War Diary: 1 Wing Glider Pilot Regiment - A Squadron

Month and year: September 1944

The 1 Wing Glider Pilot Regiment A Squadron September 1944 war diary covers the units time during Market Garden in the areas around Arnhem and Nijemen.

National Archive Reference: WO 171/1234

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Page 1 of 8

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
Base	1		Loading commenced for Operation "LINNET".
"	2		Crews briefed for Operation "LINNET". Flight plan altered.
		2130	Operation cancelled.
"	3		1 WACO Glider left by 295 Squadron. Squadron Commander and I.O. briefed
			for Operation. Operation cancelled.
"	4		Normal routine.
	5		Normal routine.
"	6	1530	18 crews briefed by Commander Glider Pilots for "Coupe de Main" Operation.
		1730	Squadron Commander & I.O. briefed for Operation.
"	7	1130	10 WACO Crows under Lieut. P.B. Clarke and 22 Horsa crews of "A" Squadron
			under Lieut. E.J. Markwick despatched to MANSTON.
		1600	72 Crews under Captain R.K. Cross and 20 crows under Captain J.N.G. Hordie
			briefed for landing on LZ "Z"
		2300	Operation postponed for 24 hours.
	8	2000	Operation postponed for 24 hours.
	9		Operation postponed for 24 hours.

Page 2 of 8

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
Base	10	Normal Routine. 8 lifts - 4 hrs 20 mins.
"	11	Normal Routine. 22 lifts - 14 hrs 15 mins. 3 gliders landed at Abingdon
		due to poor visibility.
"	12	Normal Routine. 17 day and 14 night lifts. Total time 24 hrs 55 mins.
		3 gliders retrieved from Abingdon. Sgt. Yeoman made a heavy landing
		during night flying and broke nose wheal.
"	13	Normal Routine. 12 lifts. - 7 hrs 5 mins. 8 crews attached for Coup de
		Main in operation Comet returned to their bases.
"	14	Normal Routine. 15 lifts - 7 hrs 45 mins. Gliders ferried to Keevil,
		1 force landed at Upavon. 3 crews returned from Tarrant Rushton.
"	15	9 gliders ferried to Keevil. Crews remained for Operation at Keevil.
		12 crews to Tarrant Rushton and 12 returned. 17 Flight complete at Tarrant
		Rushton.
"	16	Preparation for Operation. Briefing etc.
"	17	47 gliders took off for Holland on Operation MARKET.

Page 3 of 8

Place	Date	Summary of Events and Information
Base	Sept. 18	15 gliders took off on Operation MARKET. 1 crashed on take off.
"	19	Normal Routine.
"	20	" "
"	21	" "
"	22	" "
"	23	" "
"	24	" "
"	25	" "
"	26	" "
"	27	" "
"	28	" "
"	29	40 pilots returned from Operation MARKET.
"	30 .	Pilots returned from Operation MARKET proceeded on leave.

Page 4 of 8

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
Base	17	1120	First of 35 Gliders carrying A/B Corps HQ airborne on Operation "Market".
BRUUK, Holland	17	1400	33 Gliders landed on L.Z. S/Sjt Davidson & Sjt Davies injured in crashed-landing.
M.R.Sheet N.W. 1"			Captain W.L. Tallentire & Sjt Liversidge landed in sea. S/Sjt
25,000 - 765528			Campball & Sjt Monk missing.
Corps HQ	17	1430	Crews moved to Corps HQ. RV at Wood 746533 to defend Corps HQ.
	17	1930	Corps HQ moved to 738536. Quiet night.
"	18		Quiet day. Slight shelling. Squadron Commander & SSM visited GRAVE with
			GOC.
		1400	Landing of 400 WACO Gliders carrying elements of 82 US A/B Div.
"	19	1100	Corps HQ moved to KLUIS WOOD 573574. Leading elements of GUARDS ARMOURED
			DIVISION met.
		1400	Strafing by German fighters. attack on NIJMEGEN Bridge by Guards failed.
"	20		Quiet morning.
"	20		Corps HQ moved to 727600. Patrol sent out under Lieut. H.K. Chapman to
			hunt German sniper. Unsuccessful.

Page 5 of 8

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
Corps HQ	20	1600	Guards Div. and 82 US A/B Div captured NIJMEGEN bridge intact.
" "	21		Quiet day. Lieut. J.W. Urquhart and party collected mail dropped by
			Spitfires on strip at 573574.
" "	22		Quiet day. Lieut. Urguhart and party again collected mail.
" "	23		Rained hard during previous night. Squadron moved into house next door to
			Corps HQ.
" "	24		Quiet day. Squadron moved out of house back into woods around Corps HQ.
" "	25		Quiet day. During night 25/26 1st British A/B Div. evacuated from ARNHEM
			to NIJMEGEN. Party of Glider Pilots to GRAVE airstrip to prepare for
			landing of Dakotas.
" "	26		Party of Glider Pilots sent to strip at GRAVE. 190 Dakotas successfully
			landed and took off again.
" "	27		1st A/B Div. departed for UK. No more Dakotas to land at GRAVE strip
			owing to increased activity by G.A.P.
" "	28		quite day. GOC promised relief party to take over defence of Corps HQ.

Page 6 of 8

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
Corps HQ	29		Field Marshall Montgomery, GOC in C 21 Army Group visited Corps HQ Guard of Honour provided by Squadron.
" "	30		Quite day. Squadron stood to all night expecting large scale German attack.
			Attack beaten off by 82 US Div.
		1930	Several incendiary bombs dropped in area. House 300 yards from Corps HQ
			burned out.

Page 7 of 8

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
BASE	17	1110	12 Gliders took off on operation Market for ARNHEM.
HOLLAND M/R 1:25000 SHEET 388 648804	17	1340	Gliders landed on L.Z. all Glider Pilots proceeded to R.V
			at 649791 and took up defensive position with Light Regt RA Entought???
649791	18		Gun site attacked by GAF Machine guns & sniper activity
"		1700	2nd Lift landed
		2000	Bty moved to new gun position 685785
685785	19		Slight German air & ground activity, 100 tanks & 200 SS reported
			moving towards area.
"	20		Engaged enemy S.P. guns and following infantry intermittently
			throughout the day. Medium shelling by 88 & 105 guns & mortaring
"	20	1200	Capt Hardie killed, S/Sgt Barnett, S/Sgt Clayton, S/Sgt Kindman
			wounded whilst on patrol. S/Sgt Clayton who wounded. Shelled during night
"	21		Intermittent shelling & mortaring thoughout the day. Engaged
			enemy tanks & infantry. 1 S.P. gun knocked out.
			Bde H.Q. moved to Gun position.

Page 8 of 8

Place	Date	Hour	Summary of Events and Information
685785	22		Enemy infantry reported moving from ARNHEM. Intermittant shelling & mortaring
"	23		Heavy shelling of area. Many German snipers infiltrated into the area
"	24		Day Heavy mortaring all day. Attacks by S.P. guns and infantry.
"	25	0500	Enemy tanks, motor cycles and infantry moving up for attack. Gun
			position attacked by 2 MK V tanks S.P. Guns and infantry, 1 MK V
			tank knocked out. Attacked throughout day.
	"	1800	Bde conference
	"	2100	Withdrew from position and proceeded to river bank at 688767
			ferried across river by DUWKS & marched to transport.
	26	0600	Arrived at NIJMEGEN
NIJMEGEN	27		Day spent resting
"	28	0930	Departed for BRUSSELS. Night spent in hamasks???
BRUSSELS	29		Departed by DAKOTAS and landed at HARWELL
BASE	30		Crews departed - ??? days??? leave???.

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War Diary: 1 Wing Glider Pilot Regiment - A Squadron

Month and year: September 1944

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