Unpublished account of the glider landings on Sicily, July 1943.

The only individual in the narrative mentioned by name is poor old Charlton with his debilitating wounds. I have been unable to find a soldier with this surname in the casualty lists and would suggest that the name has been mis-remembered. It would seem odd that he mentioned a surname that did not identify the individual, but which in fact protected the wounded man's identity. Why mention a name at all? It is even more strange when it is the only name given in the narrative.

 

This passage seems to match the glider reports based on statements by Glider Pilots and, in the case of no glider pilots being available, statements by the senior passenger available. These reports can be found in CAB 106/688. Both gliders 132 and 133 were Horsas,

"At last, we arrived at Il Ponte Grande. “Ponte” it certainly was (Spanning two parallel canals). “Grande” it certainly was not, being barely wide enough to accommodate a three-ton truck, (black mark our Intelligence). Two Horsa gliders, carrying some thirty men each, had been employed to land near the bridge to take the opposition by surprise and to hold the bridge pending our arrival with two battalions of infantry (South Staffs Regt. and Border Regt). One glider had landed successfully, and its occupants had captured the bridge".

Glider landing report. Glider No. 133. Land.

A very good tow, intercom worked well throughout. Glider released at 22.20 hrs at 5000ft approx. one mile off coast, made successful landing on correct D.Z.

This report is taken from the Ground Operations section of the Air Landing Brigade report.
Capture of Ponte Grande.

9th July 22.45. Horsa Glider No. 133 containing 15 Platoon 2 S. Staffordshire Regt. under command Lt. L. Withers landed at 124293. Lt Withers and five men swam the canal and attacked a pill box on the NORTH bank to draw fire, whilst the remainder of the platoon attacked the bridge from the SOUTH.

The attack was successful, detonators were removed from demolition charges and telephone wires cut.

15 Platoon took up a defensive position and held the bridge against counter attacks.

"The other would appear to have been hit mid-air by Flak and had fallen blazing into the middle bank of the two canals. All its occupants, save one, were dead. Their burned and blackened bodies lying in grotesque positions amid the still burning wreckage".

Horsa Glider No. 132. Statement by passenger. Glider crashed about 400yds upstream from the bridge (objective). Burst into flames on landing. One Officer and 2. O.R.s injured, remainder killed.

 

"At last, we arrived at Il Ponte Grande” - Indeed he did but his account states that they were at the bridge at about 0400 hrs on the morning of the 10th July. Len Withers platoon landed at the bridge at about 2245 hr on the 9th July and the first reinforcements to reach him was Lt Welch of Bde HQ Defence Platoon who arrived at 0430 hrs on the 10th. I have indicated before that there are serious discrepancies between the writer’s account and the facts. We now know what glider he was in and the war diary in relation to that glider states “Their objective being a strong point 2 miles south of Ponte Grande. The 2 i/c Captain **** with half of ** platoon under Sgt **** and some of the Border Regt organised an attack on their Coy objective (Bilston) but failed, the position being very strongly held; the party became separated but next morning the position was again attacked by Capt **** with half of no ** platoon and some RE he had encountered, but again the defences were too strong.The party then made north and launched an unsuccessful attack on E Coy’s objective and eventually reached Ponte Grande”. The writer of the published account is hardly likely to have achieved all of this and still managed to reach the Ponte Grande bridge before any of the other reinforcing units.

 

After further conversation with the family, I have been given the name of the man who was the author's best friend, mentioned here.




He was 4393249 A/Sgt Eric Brian Wikner. A.A.C. 1 Wing, Glider Pilot Regiment. The Army Roll of Honour states that he was "Killed on the ground after landing during Operation Ladbroke". He is buried in the Syracuse War Cemetery, Sicily.