GARDEN
Appendix 12– Glider Pilot Regiment Decorations and Awards – Operation
MARKET
Select Bibliography
Index
Maps/Forms

Map 1 – Planned Airborne Operations in France, June-August 1944
Map 2 – Planned Airborne Operations, September 1944
Map 3 – Planning of Operation COMET, September 1944
Map 4 – Planning of Operation MARKET, September 1944
Form ‘B’ – Form ‘B’ (Manifest) for Chalk Number 267
Horsa Loading Diagram
Map 5 – Navigation Diagram
Map 6 – Plot of landings, 17 & 18 September 1944
Second Lift Signal
Map 7 – GPR initial positions, 17 September 1944
Map 8 – GPR positions, noon 18 September 1944
Map 9 – GPR positions, evening, 18 September 1944
Map 10 – GPR positions, 19 September 1944
Map 11 – GPR positions, 20 & 21 September 1944
Map 12 – GPR perimeter, 22-25 September 1944
Foreword

By Brigadier M.D.K. Dauncey DSO DL

I can think of no stronger partnership than that of my long-standing friends Mike
Peters and Luuk Buist, who have produced this fascinating account, Glider
Pilots at Arnhem. I did not take part in the airborne landing on Sicily or in
Normandy and only achieved an average grading on my Second Pilot's Flying
Course. So the offer from Mike to write this foreword was not just a huge
surprise but also a great honour. The book, which is unique, has surpassed all my
expectations. When the proofs arrived, they were too exciting not to read straight
away, which I did far into the night!

Good luck always plays a major role in war. It certainly led to the widely
differing escapades of the glider pilots in the battle. The first lift, on 17
September 1944, was a trouble-free armada as regards the flight and landings
which came as a complete surprise to the enemy. However successive lifts came
under increasing pressure as the week wore on, with the German anti-aircraft
batteries, enemy fighters and ground troops all ready and waiting for the arrival
of our gliders, aircraft and paratroops. On Thursday afternoon, 21 September
1944, a resupply mission to Arnhem was mounted by 190 Squadron RAF. Out of
the ten Short's Stirlings that took off from RAF Fairford bound for Arnhem, only
three returned to England. Not one of the surviving aircraft landed undamaged.
They all flew straight and level over the planned Dropping Zone, disregarding
the deafening flak. It was heart-breaking to watch such outstanding bravery by
our aircrews and air despatchers.
By this time there was a shortage of glider pilots in England, as about 90 per
cent of the Regiment had already taken part in the landings at Arnhem. Staff
Sergeant Roy Howard, who successfully landed his glider in Normandy in the
dramatic coup de main attack on the Orne Bridges, found that the sixteen gliders
flying from RAF Keevil had composite crews drawn from A, B, D and E
Squadrons. He only met his second pilot Sgt Davey for the first time on the day
of the flight and was never to see him again after that eventful day.
When the Airborne troops under Lieutenant Colonel John Frost at the bridge
had finally been overwhelmed, a divisional bridgehead was formed. Known as
the perimeter, it was loosely centred on Divisional Headquarters at the
Hartenstein Hotel in the north and the Royal Artillery gun line near Oosterbeek
Church to the south. The aim was to hold this bridgehead until the arrival of
XXX Corps. After the landings, the glider pilots were to be withdrawn to
England to prepare for further airborne operations. Instead they were ordered to
remain with 1st British Airborne Division. They proved to be invaluable
reinforcements, and as this book will show so vividly they took a full part in
every aspect of the battle from the first landings to the final withdrawal over the
river. Here the glider pilots organized and taped the withdrawal for the Division.
The glider pilots were known as ‘Total Soldiers’; this is the kernel of this unique
book.
Trevor Francis and his wife Meg are old friends. Shortly after the first lift
landings, we were told to remain with the Light Regiment RA near Oosterbeek
Church as a protective infantry screen. However Trevor wanted to do more. He
became a gun number with one of the 75mm Pack Howitzer guns of the light
regiment and fought as a member of a gun crew throughout the week. Sadly one
of his last duties was to help the crew to cast the gun's breech block into a deep
ditch nearby, this last act of defiance rendering the gun useless to the enemy.
I have always felt that as infantryman we compared favourably with our
enemy counterparts, who were shy of us. There was no shouting on our part – it
was unnecessary as all airborne soldiers got on so well. My commander, Major
Bob Croot, OC of G Squadron, had the wonderful knack of always being with us
when things ‘hotted’ up. Also Lieutenant Colonel Iain Murray, who used to take
the trouble and the risk to come and see us from Divisional HQ; it made such a
difference to feel that he had our interests at heart.
Finally I would like to end this foreword by expressing my gratitude to the
Dutch people for all of their kindness and help both during and after the battle.
Their courage, support and generosity were unbounded. They will never accept
that we caused them so many hardships and losses; they merely say ‘you gave us
hope’. What wonderful friends. No wonder we keep returning to Arnhem and
Oosterbeek to see them, their children and their grandchildren year after year.
This is a superb read and unique in that the idea has never been used before.
So heartiest congratulations to Mike and Luuk on producing such a splendid
account of the ‘Glider Pilots at Arnhem’ which will always be enjoyed and
appreciated.