Arnhem - Northumbrian Gunners St Odernode

Operation Market Plan

 Operation Garden commenced at 14:15 17^th September 1944 with an opening barrage from the Corps Artillery, together with 7 squadrons of rocket firing typhoons. Over 300 guns opened fire on a rolling barrage 1 mile (1.6 km) wide and 5 miles (8 km) in depth. The opening line of the barrage was allocated to 74^th and 124^th (Northumbrian) Field Regiments.

 

The Northumbrian Gunners continued to support XXX Corps on the move north. After the initial fire plan, they engaged targets into the night of the 17^th, conducted fires over the next few days plan to support the bridgeheads being established, as well as firing counter battery missions.

The war diary of 124^th (Northumbrian) Field Regiment chronicles the opening days of Operation Market.

 

 

124 Regiment was ordered to move north with 69^th Brigade on the 21^st September 1944. At this point in time the Bridge at Arnhem had already been lost.

On the 22^nd 69 Brigade was in trouble when two enemy battalions of infantry and a regiment of tanks cut the main Corps centre-line near Uden, eight miles south of the bridge at Grave. The brigade was cut in half with the East Yorkshires in the north and the Green Howards in the south. 124th Regiment  found itself in a similar predicament. The main body cut off from the CO, 2IC, C.P.Os and Survey party.

Captain Dowdeswell the battery captain of 288th Battery put the regiment into action in support of the 101st Airborne Division. 86th Field Regiment was also in the area and the groups of mixed artillery were collected together, with the commanding officer of the 86th Field Regiment acting as Commander Royal Artillery to the American divisional commander.

124 (Northumbrian) Regiment RA (TA)
St Odernode

St Odernode

124 Regiment 441 Battery welcome an Amrican visitoe from 101st AB