Hello, does anyone know why only a detachment of this unit was flown into battle for "Varsity"? Apparently, the main body was left behind and joined later. How strong was the "main body"? I quote from the War Diary: "22nd March 1945 Place: Glevering Hall 0900 - Briefing commences. Air op by main body of company cancelled. 23rd March 1945 Place: Glevering Hall 1600 - Maj M.G. DOLDEN joins Div HQ (Glider). CSM B.P. McGUINNESS, MM injured and unable to go with Coy to NWE. Sjt H. SMITH promoted CSM. 24th March 1945 Place: Glevering Hall 1000 - Parachute and Glider elements take off from various airfields. Place: Tilbury 1200 - Main body under Capt J. VISCHER leaves GLEVERING HALL for S4 Transit Camp. Place: Div LZ 1300 - Lt. CAMPBELL and det put out aids for supply drop. Supply drop successfully accomplished. 25th March 1945 Place: Tilbury 0600 - Main body embarks. 26th March 1945 Place: Ostend 1200 - Main body disembarks. 1300 - Parachute and Glider elements concentrate area Div HQ MR 185467. Total casualties on drop:- 1 Killed, 5 missing, 5 wounded. 29th March 1945 Place: Erle 1300 - Main body joins air party at ERLE MR 3950." Thank you!
The 22nd Independent Parachute Company consisted of a Company Headquarters and three platoons, each with one officer and 32 men. Each platoon was sub-divided into three sticks, commanded by a sergeant or Corporal. Company strength would therefore be approx. 105 men. The War Diary mentions 7 detachments. Supply drop dets join units as follows:- Sjt. LEVERETT and 4 ORs ) Sjt. HULME and 4 ORs ) 3 Para Sqn RE (Parachute A/c) Sjt. WELLS and 4 ORs ) Cpl. JOHNSTON and 4 ORs ) 591 Para Sqn RE do. Sjt. RAMAGE and 4 ORs 1 Bn RUR (Glider) Sjt. LONG and 4 ORs 2 Bn OBLI do Lt. CAMPBELL and 9 ORs 716 Coy RASC (Airborne Lt. Compo) (Glider) Total 40 men. Presumably all that was required to complete the mission. The main body would have travelled with the 6th Airborne Division seatail. The main body would have been approx. 65 men.
Yes I can tell you exactly why: These pathfinders had a different job to normal. Instead of going in first to mark out the DZ’s prior the battalions dropping, this time they were required to mark out the suitable area for the re-supply drop. The best way to do that was to send pairs of men with each battalion dropping and within the glider element too. There was only enough employment for so many, hence the others came by vehicle the following day. The plan was the 22 Ind guys would ascertain which area of the battleground was suitably in control by Allied forces and therefore the best bet for the supply drop. They didn’t want to risk losing supplies like in Arnhem. There were 6 pre-arranged locations for the supply DZ and only one could be selected. That code word was then sent up the communications line and eventually the B24 pilots (already approaching the area) were given the desired area for the supply drop. it was SDP B that was selected. Alex.
Hi, The lead aircraft, CN 1, out of RAF Chipping Ongar may have carried Pathfinders to Germany. In the Book "Operation Varsity" by Saunders Lieutenant Colonel Hewetson, Commander 8th Parachute Battalion, recounted that: "In the leading aircraft, flown by the American Group Colonel, was the DZ marking stick who would be responsible for putting down the coloured smoke at the battalion RV." I'm not entirely sure if the stick was comprised of men from 22nd Ind Para Coy or were 8 Para men given the job of marking the RV? Their pilot was Colonel Willis W. Mitchell Commander of 61st Troop Carrier Group. His Dakota was the first of 81 belonging to the 51st Trooper Carrier Squadron and led the way to DZ A. AFPU cameraman Sgt. Mike Lewis travelled with them and took photos and film footage before take off and while en route to the LZ A. The complete photo series online at IWM runs between H41574 - H41588. He may also have taken photos H41564 to H41567 and possibly earlier ones which have been attributed to Sgt. Jim Christie. He is known mostly as a cine photographer so I'm not entirely certain which photos are actually stills? As far as I can make out he travelled without a partner and returned to base with aircraft. IWM films A70 272-4 and 5 are listed as being taken by him but are currently not available to view. A few from the series that are fairly well known: Regards ...
Hello Cee, thank you. I have trouble opening the middle picture. Actually, I started this thread after reading a US report written in 1946 which states for Varsity: "Pathfinders in 46 aircraft proceeded the first serials." (in: "Tactical Employment in the US Army of Transport Aircraft and Gliders in World War II" by Col. Samuel T. Moore, p 66) This may - of course - also refer to US pathfinders. Just the number of 46 planes struck me as odd - that's a lot of aircraft, isn't it?
Hi Cee. I’m fairly certain the RV smoke was administered by Battalion personnel (hence in the first aircraft). This was particularly crucial for 8 Para who had 3 RV’s as such, the idea was A Coy were to form up and attack one wooded area (on the Eastern edge) B Coy were to form up and attack Axe Handle wood whilst C and HQ Coy had another strip of wood to take. This was the plan so that 8 Para took care of German troops on and around the DZ whilst 1 Cdn and 9 Para could form up and take their objectives which were off the DZ. Alex.
Thanks Alex, Yes that makes the most sense and probably an 8 Para stick as you say Alex. Just have to find if there was a Greenley with the Battalion. In Carl Rymen's book "Two Steps Forward" there is a Cpl. Raymond William Greeneley listed as being on course 97 in the end notes. However, I can't find what it refers to in the body of book? Regards ...
Hi. Not aware of that book so can’t comment on the context. Do you think that’s an 8 Para man or 22 Ind Coy?
The Officer here was with that serial as his glider had bren carriers with it, he was supposed to use them to zip around the DZ / LZ sussing out the battle etc etc. I think (I’ll have to check) the bren carrier(s) were damaged on landing and unusable.
"Two Steps Forward" is available on Amazon. I believe it is the first of two with the second yet to come. It concentrates on the early history of the 8th and 4th Battalions and their German adversaries. The 8th Parachute Battalion hasn't received the attention it should so always good to have more information on them. Regards ...
Ok thanks David, So that is probably a good indication the stick on CN 1 was composed entirely of 8 Para men. Regards ...
Cee, I would suggest that course 97 refers to Parachute training course No. 97. A/Sgt. Raymond William Greenley transferred to airborne forces on 15.12.1943 from the R.A. Course No. 97 ran from 03.01.1944 to 15.01.1944. Timing sounds right. Two articles I found online regarding the resupply drop. Operation Varsity: Last Allied Airborne Operation of WWII By Stephen L. Wright The planned resupply drop arrived on schedule at 1 pm; 240 Consolidated B-24 Liberators from the Eighth Air Force’s 2nd Air Division each carried 2½ tons, which had been packed into 20 bundles, distributed in three locations: 12 in the bomb racks, five in and around the ball turret (the turret itself had been removed), and three by the emergency escape hatch in the tail. The vast majority of bundles were fitted with parachutes. The planes came in at 100 feet, half to DZ B (6th) and half to DZ W (17th). USAF Historical Studies: No. 97. Airborne Operations In World War II, European Theatre (Edited to relevant points). Resupply Close behind the last troop carrier formation came the bombers engaged the D-Day resupply mission. At 12.57 the first planes were to begin dropping for the 17th Airborne to Supply Drop Point W. Airborne troops on the spot were to mark the zone with a Red T, White letter W and Red smoke and were also to have an M/F beacon in operation. The 120 planes in the rear of the column were to deliver their loads to 6th Airborne Division on SDP B. This was a diamond shaped area about 2,000 yards across, located about 4.5 miles east of the Rhine and 0.75 of a mile west of Hamminkeln with the double track railway on its south west edge. It was to be marked with a Yellow T, Green smoke and a White letter B, supplimented by an M/F landing beacon. In addition, a VHF landing beacon (SCS-51) was to be set up at the IP and aimed at SDP B so that the bombers could ride along its beam to their objective. This last paragraph tells us exactly what aids were put out for the resupply drop and gives us some idea of the size of the task. The only document I've read so far that tells us which unit was involved is the 22nd Independent Parachute Company war diary. I have doubts about its accuracy. Both of the above articles indicate that the supply drop occurred at 1300hrs. Yet this war diary has Lt. Campbell putting out aids for the resupply drop at 1300hrs, just as the canisters were dropping from the sky. It also has Lt. Campbell and 10 O.R's emplaning for N.W.E., on 16th March, 1945, but joining the 716th Light Composite Company, R.A.S.C., on 19th March, 1945. The latter most likely, as the 716th Light Composite Company, R.A.S.C. war diary states that a 22nd Ind Para Coy O.R. from Glider No.267, was wounded after landing. It also states that Parachute and Glider elements took off from various airfields at 1000hrs. While the 7th Parachute Battalion were dropping onto the DZ at 1018hrs. I think that the quote from Lt. Col. Hewetson, C.O. 8th Parachute Battalion, was most likely referring to his men putting down the coloured smoke at the battalion RV. It only takes one man to set off a smoke bomb. So why get men from another unit to pull the pin? The 22nd Independent Parachute Company war diary does not mention its men travelling with the 8th Parachute Battalion. I would imagine that the marking out of the resupply drop, was rehearsed before take off and the exact number of men required for the mission worked out. If I have read the 22nd Independent Parachute Company war diary correctly and it is to be believed. They sent 40 men to paint or place 2 large letters on the ground, set off a smoke canister and place 2 beacons, Eureka and VHF, on the ground. So I'm wondering why men from the 8th Parachute Battalion would also need to be involved? I'm not an expert, I wasn't there, but it doesn't sound right. More information needed!
Ok, So the 22 Coy guys that weren’t parachuting in flew to Brussels and drove to meet the land elements West of the Rhine. The 22 Coy men that did Parachute in were spread around each DZ and LZ and had to assess the battle and then decide which area was best to use for the re-supply. That info was signalled up the line and transmitted to the B-24 navigators and pilots on the way. They knew before 1pm that SDP B was to be used. The ground markers were a secondary aid. The Battalions were responsible themselves for marking their own RV points. Alex.
alberk, I came across the following passage in the book "The Last Drop": "The first of the lead serial's C-47s took off from Chartres at 0725. Its pilot was the Pathfinder Group's CO, Col. Joel Crouch, and one of its passengers was Colonel Raff. Crouch had led his Pathfinders on the operations into Italy, Southern France, Normandy, and Holland. His forty-six-aircraft serial was airborne in less than five minutes and was so well organized that it flew over the airfield in formation just ten minutes after the last aircraft had taken off." The term "Pathfinder" here refers to aircraft belonging to the Pathfinder Group that left from Chartres airfield (A-40) and carried men of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Regards ...
Hi, 10 men from 22 IPC dropped with 591 Para Sqn RE on to LZ B. From their WD: "Appendix Report on Airborne Element 591 Para Sqn RE. H Hour to 2359 hrs D + 1 A. PARACHUTE ELEMENT (1) Composition. The OC, 3 offrs and 43 ORs of 2 Tp jumped from four aircraft (Nos 205, 206, 242 and 243). Five numbers in each plane carried kitbags. In addition 10 men of the Independent Para Coy all with kitbags jumped with 2 Tp spread throughout the four planes. In each plane the offr jumped in the middle of the stick so that on the ground control would be easier." Regards ...
They were chalk numbers 242 and 243. My grandad jumped out of the other plane in that V, 241. They were the last of the Parachute Aircraft. Alex.
