Northumbrian Gunner

Tuesday, 19 March 2013

Arnhem – Remembering the Battle

Oosterbeek church contains a memorial to the men of the 1^st Air landing Light Regiment Royal Artillery. It seemed appropriate that a wreath be placed at a memorial tree in the church yard to remember the Airborne Gunners at Arnhem.

In memory of the Airborne Gunners

1^st Air landing Light Regiment RA

1^st Forward Observation Unit (Airborne) RA

1^st Air landing Anti-Tank Battery RA

2^nd Air landing Anti-Tank Battery RA

43 casualties

7 casualties

23 casualties

31 casualties

Oosterbeek Church and memorial tree

Memorial tree Oosterbeek Church

NVAA wreath
In memory of the Airborne Gunners in Arnhem

Arnhem – Withdrawal

General Urquhart ordered that that the remnants of 1^st Airborne would withdraw across the Lower Rhine at 22:00 25^th September 1944. Two routes across the river were provided by engineers from XXX Corps who had managed to link up with the Polish Paras near Driel. On that night 2,398 men were rescued.

Oosterbeek Withdrawal Routes

Oosterbeek Withdrawal Area

Arnhem – Gunners Oosterbeek Church

The 3^rd Air landing battery had been moved to the area of the church on 18^th September, at that stage this was outside the Divisional area so 40 Glider Pilots provided the local defence. The guns were in line of sight to the bridge.

Oosterbeek Church area of 3 A/L Battery

Battery position – view to the bridge

On the 19^th September 1944, as the defensive perimeter was being formed, the CRA ordered the guns of the 1^st and 2^nd Air landing batteries ^t to concentrate on the church and form a regimental position in the area.

Gunner locations Oosterbeek Church

Oosterbeek Chuch

1^st Air landing Regimental HQ

The Gunners provided constant fire support to the division. As well as shoots conducted by the parties from the 1^st Forward Observation Unit, reports of concentrations were received from the Dutch Resistance. The gun positions themselves were subject to shelling, and occasional strafing by German fighters.

The war diary for 20^th September records “ 18:00 - Capt Walker fired several Mike Tgts "unobserved" as "Morale" shoots as the infantry liked to hear our shells”.

As XXX Corps progressed north their Artillery came into range. On the 21^st September the war diary details the first contact by the Airborne Gunners with 64^th Medium Regiment RA “0900 - Touch made on arrival with 64 Medium Regt by A/L Bde. FOO put HQRA 19 set on this wave and maintained first class communications on it for rest of battle” The link from the Gunners was the only radio link in place between the 1^st Airborne Division and XXX Corps. At 10:35, 211 Battery 64^th Medium Regiment reported ready with 8 x 4.5 inch guns. By 13:00, 212 Battery was ready with 8 x 5.5 inch guns. The fires from XXX Corps continued over the next few days.

In Oosterbeek, the gun positions were subject to repeated attacks and shelling. The scars from the battle can still be seen on the walls of the church at Ooosterbeek.

Oosterbeek Church – Battle Damage

Ammunition for the 75mm started to get short so shooting was restricted, though some air supply arrived on 24^th September. However by the evening of the 25^th orders had been given for the Division to withdraw from Oosterbeek, with the guns from XXX Corps to conduct a fire plan to cover the withdrawal.

The final act for the Gunners was to bury their breach blocks, destroy their sights and radios.

Arnhem – Oosterbeek Perimeter

The defensive perimeter was formed with the Borders to the west, units of 4^th Parachute Brigade and KOSB north east, remnants of 1^st Parachute Bridge south east, with gaps being filled in by other units and glider pilots. At this stage many units were down to 100 fit men. Over the next 5 days the perimeter was subject to sustained German attacks as they tried to dislodge the airborne troops.

Oosterbeek Perimeter September 1944

Some of the heaviest fighting occurred around the area of the cross roads at Oosterbeek. On the cross roads medical dressing stations were established in the Schoonoord Hotel, the Tafelberg Hotel (formerly a German HQ for General Model) to the south and the Vreewjick Hotel. The Quatre Bras was used as a headquarters.

Oosterbeek Crossroads Area

Oosterbeek Quatre Bras

Oosterbeek Tafelberg

Oosterbeek Schoonoord Hotel

Oosterbeek Schoonoord Hotel lunch

Oosterbeek Airborne Memorial

Arnhem - 1st AB Div HQ Hartenstein

Oosterbeek Hartenstein Hotel former HQ 1 AB Division

General Urquarht 1 AB Div HQ Hartenstein

1 AB Div HQ Hartenstein

Arnhem –Oosterbeek

On the 18^th September 1944 the weather in the UK had delayed the second lift and it was not until mid-afternoon that the 4^th Parachute Brigade dropped, with the remainder of the glider troops arriving. More vital hours had been lost. The 4^th Parachute Brigade linked up with 1^st Air landing Brigade and began their advance towards Arnhem. General Urquhart established his HQ at the Hartenstein Hotel.

Hartenstein Hotel 1944

Hartenstein Hotel 2013

The Germans by now had assessed the overall plan, and had designated that their main effort would now lie in the establishment of a defensive line on the River Waal to the south of Arnhem. Their plan was to reinforce this defensive position and to do so they required the bridge at Arnhem to remain open. To ensure this, they began to move heavy armour and flak troops into the Arnhem area to suppress the British operation.

The consequence of this move was to block the 1^st Air landing Brigade and 4^th Parachute Brigade from reaching the bridge, whilst effectively destroying the main body of 1^st Parachute Brigade. Heavy fighting to the north of the railway at Oosterbeek caused the advance to halt.

Airborne Troops dug in Oosterbeek

Oosterbeek battle brief

With the situation at the bridge being perilous, 1^st Parachute Brigade ceasing to be an effective formation, the order was given to disengage, and begin withdrawing to Oosterbeek to form a defensive perimeter; the advance to the bridge was abandoned.

Arnhem –Urquhart House

Moving with 3 Para to the bridge was the GOC of the 1^st Airborne Division Major General Urquhart. As 3 Para became embroiled in the street fighting, General Urquhart became separated and was forced to hide in an attic for 2 days to evade capture.

He hid in no 14 Zwarteweg Arnhem adjacent to the Elizabeth hospital.

14 Zwarteweg - Urquhart House

Arnhem – Elizabeth Hospital

The area around the Elizabeth Hospital was the scene of ferocious street fighting as the men of 3 Para tried to force their way to the bridge. Their route was blocked by German troops, and in the street to street fighting over 3 days they suffered heavy casualties, the remnants being ordered to withdraw to Oosterbeek once the bridge was in German hands.