Varsity: C47 crash with British paras

I think the lone paratrooper photo next to a glider is a Horsa.

 

Regarding the other pic with the Horsa and the lone trooper I would suggest that the tree line we see is the main road i.e. the western boundary of DZ "A" - the road was tree-lined.

 

Alex,

Great catch on Pte. Brownjohn. Some of his photos can be seen on the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion Virtual Museum. Overall, though darker, the photos are slightly better.



Regards ...

 

Hope you don't mind me editing your photo's?

 

Looks like a wing to the right in photo of both men. I lightened up Pte. Brownjohn's photo of DZ 'A' using a touch of gamma correct. The Axehead is seen to right before the arrival of gliders.



Regards ...

 

Hi Cee - I started a new thread on this:

 

Hi Cee - I just started a new thread on this:
Operation Varsity - lost aircraft

 

alberk,

In hospital again, hard to respond from phone.

Regards ...

 

HiCee hoping for a good recovery for you very best regards Brian

 

Yo,

Are the men seen first and third from right in photo below Glider Pilots? Possibly a still from a clip and the only acknowledgement of Sgt, Bill Lawrie's Varsity camera work found so far. The IWM listing for his Varsity footage, A70 278-6, though never available for viewing, appears to have been scrubbed. Lawrie may have been the cameraman to have caught the flaming Dakota passing at low altitude over DZ 'A' as viewed by Paratroopers sorting themselves out on the ground?



Regards ...

 

Yes, they are glider pilots.

I ordered a print of the photo in the 90s because in the background it shows the pub where many days of my misspent youth were enhanced by freshly drawn Pilsener beer...

 

Thanks Al,

Looks like Glider Pilots, yes.

Regards ...

 

I am trying to find out exactly where Medic Cpl Frederick Topham VC earned his Victoria Cross while serving with the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. From his VC citation his actions involved:

a) At about 1100 hours, whilst treating casualties sustained in the drop, a cry for help came from a wounded man in the open. Two medical orderlies from a field ambulance went out to this man in succession but both were killed as they knelt beside the casualty....Having completed immediate first aid, he carried the wounded man steadily and slowly back through continuous fire to the shelter of a wood.
b) On his way back to his company he came across a carrier, which had received a direct hit. Enemy mortar bombs were still dropping around, the carrier itself was burning fiercely and its own mortar ammunition was exploding. ....Corporal Topham, however, immediately went out alone in spite of the blasting ammunition and enemy fire, and rescued the three occupants of the carrier. He brought these men back across the open and although one died almost immediately afterwards, he arranged for the evacuation of the other two, who undoubtedly owe their lives to him.

So based on this, and looking at lots of the information collected....Can anyone speculate where these two separate actions took place? Thank you for any thoughts, as I am planning to visit the site this spring 2025.

 

Bill,

In the National Archives you can download the recommendation. After free registration you can download it for free. He landed in 1548 thats just south of Mehrhoog.
This document includes some statements from other soldiers.

During his actions Topham was also wounded, but refused to take a rest.



In the wardiary is a report of that day from the Mortar platoon, their Bren Carrier recieved a direct hit



Traces in the Wardiary shows their DZ and first objective. And the time.

 

Thank you so much for this! Remarkable!...I have been trying to get these attestations from the Canadian Archives and never thought to check the UK ones....
I will upload as I find out more.....

 

That document says 1548 and not 5148 and you say it is just south of Mehrhoog.....not in the Diersfordter Wald? It is further North along the Bahnhofstrasse and not Bislicher Wald?

 

Oeps a typo, i changed it.

 

Hello,

In this PDF on page 11+ I show the location of the Canadian Hamilcar on DZ 'A' . It had brought in their bren carrier. Hopefully correct and of some use.

Regards ...

 

The Axe-head ?

Here's another pic from "The Tip of the Spear". I figure this could be somewhere near the top edge of the Axe-head Woods - not entirely sure. A lot of men were killed in that area.



Regards ...

 

MR 1548

Here's where the Coordinate Translator places that map reference. It could be a bit off.



Regards ...