Hi, I'm new to this forum. I've always had a general interest in WW2. But after my father's passing I've became interested in the Operations Plunder and Varsity, especially. Why? Because as a young boy, my father lived near the villages Haffen and Mehr. Later on in life, he lived in Mehrhoog, west of Hamminkeln. It wasn't until he and I visited the Normandy beaches and the US cemetery. There, we saw a huge map in marble. With a parachute symbol near Bergerfurth, as he said. He then told me a bit of what he had experienced in March 1945. The shelling, the fighting, the long columns of Allied vehicles after the fighting. And that he found himself a job in the field kitchen of the British. But I didn't ask enough questions. My interest in the Rhine crossing and the air landings near Hamminkeln didn't really start until after my father's death. Since then, I've bought books and looked at internet sites on the matter. I recently found a name on maps and in articles on Varsity: Fortnum. It was, I believe, an assembly place. I think it was somewhere between Mehrhoog and Hamminkeln. Can anyone tell me where Fortnum exactly was?
Hi! Objective Fortnum was a cross roads (and rail crossing) in between the two Paracute Brigades on Op Varsity. This had to be held until the two areas could be linked (by advancing ground troops) This objective was given to 7 Para, Lt Nelson was given this but he was wounded (fatally) on the drop. So the job was given to Lt Patterson and his platoon from A Company, 7 Para. They remained in position until lunchtime 25th March fending off numerous attacks. I have maps and diagrams regarding this as my grandad was in 7 Para and Op Varsity is my main interest. Alex.
Thanks very much. I already thought it was this one. There aren’t that many in that area. I used to have relatives living no more than 50 meters from that crossing. I crossed the railway there lots of times!
It’s a place I’ve visited a few times myself. Forum member alberk is a local and very knowledgable too.
