Abbreviations
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611838 AP Armd Bde Bn CO Comd Coy Div DZ FOO Fwd GOC Gp Incl Junc MMG OC OR Pl Posn Pt QM Rd Rly RV SP Sqn St Tp Tps Xrds |
Map Reference Armour Piercing Armoured Brigade Battalion Commanding Officer Commander Company Division Drop Zone Forward Observation Officer Forward General Officer Commanding Group Including Junction Medium Machine Gun Officer Commanding Other Ranks Platoon Position Point Quartermaster Road Railway Rendezvous Self-Propelled Squadron Start Troop Troops Crossroads |
Month and year: September 1944
Commanding Officer : Major G. Powell
16th September 1944
The Bn was briefed for Operation 'MARKET' by the Commanding Officer.
18th September 1944
1100 - The Bn took off from Saltby Aerodrome.
1345 - Anti Aircraft fire encountered over the Dutch Coast. Chalk No 619 aircraft was shot down in flames.
1400 - The Bn jumped onto DZ. Opposition was encountered.
1430 - The Bn had reached the RV st pt 611838 less about 2 officers and 100 men who were casualties and stragglers.
1700 - The Bn moved off in the direction of ARNHEM along the North edge of the railway in the order C Coy, Bn HQ, S Coy, B Coy, A Coy.
2000 - The Bn met and joined up with the glider borne lift at the rly crossing 665805. The glider borne lift was complete with the exception of one glider containing two jeeps, which landed in the sea. A report was received from an officer of the KOSB that the enemy were holding a strong outpost line along the road from 702805 to 699791.
2100 - C Coy encountered heavy opposition at 696794. The leading pl was ambushed and broken up and a left flanking movement encountered further opposition which brought the company to a standstill. It was apparent that the enemy were holding the line in strength, and the Commanding Officer decided to form a firm base in the wood 678802 until first light with the intention of entering ARNHEM from the North West next morning. Communication with Para Bde HQ had broken down by this time.
19th September 1944
0330 - This firm base was completed.
0500 - Orders were received from HQ 4 Para Bde to capture the feature pt 567 (710798).
0700 - C Coy supported by B Coy captured the feature pt 565 (696798) as a first bound in capturing the objective.
0830 - A Coy put in an attack on the line of defence on the rd running from 702805 to 699792. The axis of advance was along the track running from 693778 to 700798. The coy met very heavy opposition including S.P. guns and armd cars and was brought to a standstill, after suffering heavy casualties including all the officers along the line of the track running from 699802 to 700797.
0900 - B Coy put in attack on the same line of enemy defence, moving round the North of A Coy, and met the same heavy opposition. B Coy Comd was then fatally wounded and heavy casualties were sustained.
0930 - S Coy and Bn HQ put in a counter attack and about 30 men of the Bn reached the rd running from 702805 to 699792.
1100 - B Coy was attacked by ME 109's and sustained heavy casualties.
1400 - The Bn formed a firm base posn in the area of the southern part of the wood at pt 565 (697797).
1600 - Orders were received from HQ 4 Para Bde to move to the area of Hotel Walfhegen 6779 in 15 minutes time. Owing to the speed of this move and the fact that enemy patrols were attacking the Bn got divided and S Coy and half of B and C Coys moved along the North side of the rly to the area 673804. They were attacked and overrun during the night and except for the QM and 6 men who got back, have not been seen or heard of since.
1900 - About 200 of the Bn arrived at the area pt 232 (6879) where they received orders from HQ 4 Para Bde to leaguer for the night in a Bde perimeter with the North flank of the Bn resting on the rly. The Bn was mortared and shelled throughout the night and several enemy patrols were encountered.
20th September 1944
0700 - Orders were received from HQ 4 Para Bde to move to the Div perimeter. The Bn moved as the advance guard to the Bde in the order:- A Coy, HQ Coy, C Coy and remnants of B Coy.
0800 - A Coy were held up by heavy opposition as rd and track junc 681786 and C Coy were ordered to make a right flanking movement to reach the main road at 679784. C Coy were then also held up by strong opposition about 200 yds short of their objective and sustained heavy casualties. The Coy then took up a defensive posn at this pt, engaged the enemy and beat off 2 counter attacks. Meanwhile A Coy attempted to clear up strong enemy posts in the houses around the rd junc.
1000 - By 1000 hrs the Bn had concentrated and covered the rd and track junc at 682786. There were about 30 men of HQ Coy, 15 men of A Coy, 6 of B Coy and 40 of C Coy left. The enemy were continually putting in attacks.
1200 - The Bn covered 10 Bns withdrawal to the Div perimeter.
1300 - The Bn began to withdraw in a North Easterly direction. While moving it was encircled by S.P. guns and motorised infantry in the area 684793 and with Bde HQ were badly shot up and disorganised. The Brigadier ordered OC C Coy personally to clear up an enemy pocket which lay on the line of withdrawal. With the aid of A Coy and a few men of HQ Coy this was accomplished and the Bde Comd with the remainder of HQ Coy and some men of 10 Bn and Bde HQ organised a defensive posn in the area 686787. There were about 150 men in all and the enemy attacked continually in strength until 1700 hrs, during which time this party sustained 50% casualties including OC HQ Coy who was killed. Nothing has been seen or heard of the rest of the Bn since this time, including the Commanding Officer, who was last seen wounded. The command of the Bn devolved on Major G.S. Powell, OC C Coy. Considerable casualties were inflicted on the enemy during this action and at least 40 prisoners were taken.
1700 - The Bde Comd in view of the continual losses which were being sustained decided to make a break out with the remnants to the Div perimeter. This was successfully accomplished with only about 6 casualties and abouot 70 men reached the Div perimeter at the positions the A.L Bde held.
1830 - The remnants of the Bn were reorganised and there were then 3 officers and 50 ORs one of whom was the FOO., Capt Stevens. These were equipped and reorganised into 2 pls. Orders were then received from G.O.C. 1st Airborne Div to hold the oblong of rds with centre 697787.
1930 - This was carried out with one pl at the NE corner and one pl at the SW. The night passed without any incidents.
21st September 1944
0700 - The fwd pl at the NE corner was heavily shelled and enemy were seen infiltrating on either side into the Div Area. This occurred all day. The enemy were engaged and suffered very heavy casualties.
1400 - The house occupied by the fwd pl came under very heavy Mortar, MMG and A.P. gunfire and a few casualties were suffered.
1800 - It was realised that our own tps on either flank had withdrawn and the CO who had been with the fwd pl during the day made his way with the wounded and a small patrol to the rear pl. He then requested and gained permission from the G.O.C. 1st Airborne Div to withdraw this pl to the area of the rear pl. Throughout the whole day the rear pl in co-operation with 2 tps of the Recce Sqn, under command of Capt Grub resisted enemy attacks successfully.
2130 - The Bn was concentrated in a defensive posn.
2200 - Orders were received from HQ 4 Para Bde to hold a defensive line from Xrds 696787 incl to Xrds 694788 incl taking 2 tps of the Recce Sqn (under command of Capt Parkes and Capt Grub) under command. 6 reinforcements arrived from Bde HQ.
22nd September 1944
The QM and 20 ORs came up as reinforcements from Div HQ and about 15 Glider Pilots came under command making the strength of the whole force about 100. The day was fairly quiet with steady sniping and mortaring and occasional attacks from a S.P. Gun.
23rd September 1944
0800 - Strong infantry attacks from an Easterly direction developed and continued all morning. They were all beaten off with considerable loss to the enemy.
1200 - A Mark V tank approached to within 50 yds of the posn and was disabled by a P.I.A.T. A S.P. Gun then arrived to its assistance and screened infantry began to destroy each house in turn by firing at them point blank.
1400 - In view of the loss of the only P.I.A.T. and because considerable casualties were being sustained, the CO withdrew to a posn about 50 yds behind the houses.
1500 - A counter attack was attempted, but was halted. Capt Stevens, the commander was killed. The Bn then dug in on the new line, and was heavily mortared for the rest of the day.
24th September 1944
Heavy mortaring and sniping continued all day.
1800 - An infantry attack came in at the point of junction [unreadable] The Bn and Glider Pilots, causing casualties.
1815 - Realising that the tps on both flanks had fallen, Bn Gp was re-organised into a box formation on its posn.
25th September 1944
The box posn was held all day against heavy attacks supported by S.P. Guns and concentrated mortar fire.
1300 - Orders were received to withdraw to the South of the Rhine that night.
1400 - In view of the isolated posn permission was given by the Bde Comd to withdraw to the house North of the main rd. This was successfully accomplished, although the Bn was then in close contact with the enemy on the left.
2015 - The withdrawal to the river began. The Bn got divided during the withdrawal, and about 6 men of the Bn and 6 men of the tps under comd became casualties. During this time, the remainder of the Bn crossed the river safely.
