Abbreviations

A/A A/C Bde Comd Div DZ OC Offr Paratps RE Trng

Anti-Aircraft Aircraft Brigade Commander Divisional Drop Zone Officer Commanding Officer Paratroops Royal Engineers Training

Month and year: July 1943

Commanding Officer : Major D.C. Murray

1st July 1943

All operational personnel on training a.m. & swimming p.m.

2nd July 1943

Containers packed & stores checked for "Fustian".

8th to 9th July 1943

2300 to 0800 - Exercise "Preface" signals exercise preparatory to operation Fustian.

12th July 1943

Moved to airfields to emplane for FUSTIAN.  Postponed.

13th July 1943

Moved to airfield to emplane for FUSTIAN.  Planes took off between 19.45 & 20.10.  A/a fire encountered & planes damaged.  2 planes returned including Capt Livesey Lieut Buchanan Assault sticks returned.  Radio reports that 1 Bde took its objective - no news of Major Murray but plane returned.  Capt Brockington's plane not yet returned, may have been forced down.  Squadron tasks to ensure that charges taken from Ponte Primosole in Catania on R. Simeto, clear mines & if bridge blown recce new crossing.

14th July 1943

Return of last men of assault sticks having crash landed near Malta.

15th July 1943

A Troop training.  Returned operational men on works.

16th July 1943

Works & training A Troop.

17th July 1943

Works & training A Troop.

18th July 1943

Squadron returned from Sicily.  Narrative appended.

20th July 1943

Squadron [HQ?] rear party to Div RE Rest camp [Hammamet?] - bathing, then to Tunis daily.

21st July 1943

In camp.

23rd July 1943

Returned to Sousse area.

24th July 1943

Works - whole Squadron.

25th July 1943

Works in camp area.

28th July 1943

Offrs & NCO Bailey Bridge course O.C. course Capt Brockington.

29th to 31st July 1943

Bailey course then on trng & works.

Operation FUSTIAN

Jumpmaster's Report

Stick No. 90

Airfield Strip B

Stick Comd's Name Capt T.J. Livesey M.C. R.E.

Where dropped NOT DROPPED

Time -----

Estimated Height -----

Speed, fast/slow -----

A. Troops

Total No. in Stick 13

Number who jumped -----

Number who did not jump 13

Reason Plane was fired upon.  Pilot was shot in thigh or stomach, Navigator in head.  Co-pilot refused to continue as he said a/c was damaged & he would be unable to make the return journey, & was not sure of his location.

Statement of injuries

   (a) in a/c Pilot & Navigator (Slight)

   (b) on dropping

B. Containers and baskets

Remarks These containers were jettisoned into the sea as co-pilot considered they were possibly damaged & might affect his controls.

C. General

Was a/c fired on at sea, if so state damage Yes.  Holes in fuselage & cockpit damage to instrument panel & rudder controls (according to co-pilot also possible damage to starboard engine)

Was stick subjected to fire immediately on landing

Did tps get tangled up with long strops This question did not really arise, but it was felt that this would have been very probable.  Suggested that retaining bands of rubber should be stronger to prevent so much strop lying about the floor of a/c.

Signed T. J. Livesey Capt. RE.

Date 22 July 43

Stick No.

Airfield

Stick Comd's Name Lieut A. E. Houghton R.E., jumping No.18

Where dropped Correct D.Z.

Time 22.20

Estimated Height Five hundred ft

Speed, fast/slow Slow

A. Troops

Total No. in Stick 18

Number who jumped 12

Number who did not jump 6

Reason No.12 in stick had his static line caught up about 8 ft from door.  The rest of the stick were held up & pilot refused to cross D.Z. again.  There was considerable A.A. fire over D.Z.  Plane was hit in tail and port petrol tank.  N.B. The R.E. personnel were Nos 16, 17, 18 and consequently did not jump.

Statement of injuries

   (a) in a/c

   (b) on dropping

B. Containers and baskets

Remarks

C. General

Was a/c fired on at sea, if so state damage Yes.  No damage.

Was stick subjected to fire immediately on landing -----

Did tps get tangled up with long strops Remainder of stick was quite prepared to drop if the a/c had crossed D.Z. a second time.

Signed A.E. Houghton. Lieut. RE.

Date

Stick No.

Airfield

Stick Comd's Name Lieut. P.T. Stainforth. R.E.

Where dropped D.Z. No.2

Time 2300 hrs

Estimated Height 500 feet.

Speed, fast/slow 100 m.p.h. approx.

A. Troops

Total No. in Stick 15

Number who jumped 15

Number who did not jump Nil

Reason Plane Nil

Statement of injuries

   (a) in a/c Nil

   (b) on dropping Nil

B. Containers and baskets

Remarks * 1 trolley thrown from door.

C. General

Was a/c fired on at sea, if so state damage Yes, but no damage sustained.

Was stick subjected to fire immediately on landing No.

Did tps get tangled up with long strops No.

Any other remarks Arms and Ammunition must be dropped on the men.

Signed P.T. Stainforth Lieut. RE.

Date 4/8/43

Part II - Paratps

A/C No. as on Para G5 30

Dropping Order 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Army Number 106883 2126374 5726981 2094258 1876084 1909450 1991825 1911774 2075982 251037 2113379 1919212 2009868 1875757 5335778 2114011 6398554

Rank Major Sapper Sapper L/Sgt. Sapper Sapper Sapper Sapper Driver Lieut. Sapper Sapper L/Cpl. Sapper Sapper L/Cpl. L/Sgt.

Name and Initials D.C. Murray Marshall W. Spicer G.F. Smith J.W. Hulme G.R. Jones C.T. Synclair R. Hammond W.C. Howarth F. C.E.P. Sankey Massey H. Poulson S. Lane P.G.O. Warren H. Hobbs J. Pratt R. Hoath F.G.

Unit 1st Parachute Squadron

A/C No. as on Para G5 63

A/C No. as on Para G5 88

Dropping Order 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Army Number 1871091 326272 - 2054820 1911484 1941192 226295 2144443 2077436 1911650 1915644 1918461 1916611 1919918 1873564

Rank L/Sgt. Sapper Sapper Sapper Sapper Sapper Lieut. Corporal Sapper L/Cpl. Sapper Sapper L/Cpl. Sapper Corporal

Name and Initials Thornton H.J. Clark J.H. Grier C. Morgan L.G. Hall R. Madden W. P.T. Stainforth Simpkins J. Gray D. Neville D. Wickham J. Chaney E.E. Newton G.H. Snelling H. Padfield H.

Unit 1st Parachute Squadron

A/C No. as on Para G5 89

Dropping Order 1* 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 16

Army Number 2321200 1985259 1910707 5121848 1894154 2141624 2126716 243562 2050678 1911649 2193549 2058826 13039572 2000989 1881520

Rank Lieut. Sapper L/Cpl. Sapper Sapper Sapper Sapper Lieut. S.S.M. Sapper Sapper L/Cpl. L/Cpl. L/Cpl L/Sgt

Name and Initials A.H. Scott-Fleming Christie G. Wilkinson L. Hanlon R. Downing G. Butterworth N. Hirst W. Buchanan G.C. Bannerman J. Kill W.C. Jones G. Slayton J.V. McCutcheon D. McGivern G. Gillie T.

Unit 1st Parachute Squadron

* [This entry, though clear on the form, has been erased]

A/C No. as on Para G5

Dropping Order 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Army Number 222702 2135069 2068682 2135815 2150311 2091594 2066603 2141953 1871921 2125282 1874858 6469132 2000549

Rank Captain Sapper L/Cpl. Sapper Sapper L/Cpl. Sgt. Sapper Sapper Sapper Sapper L/Sgt. Corporal

Name and Initials Livesey T.J. M.C. Carr S.F. Malley J. Hookway J.A. Todd J.T.H. Ings E. Clelend R.L. Long T. Oldbury J.T. Bennett G. Hendy J. Lewis W. Halliwell S.

Unit 1st Parachute Squadron