Private John Clifford Crowther
Unit : "B" Company, 3rd Parachute Battalion
Army No. : 3386706
Private Crowther was captured on Tuesday 19th September, but escaped and managed to rejoin the remnants of the 3rd Parachute Battalion in Oosterbeek. The following is his MI9 report:
Name: 3386706 Pte. Crowther, John Clifford.
Unit: 3rd Parachute Battalion, 1st Parachute Brigade.
Captured: Arnhem, 18th September 1944.
Escaped: Arnhem, 19th September 1944.
Left: Brussels, 28th September 1944.
Arrived: U.K., 28th September 1944.
Date of Birth: 18th July 1921.
Army Service: Since 2nd September 1939.
Peacetime Profession: Fitter.
Private Address: 128 Mosley Street, Blackburn, Lancs.
(All map references are to N.W. EUROPE 1:250,000, Sheet 2A and 3A).
At the commencement of the ARNHEM airborne operation I was dropped with the advance party by glider about seven miles West of ARNHEM on 17 Sep 44.
Our Company ("B" Company) was badly mauled in the first attack, and I was captured early on the morning of 18 Sep.
The Germans attempted to interrogate me, but I answered no questions. We were taken into a house in the outskirts of ARNHEM and were kept there all day.
The house was attacked by our troops on 19 Sep, and in the shouting and excitement I managed to jump out of the window. I was fired on by our own people and had to lie low for several hours.
At about 1400 hrs I was found by the 11th Para Bn. of the 4th Brigade, and later joined my own Unit.
I was evacuated with the Division on the night of 25-26 Sep.