This may get many of you flapping so sit down and make sure your mouth is not full of tea. Yesterday I was copying a UK Home Forces file for someone and it seemed to go off on a random Airborne theme... The key piece of info may be that it could mention that there was Armoured units in or around Arnhem before Op Market Garden started within official documentation. The file in question is WO 166/15083 7 Cameronians August to September 1944. Anyone who knows me knows I don't read the files I copy and know I have little interest in Arnhem but I couldn't help notice after the first few pages there was a warning order for an airborne operation and as it went on it contained intelligence reports on German units in Holland inc SS Panzer Divs, estimated AFV's, a large trace map making German units even a list of what appears to be buildings of interest in Arnhem numbering bed spaces in each ! I finally got bored of looking and cracked on with work when I came across message forms giving what looked like a day to day update of the situation at Arnhem. Anyway get ya sen down there and enjoy before someone steals or hides the file and another Airborne related argument gets started !
Careful, they might have to ban handbags at the National Archives. Would this be the file you mentioned elsewhere? The one that nobody has apparently looked at for c.70 years?
Yep - The Battalions main diary for 1944 is in WO 171(The NW Europe series) and contains Aug and Sept so a bit odd there is a extra two months back in the UK Series. Obviously no one would have looked for this hence why it looks like no one has ever bothered with it. The pages were compressed together which suggests I WAS THE FIRST TO SEE IT SINCE THE WAR :P
Andy I am presuming you have copied all of those of it then! If so how many pages is it etc? Just thinking if I will have the time to copy it when I am down there in October, amongst everything else! Regards Andy PS. Thanks for posting this too
I concur with what Drew says - he showed me the file and there are certainly some very interesting maps in it. A most unlikely series to expect to find anything Arnhem related. Sadly I didn't have time to copy it on Saturday so Drew had to return it but it's certainly on my list for Tuesday assuming that it gets back into the system in time. John, Simon or whoever!!!
I copied 117 pages in said file. I couldn't copy the large trace map of Holland though with all the German units marked on it.
Drew, et al, are you sure this is not just a repeat of similar information in the 1 Para Bde war diary? See below:- 1 Para Bde Intelligence Summary No.1 dated 13 Sep 44 1. GENERAL As much as possible of the information available about defences is shown on the defence overprints. There is no doubt that the whole MARKET area, particularly the WAAL, the MAAS- WAAL Canal, and the hill south of NIJMEGEN, are being feverishly prepared for defence. Appx "A" gives detailed information of the Div Area. 2. TOPOGRAPHY (a) The line marked 'under construction' running East-West at the bottom of ARNHEM and EDE map sheets is an autobahn, which is not yet ready to take traffic. (b) The railway in the same area is double track, electrified, with the electric cables overhead; it runs in a cutting for a considerable part of its length. (c) The large building South of EDE at 5882 is the ENKA artificial silk factory. (d) In the proposed landing area, which lies on sand and gravel beds to the NORTH of the RHINE, the soil is dark earth and peat and cross-country, which a military training area in the middle of it (East of EDE), is comparable with the ALDERSHOT training area at LAFFIN'S PLAIN and LONG VALLEY. 3. DEELEN AIRFIELD The total pf personnel on the airfield was estimated at 2,000 in July. It is the main radar and fighter control centre for HOLLAND, and though it was bombed on 3 Sep and rendered unusable for a time there is no evidence to show that it is being abandoned. Full details and sketch plans have been issued to all concerned. 4. ENEMY FORCES There is little information about forces actually in the area at present, but some estimate can be made from previous figures and the probabilities of the situation. Before last June, the area ARNHEM- ZWOLLE - AMERSFOORT was an important training area, particularly for armoured and motorised troops, including SS and Hermann Goering reinforcements units. The HQ for Pz training was at ZWOLLE, which was also the location of 20 Mobile Bde controlling seven mob bns. The whole area might contain 15,000 troops, of which perhaps 8,000 would be concentrated in EDE 5785 and ARNHEM: these break down follows (figures are mixima) :- EDE : Inf Bks - 1900 Inf (one rect) Arty Bks - ?2000 men (one rect) (There have been SS mot arty in these bks). Labour Camp ?1000 men (at LANGENBERG 5984). ARNHEM Willem 111 Bks (745778) - 700 tps Mermo varr Coehoorn Bks (757786) - 1400 tps. Larenstein Bks, Velp (780785) - 1400 tps (Two fwd bns of SS tps were here in Mar) Saxon Weimar Bks (758799) - 700 tps ( SS Junior Leader's School) Arnhem garrison - 700 tps (lorry borne) of Inf Reinforcements Bn "Germania" (?SS) The major part of the above information is from Dutch official sources and reflects the situation as it existed prior to June. Since June, however, it is likely that the training programmes have been thrown out of gear, and there has been considerable reshuffling of troops. Train movements in the last week or two have been running mainly West to East and NW to SE, indicating that some, at least, of the troops in North HOLLAND have moved into GERMANY, while others have come down to the ARNHEM NIJMEGEN area, if not further. Of the formations known to have been in the area, 347 Div from the Northern tip has gone to the battle, in part at least, 70 Div is in the GHENT area, and 719 Div is on the ALBERT CANAL; the SS and HQ units which were between them on the coast were reinforced by further SS intake, with a Div HQ, which however immediately went off again to the SE; the bulk of the other units seem to have gone in the same direction some apparently staying in NIJMEGEN or possibly ARNHEM, which the identification of SS Landsturm Regts, LANGEMAR CK and NEDERLAND in the battle gives a possible handle for others. Meanwhile a reported concentration of 10,000 troops SW of ZWOLLE on Sep 1 may present a battle scarred Pz Div or two reforming or alternatively the result of emptying the ARNHEM and EDE barracks to make room for fighting troops; though a likely role for the training units would appear to be digging the WAAL line. To sum up : There is no direct, recent evidence on which to base an estimate of the troops in the immediate divisional area. The capacity of normal barracks in ARNHEM, VELP and EDE is nearly 10,000 and billeting possibilities are considerable more over ARNHEM itself, if the enemy's main defensive line is on the WAAL, will be a vital centre on his L of C, and will inevitably contain a number of troops which are out of the line but at present may be emptier while the available troops are digging trenches or conducting their fighting withdrawal from ALBERT Canal. APO, England 13 Sep 44. Capt, I.O., 1, Parachute Brigade TOPSEC Appx "A" to 1 Para Bde Int Summary No.1 dated 13 Sep 44. Operation MARKET ARNHEM. 1. GARAGES No. on Town Plan Name Address (19) (28) (10) Moll Ford Ford Gort Piet Van Winteren Vanzyl Hermsen (Workshop) De Kroon Arnhem Henri Kleyn Velperweg Velperweg Amsterdansche Weg Prinzessen Straat Sebiusplein Velperplein Willemsplein Jolle Straat (near the Artillery Park) Amsterdansche Weg Tel. 22138 154-6, Utrechtsche Weg Tel. 25245 52, Rynkade All the garages are controlled by the Germans, but the personnel are Dutch. 2. HOSPITALS (3) (9) (31) (13) (16) General Hospital Dickonessen Hospital St. Elisabeth Hospital Military Hospital Childrens Hospital Sanatorium Krankzinnigen Gesticht Wolfheze (Lunatic Asylum) Now used as billets for German offrs and GAS Blitzmadchen 265 beds 200 beds 300 beds ? 80 beds 700 beds 3. DUMPS, WKSPS, ETC. ARNHEM (8280) ? Amn dump North of rd halfway between Arnhem and DIEREN. ROZENDAAL (7930) Amn Dump in ONZALIGE BOSCH, NW of ROZENDAAL nr VELP. Probably flak amn. DIEREN (8683-8684 Amn dump in woods DE STEEGH (8382) Amn dump in Onzalige Bosch area 830823, 827843, 852850, 840846, 848823, 843829. (32) RIJNPAVILJOEN (728778) amn and possible POL. (81) Depot and tanks to East for POL from Germany for GAF DEELEN. (69) Depot for engr stores 55, Huygens Laah. Army QM Stores. Onderlangs Straat. In school, armourers wksp With 20 lathes. (8) Ice factory and refrigerator food stores. Area of rly viaduct at Oosterbeek. Wooden factory store for 1,000 bicycles for army. (81) The GAP petrol point has 5 large tanks at 757764, 6 large and 6 small tanks at 761769, and some drums and pits for drum stores. Major petrol at 262 JOHN DE WITT LAAN. Army HQ and Occupied areas. 140 - 156 Benedendorschweg (in Oosterbeek). Billets for crew of AA defences of rly br. FLUKO ( Group Control Centre GAF). In a building on the corner of Sonsbeeksingel near Rly viaduct ( about 749781). School in eastern part of ARNHEM have been requisitioned and some are occupied (One in Fazantenweg). Wolfheze lunatic asylum (6680) is used as quarters for officers and GAF Blitzmadein. Near rly junc east of town near river is a signals centre for all German military lines in HOLLAND, with a direct line to BERLIN. It is 80 metres square, of reinforced concrete 2 metres thick. A possible candidate for this identification is the 3, bay building at 773760. (34) Gestapo HQ. 55, Utrechtsche Weg. (The old office of the Provincial Electrical Supply Coy) (34) German Police Electricity coy officers, Utrechtsche Weg. N.S.B. Hq. 13, Park Straat. Tel. 25450. Dutch Police HQ. Bovenbeek Straat. Tel 25741 (It has been impossible to identify this street on the town plan; it may possibly be intended for Bovenbrug straat. Map ref 738781 or Bovenbrug 739779) Dutch Country Police HQ. 102 Thomas a Kempis Laan. Dutch Municipal Police (Grune Polizei). Saxen Weimar Barracks. Sign is short legged dog in white. Sicherheitsdienst (HQ Willemsplein nr the Jans Buitehsingel) (Interrogation centre ? 8 Sonsbeeksingel (square7478) Vehrmacht (Verwaltung HQ (Klaraenbeek Boarding School (Bezirkverwaltung X1 at SS Huygenslaan. Oberkommando - Nieuwe Plein. Reichskommissar - (Seyss-Inquart) HQ move to ARNHEM from LEYDEN. (66) Concentration Camp - Huis van Bewaring Prison, 8 Walburg Plein. (29) Concentration Camp - Strafegevengenis. Prison, Wilhelmina Straat. Sicherheitspolizei - Gruet Casimio Laan and Amsterdamsche Weg. HQ 2nd Standarte SS (German) SW de Landasstraat 11. Ortsgruppe NSDAP ( Fritz Bodenbach). Dutch Ministry of Comms (GPO) evacuated to ARNHEM. 6. PERSONALITIES Police President Commander of the Marechaussee Judge at Special Food Court President of High Court Vice President Advocate General Councillor President Arrondissementsrechtbank Judge Deputy Judge President Labour Council Chief of all Dutch and German Police in the Region 2 i/c to Reichkommissar Burgmaster Secretary to above Governor of House of Detention (Serial 66 on Town Plan.) Former burgmaster of GOJDA Possibly new burgmaster Governor of Prison Tel 26676 (Serial 29 on Town Plan.) C. CH van WALRAVEN Lt-Col. J.E. FEENSTRA M.H. HANNEMA M. Dr. J.A.G. Baron de Vos van STEENWIJK M. J.H.M. van der GRINTEN M. H.H.J. REUMER M. S.J. PIT M. J.H. SMITS M. T.A. Wolmittic M. R.A. RUEB M. G.C. CR OMMELIN RAUTER, a German 23, ERNST CASIMIR LAAN ? ERNST CASIMIR LAAN M. H.P.J. BLOEMERS. Tel 22438 (In 1943) M. Dr J.B.A. KIPP. Tel 22441 Office at town hall A.J.K. BAKKER. Tel 24739 E.A.A. LIERA Dr. LIGMAN. (accn for 600) None of the above characters is known to be reliably co-operative, and some are definitely enemy collaborators. As Julian Thompson said in his book 'Ready for Anything' - this sort of information about possible German forces should have caused 1 Airborne Division to consider the possibility that resistance might be heavy - or "set a few nostrils twitching" as he put it! :biggrin: Interesting find though, makes me wonder what are in the other 52 Division files. Cheers Tom
No idea - I don't do airborne let alone Arnhem Tom. John aka Simon (he really is John, he buys me brews at Kew) has seen the file and he got a bit excited by what he saw - It meant nothing to me. One Intel Report dated before Op Market Garden estimated 44 AFV's in a specific unit if that's any good?
So what's the crack John - Damp squib or am I going to talked, whispered and cursed about for generations in airborne closets for finding to most important piece of Arnhem related info since the Bridge too Far was released?
Drew - As I said they were part of 52nd Lowland and contains the plans for their deployment should the original operation have gone to plan. At a quick scan through I'm sorry to say that there's nothing mind blowing or new about Arnhem but some interesting bits of information about enemy formations which shows just how quickly and how far these units were retreating. Still sorting out the rest of yesterday's files and will then spend more time with it. Still a good find and points to other units that might have some good information. John
