Private Stephen George Danby
Unit : "C" Company, 11th Parachute Battalion
Army No. : 6353580
Private Danby was captured on Tuesday 19th September, but escaped and, having been sheltered by the underground, was subsequently evacuated across the Rhine on the 22nd October 1944 with Operation Pegasus. The following is his MI9 report:
Name: 6353580 Pte. Danby, Stephen George.
Unit: 11th Parachute Battalion (now 3rd Parachute Battalion), 1st Parachute Brigade.
Captured: W. of Arnhem, 19th September 1944.
Escaped: Arnhem, 19th September 1944.
Left: Nr. Brussels, 28th September 1944.
Arrived: U.K., 28th September 1944.
Date of Birth: 26th January 1924.
Army Service: Since 28th November 1940.
Peacetime Profession: Press Tool setter.
Private Address: 39 Mayfield Street, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.
All map references are to N.W. EUROPE 1:250,000 Sheet 2A and 3A.
1. CAPTURE:
I was dropped with the 11th Parachute Battalion on 18 Sep 44 about six miles West of ARNHEM. On the morning of 19 Sep we were split up in an attack and three others (names not known, but one a Sergeant in the S. Staffs Regt) and I were proceeding to regroup, when we ran straight into a German M.G. post, the crew of which had apparently been watching us. No shots had been fired.
2. ESCAPE:
We were blindfolded and led away to a dense wood, where the blindfold bandages were removed. There were four of us, and we were being led by two sentries. I was with the Sergeant in the S. Staffs, and we managed to lag behind with our sentry and, when we saw our opportunity, jump on him from behind and knock him senseless. I believe we killed him.
The Sergeant took the sentry's gun, which turned out to be my Sten gun. We agreed to separate, the Sergeant keeping the gun.
I wandered aimlessly throughout the night, crossed the railway bridge West of ARNHEM, and continued South. At about mid-day on 20 Sep I was passing a house near ELST (E 77) when I was seen and drawn into the house by some Dutch people, who put me in touch with the underground movement.