Operation Pegasus - which Engineer unit?

Operation Pegasus was the successful evacuation of 137 Airborne soldiers, British and American aircrew and a number of Dutchmen which took place on the night of 22/23rd October 1944.

It is well documented that 24 canvas assault boats with 4 engineers per boat were provided for this operation. However some books say that these were British Engineers from 43rd Wessex Division while others say that they were Canadian Engineers.

I've looked at the War diaries for all of the Engineer units attached the 43rd Wessex (13th Bridging Platoon, 204th Field Company, 207th Field Park Company, 260th Field Company and 553rd Field Company) and none of these make any mention of participation in this operation.

Similarly none of the Canadian Engineer unit diaries that I've looked at make any mention. These units all appear to have been based around Herenthals, near Turnhout at the time.

Anybody got any ideas - after all I would have expected that supplying 24 boats and about 100 sappers from an Engineer unit with a complement of about 250 men for such an operation should get a mention in the diary.

John

 

John,
A book on Operation Pegasus was published in May 2010 by Books LLC.
ISBN-10: 1155831551
ISBN-13: 978-1155831558.

The wiki states it was the engineers from XXX Corps supported by 506 PIR of the 101st AB Div which assisted with the evacuation. I know you are looking for specifics so hope the book reference helps.

From the colony...

Randy

 

John,
A book on Operation Pegasus was published in May 2010 by Books LLC.
ISBN-10: 1155831551
ISBN-13: 978-1155831558.

The wiki states it was the engineers from XXX Corps supported by 506 PIR of the 101st AB Div which supported the evacuation. I know you are looking for specifics so hope the book reference helps.

From the colony...

Randy

Hi Randy,

As I understand it "Book LLC" take all their info from various internet sources (mainly Wikipedia) and then puts it together and publishes it as a book. As far as I know they don't carry out any independent research or investigations into the subjects they publish about.

All the best...........

 

Randy/Paul

Thanks for the lead - I'll see if I can track down the book.

You're quite correct that Easy Company from 506th PIR went across in the assault boats to establish a bridgehead on the North bank during the operation. For his actions 1st Lt "Moose" Heyliger was awarded the MC.

John

 

Randy/Paul

Thanks for the lead - I'll see if I can track down the book.

You're quite correct that Easy Company from 506th PIR went across in the assault boats to establish a bridgehead on the North bank during the operation. For his actions 1st Lt "Moose" Heyliger was awarded the MC.

John

Maybe there is information in the book " get 'm out / pegasus I and II".
I can't find it on the moment but I think Paul P. have it also and can take a look.

 

Ramon

Many thanks I have this book but Cees Haverhoek says (Line 5, page 167) that the Engineer unit is the 210 Royal Canadian Engineers, which I cannot find any further reference to.

John

 

Paul,

I had no clue Books LLC was that kind of publisher. Thanks for the update.

Randy

 

Randy/Paul

Thanks for the lead - I'll see if I can track down the book.

You're quite correct that Easy Company from 506th PIR went across in the assault boats to establish a bridgehead on the North bank during the operation. For his actions 1st Lt "Moose" Heyliger was awarded the MC.

John

Hello mate,

The "book" can be either purchased as a print-on-demand paperback or downloaded as a PDF from the Book LLC site here,

Book Club

If you do get a copy I'd love to hear what you think of it!

All the best..........

 

Here's a direct link to the "book" on Amazon although they're saying it's produced by Hephaestus Books?

Operation Pegasus, Including: John Hackett (British Army Officer), Brigade Major, Carwood Lipton, Denver Randleman, Gerald Lathbury, Alexander Lipma: Amazon.co.uk: Hephaestus Books: Books

All the best.........

 

Paul

Thanks I downloaded it from the link you provided - a total waste of $9.95 - as you say all the information they have is from the internet.

Thanks

John

 

Paul

Thanks I downloaded it from the link you provided - a total waste of $9.95 - as you say all the information they have is from the internet.

Thanks

John

Oops! Does that mean Sunday is off??

 

John,
In looking at the organizational chart of the 2nd Canadian Corps, there is no mention of 210 Royal Canadian Engineers...
Sorry to hear about the useless expenditure of $9.95.

Cheers,
Randy

 

It was 210 Fd Coy RE. I think they were Corps Tps, should be able to check tonight

Pegasus gets a mention here.

 

John,

Please see the following link:A Bridge Too Far: The Canadian Role in the Evacuation of the British 1 st Airborne Division from Arnhem-Oosterbeek, September 1944
There is a reference to Op Pegasus near the bottom.

The other Canadian connection can be viewed at Home
The author, John Sliz, via the information exchange tab, may be able to provide more information.

Cheers,
Randy

 

The other Canadian connection can be viewed at Home
The author, John Sliz, via the information exchange tab may be able to provide more information.

Cheers,
Randy
Hey Randy, John Sliz is a forum member and given his books on the subject, is most likely the best person to solve the query.

 

Jas,
I had no clue he was a member.
What is his forum name?

cheers,
Randy

 

Jas,
I had no clue he was a member.
What is his forum name?

cheers,
Randy
Here you go mate. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/members/johns.html

 

Jas,

Roger that. Hope he sees John's thread.

Cheers from the colony

 

Idler, Randy and Wtid 45

Many thanks for your messages. I have the war diary and other reports for the 23rd Canadian Engineers and although they were involved in Operation Berlin and Pegasus 2 they were certainly not involved in Pegasus 1.
I'll have a look at where the British 210th Royal Engineers were at the time - although they were not part of the 43rd Wessex Division.

John

 

Hmm...

There's no mention of 210 Fd Coy after North Africa in Joslen's Orders of Battle.

210 Fd Coy is listed as NWE in the index of the RE history but for the life of me I can't see it in the text.

No wonder this is still a mystery!

(n.b. to avoid all the LLC/Hephaestus chaff on ABE, there is now an option to exclude POD titles. Don't think Amazon have got this, yet))