Staff-Sergeant F. Hares
Unit : 133 Parachute Field Ambulance
Army No. : 7262537
The following is Staff-Sergeant Hares' MI9 report.
STATEMENT BY
7262537. S/Sgt. HARES. F. 133 Para Field Ambulance, 1 Airborne Div.
7357098. Pte. BAGWELL. A. 133 Para Field Ambulance, 4 Para Bde, 1 Airborne Div.
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Date of Birth: Army Service: Peacetime Profession: Private address: |
S/Sgt. HARES. F. 18 Aug 16. 10 years. Serving soldier. 241 Stockport Road, ASHTON-under-LYME, Lancs. |
Pte. BAGWELL. A. 6 Mar 20. 5 ½ years (T.A.) Shipping Clerk. Wyncote, Wynstay Road, HOYLAKE, Cheshire |
Type of aircraft, place, date, time of departure. Dakota, SPANHOE, near UPPINGHAM. 1140 hrs, 18 Sep 44.
Where and when did you come down? At MOSSEDSCHE, 1400 hrs, 18 Sep 44.
How did you dispose of your parachute, harness and mae west? Left on field.
MAPS REFERRED TO: GSGS 4083. Sheets 32, 33 and 39.
18 Sep 44. I was S/Sgt in a stick of Medical Officer, Dental Officer and Nursing Orderlies in the 133rd Parachute Field ambulance which took off from SPANHOE U.S. Airfield near UPPINGHAM at 1140 hrs on 18 Sep 44. Pte's. Eastman and Bagwell were in the same stick. We had been briefed to drop at a point GINKEL (Sheet 32, 625835), but owing to an error in navigation or direction finding, we were ordered to drop at a point well to the North, MOSSELSCHE (GSGS 4083, Sheet 32, 6388).
On reaching the ground the stick joined up. Two members of the party went to a nearby house, and asked for directions. Meanwhile two members of the Dutch S.S. approached, one of them being wounded. We looked after the wounded man, and held the other and later hand him over to the Underground movement, who shot him. Just after this about 1500 hrs, a German patrol opened fire, so the party withdrew to woods near ARNHEM - AMSTERDAM road, where they spent the night.
19 Sep 44. A Lt. OLLIFFE was now in charge of the party. He had been in another aircraft that had also overshot DZ. (The Medical Officer - Major. SMITH [1] and Dental Officer - Capt. FLOCKHART [2], had not been seen since shortly after landing.) His plan was to move North and then move South to ARNHEM and join up with our forces. The party reached the woods in the neighbourhood of OUDREEMSTER (Sheet 33, 6886).
26 Sep 44. German patrols were seen on the roads. On the advice of a Dutch farmer from OTTERLOO (6591) the party lay low for a few days. Food was brought to them by the Dutch. On the morning of the 26 Sep two members of the party went to gather swedes and were approached by members of the Underground, who came back to see Lt. OLLIFFE. The party then moved South, and stayed in a wood North of MOSSELSCHE. Their helpers then brought them civilian clothes and arranged to take the party in groups to DOESBURG (Sheet 32, 561872). The party was moved on the 26-27 Sep.
29 Sep 44. They were given food and slept in Hen Houses. As the Germans were very near, the party moved to a barn two km's away to the North West. Capt. SYKES of the U.S.A.A.F. had now joined us. Meanwhile Major. WALTERS and Capt. KING saw Lt. OLLIFFE. Plans had been worked out for the party to cross the RHINE and WAAL in small numbers. On the 29th Sep I went in company with Pte. BAGWELL to EDE (Sheet 32, 5885) and were taken a farmhouse just South of DOORN (Sheet 39, 365846). We did this journey on bicycles having civilian clothes over our uniforms. In the later afternoon of the 29th our helpers took us across the LEK at 398767 and we spent the night in a farm at MAURK. On the 11 [Oct] we were taken down to the WAAL, after waiting at GROOVEBRUG (423720). Pte. EASTMAN had then joined us and we had again been lent cycles. We crossed the WAAL just S.W. of TIEL, the approx. position being (Sheet 39, 410669). A small canoe was provided for crossing the river. After crossing we were met by Capt. DUNN (I.S.9(WEA)) and then taken to our own lines.
INTERVIEWED BY: I.S.9 (W.E.A.) 14 Oct 44.
NOTES:
[1] 191713. Major. P. SMITH. } Taken P/W.
[2] 154175. Capt. A.S. FLOCKHART.}
My thanks to Bob Hilton for this account.