My uncle Lt Robert (Bob) S. Preston Kings (Liverpool) Regiment who was attached to B Company 2 Oxf Bucks (KIA 24 March1945) was commander of 18 Platoon on Operation Varsity in glider CN2 for the coup de main attack on the Hamminkeln bridges. He is buried at Reichwald Forest CWG Cemetery. I would be grateful of any information on Lt Preston.
Hi JPP and Welcome Lt. Robert (Bob) S. Preston - Kings (Liverpool) Regiment - KIA 24th March, 1945 Commander 18 Platoon attached to B Company - 2nd Oxford and Bucks Glider Chalk No.2 - Coup de Main - Hemminkeln I too am a Junior Member on WW2 Talk searching for information about Operation Varsity: B Squadron, 1 Wing GPR. There is a wealth of knowledge on this site together with very helpful contacts. Suggest you get in touch with - GPRegt - (Steve Wright). I feel certain he will be able to help you. Steve has been away in Normandy with Veterans' from the GPR but is home again this weekend. I think I'm correct is saying that the Coup-de-Main force in Horsa Glider Chalk No. 2 left from Gosfield Airfield on Operation Varsity. One of the Glider Pilot in Glider Chalk No. 3 is an active Veteran and a member of the Glider Pilot Regimental Association. Good Luck Lindsay Aspin
Lindsay Many thanks for your reply and message and for correcting my typing error for date Lt Preston was KIA which was as you correctly typed 24 March 1945. JPP
Hello, JPP Welcome to the Forum. Unfortunately, I can't give you much info on your Uncle, but here's some of the story, as told by passenger L/Cpl Godfrey Yardley, of what happened in his glider: As I sat on the starboard side forward I watched [Private] Ginger Belsham pull the forward door upwards and at that precise moment flak burst under the port wing banking the aircraft over to starboard almost throwing Ginger out of the door - only to be pulled back by the Platoon Commander [Lieutenant Bob Preston] and Sergeant. This took perhaps two seconds and allowed this man to live for another few minutes - for he and sixty per cent of the Platoon were soon to die. The enemy was waiting for us with a prepared concentration of ack ack guns and being the first gliders in our regiment we took the full weight of the defences, as historical records were later to show. With some of the controls damaged and no compressed air to operate the landing flaps, we flew across the landing zone, over the railway and the River Issel to crash head on into a wood at ground level. At a speed of over 70 knots a fully loaded glider - the size of a heavy bomber - becomes a pile of matchwood in about one second flat. I was one of the lucky ones being the centre one of five men still sitting on one piece of seat with harness on. With the exception of a few cuts and bruises we five were OK. Several other chaps were alive but wounded, but most were dead including the Platoon Commander, Sergeant and two Corporals, leaving a Corporal, myself and another Lance Corporal and seven others unhurt. Godfrey is still with us and, of course, that day is sharp in his mind. Steve W.
GPReg Thank you for the information. It is remarkable that there were any survivors in CN2 and great to know that Godfrey Yardley is still alive today. For information, I have discovered the following. Glider CN2 A/B Block Number 17 512 sqn. Glider Pilot Sqn E32 Take Off Airfield Gosfield Time of landing 10.21 Landing Zone coup-de-main The tug pilot was Sqn Ldr Mostyn-Brown. JPP
There will, hopefully, be an article about Operation Varsity in the next edition of Bugle & Sabre - a journal published by the Friends of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, in association with the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Trust. I will check to see if there is any information in the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Chronicle for 1944-45. Some extracts from the latter can be found in the Time Line section of the SOFO website.
The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Chronicle provides some useful details about Operation Varsity, in which the 52nd Light Infantry was required to capture the Hamminkeln to Ringenburg road bridge over the River Issel, the railway bridge about two hundred yards to the north of it, Hamminkeln railway station, and the road junction to the west. It would then hold the line of the River Issel from Hamminkeln railway station to the Ringenburg road bridge. Each company of the battalion was allotted a specific task – the role of ‘B’ Company, which was supported by two anti-tank guns and a detachment of sappers, being to seize and hold the road bridge over the river. The bridge was to be taken intact if possible and prepared for demolition. It was not essential for the bridge to be held intact, but it was only to be blown on orders from the brigade commander. There is, unfortunately, no detailed information about Lt R.G.Preston, although it is recorded that he was killed on landing. As he was still a member of the King’s Regiment, the Chronicle did not include him in the Officers’ Roll of Honour.
JPP, Hello and a belated welcome to the forum. I have read with great interest this thread and hope that you may find out more information on the sad day. Regards Tom
Many thanks for the responses. I have managed to gather a range of information on Lt Preston from the 3rd July 1944 when he was attached to 2 Oxf & Bucks until he was KIA on 24 March 1945. I have written an account on what I have found out or have assumed about my uncle’s service during this time which can be viewed at this link Lieutenant Robert Preston I know nothing about his army service or training before July 1944. An interesting outcome of my research has been the opportunity to communicate by email and telephone with Godfrey Yardley who is the last surviving member of Lt Bob Preston’s Platoon. I feel privileged to have had this opportunity. JPP
Hi Gp. Yes I'm sorry a complete misunderstanding, I've reread the original post. I just got overly excited and thought that this was a break through after all this time. By all means ask around as I said in the previous post I would appreciate any information or advice. Belfast beau
Dear, See the messages from our Family and Friends, do You have any information for us this in Order of: Please give us some Information. Regards, Robert J. 'Allain' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- You may remember that l told you that my wife's father (Harold Langford) was in the 2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in WWII and, after taking part in the D-Day landings in Normandy, he was part of the 6th Airborme in Operation Varsity, landing by Horsa glider near Hamminkeln on 24 March 1945. Actually he crash-landed and was injured in the landing. During the flight, he swapped seats with a colleague and this colleague was killed in the landing. Harold has not re-visited the Hamminkeln area since 1945 and he had hoped to return there this year. He applied to join a tour (run by a professional tour company) in which he hoped to meet some former army colleagues and to visit the Hamminkeln area between 23 and 25 March, but unfortunately this tour has been cancelled. I do not think that they could attract enough people to go on the tour. So my wife and I are wondering whether to drive or fly to Hamminkeln area between about 22 and 26 March this year and take Harold to visit the area and places like the Reichswald Forest war cemetry. Do you know whether there are likely to be any commemoration ceremonies taking place in or near Hamminkeln this year in memory of the Rhine Crossings and Operation Varsity? If there are, I am sure that my father-in-law would take great pleasure in participating and hopefully meeting any other veterans who attend. If we do take Harold to Hamminkeln in March, will you and Bianca be at home in Dinxperlo then? It would be really good to meet you again. Please give best wishes to Bianca and your parents from me and my father. Kind regards Martin Martin Hall -----------------------------------------------------------------------
