Can You Locate These Gliders ?

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by Cee, Apr 9, 2015.

  1. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Can You Locate These Gliders?

    Member mushroom put up a few pics in the photo gallery that caught my attention. He thought the Horsa gliders could be on Arnhem LZs, but wasn't sure. The photos are from his father's collection who was in the 7th Armoured Division. Included also is the Bristol Bridge photo. I would link to the gallery directly, but still can't figure out how to do that?

    gallery_59251_12_78945.jpg gallery_59251_12_105750.jpg gallery_59251_12_72781.jpg

    There are a few clues there ... :)

    Regards ...
     
  2. Nijmegen

    Nijmegen Member

    No leafs on the trees, ergo not around Arnhem. 24 March 1945 and later, probably.
     
  3. Tom Wallace

    Tom Wallace Junior Member

    Agreed. Also, partial invasion stripes suggests post June '44 and, a possible hinged nose of a Horsa II suggests Varsity.

    Tom
     
  4. Warlord

    Warlord Veteran wannabe

    According to ThinkDefence, Bristol bridge was built over the Maas at Maeseyk by the 224 Field Company Royal Engineers on January 27th, 1945.

    Is there a direct link between this pic and those of the resting Horsas? Because if so, I don't think they landed during Market; present day Maaseik lies SE of Eindhoven and Lommel...

    Look around halfway down for the Bristol bridge pic:

    http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2011/12/uk-military-bridging-floating-equipment/
     
  5. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Excellent sleuthing gentlemen!

    Warlord, I assumed there was a connection between the pics and a great find on the bridge location and build date. Maeseyk is south of Wesel which is is south east of Arnhem. Tom, my first impression was the nose was missing on the Horsa middle picture as well, but I'm not entirely certain? I thought they swung open? It does seem a bit short from the wing to the front though.

    My knowledge of the movements of the 7th Armoured Division is pretty weak. Would they ever have cause to travel through Arnhem? They did cross the Rhine near Xanten. There was a chalk number 84 that flew in on Operation Varsity. My glider tables for Arnhem aren't complete so I can't say for certain if there was a CN 84 there as well.

    Like you lot I'm leaning strongly to Op Varsity as well.

    Regards...
     
  6. Nijmegen

    Nijmegen Member

    Until 27 March 1945, 7 Armoured were concentrated around Maaseik (Bristol Bridge). On 28 March, they had crossed the Rhine and became one of the spearheads of 21 AG.
     
  7. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Thanks Nijmegen,

    Like you I couldn't find any association between the 7th Armoured Division and Arnhem on a quick run through of their history. What I don't have are any decent aerials of the British LZs for Operation Varsity.

    Ok, I'll go out on limb here with some general info from Steve Wright's glider tables. No. 84 left from Gosfield as part of Serial B9 made up of 21 Horsas (73-93) piloted by men from F Squadron GPR. It's interesting that all the tug planes out of Gosfield were C-47s from RAF Squadrons 271, 512 or 575. Their destination was LZ U just to the south of Hamminkeln with the objective to capture a bridge over the River Issel.

    Of course No. 84 could have landed anywhere after emerging from the haze that covered the battlefield. The Issel isn't a very wide river and the few aerials I've seen seem to show built-up banks. Is that what we are seeing in the background of CN 84 or just a bush ... ?

    Regards ...
     
  8. Nijmegen

    Nijmegen Member

    I have made a composition of the official flight routes to the landing zones and the military AMS/GSGS map, used then.
    [​IMG]
    and
    [​IMG]
     
  9. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Thanks Nijmegen,

    Excellent - a good view of the LZs and DZs ... :)

    Regards ...
     
  10. Warlord

    Warlord Veteran wannabe

    So, Varsity it is?
     
  11. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    I'll say yes, but I'm famous for having to eat my words and hide my head in the sand ... :lol:

    Regards ...
     
  12. Warlord

    Warlord Veteran wannabe

    Do the code numbers in the back of the truck provide any clues? It seems that we even have a divisional symbol there.
     
  13. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Here's a blow-up without manipulation. We need someone who is able to interpret that in a meaningful way.

    numbers.jpg

    Regards ...
     
  14. Warlord

    Warlord Veteran wannabe

    Yup. Tried to magnify it a bit, but it pixels too much; resolution is too poor.
     

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