First Arnhem casualties?

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by jemgee2, Oct 27, 2015.

  1. jemgee2

    jemgee2 Member

    Don't know if this has been mentioned before. I recently enjoyed a gliding trial at RAF Keevil which I learned was one of the airfields used for the Stirling and Horsa glider launch for Arnhem.

    I thought I would check if there were any accidents at the airfield and came up with this link

    http://airbornesappers.org.uk/Articles/Journal/VisitToDoubleHills.html.

    On the second day the tug aircraft crashed at Driel but I have yet to research that.
     
  2. horsapassenger

    horsapassenger Senior Member

    The tug aircraft towing glider 389 which crashed at Double Hills was Stirling IV LK148 piloted by F/O Liggins from 299 Squadron.

    I don't know where you got the information about the tug aircraft crashing at Driel on the following day. On the 18th September F/O Liggins again piloted LK148, towing a glider (this time chalk 957, carrying a jeep and trailer of 4 Para Bde) and had a successful mission leaving Keevil at 11:30 and returning at 17:10
     
  3. jemgee2

    jemgee2 Member

  4. horsapassenger

    horsapassenger Senior Member

    I am sorry to say that he is wrong. You will see from the attached, from the Squadron's Operational Record book, that the aircraft crash landed on the 19th September. Only the two air dispatchers L/Cpl Frederick Prior and Dvr Alfred Braid and Wally Simpson were uninjured. Local civilians provided first aid to the injured and Wally Simpson salvaged food from the aircraft's rubber dinghy. They hid in a drainage tunnel for three days until a patrol of Polish paratroops came along and took them to Driel. They finally got back behind Allied lines on the 27th September.
     

    Attached Files:

    stolpi and Nijmegen like this.
  5. Pompey Pal

    Pompey Pal Member

    John, do you know the name of the other two despatchers on board the aircraft that crash landed, as I'm assuming there would have been four in total, from 63 Airborne Composite Company?
     
  6. horsapassenger

    horsapassenger Senior Member

    Pompey Pal

    As far as I'm aware the Stirling normally only carried two Despatchers
     
  7. Pompey Pal

    Pompey Pal Member

    Then that would explain it. Thanks HP
     

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