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Operation Market Garden: 2nd Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment Defend Arnhem BridgeWorld War II | 20 comments | Print This Post | Email This Post By that evening, the troops of the 1st Parachute Brigade were locked in a desperate battle to break through a belt of German strongpoints ringing the western perimeter of the city and secure the road bridge over the Rhine. The tactical situation was far from clear to Maj. Gen. Roy Urquhart, the divisional commander, because of patchy and unreliable wireless communications with his advancing units. Concerned he was losing control of the battle, the general had gone forward on the evening of the 17th to make contact with his leading battalions. He found the 3rd Parachute Battalion, spent and exhausted, stalled in Oosterbeek. After a few hours’ rest, the battalion was on the road early the next morning. The advance started off well, but soon slowed to a painful crawl as the opposition stiffened along the lower road. Progress soon ceased, however, when the set-piece advance degenerated into a general melee in the vicinity of St. Elisabeth’s Hospital. Swept up in the confusion, both Urquhart and Lathbury were cut off and surrounded in a block of houses between the hospital and the prison. With Urquhart and Lathbury out of the picture, command of the division passed to Brigadier Hicks around 0800 on the 18th. Seeing the parachute brigade bogged down, Hicks sent the South Staffords and the 11th Parachute Battalion into the city to support the attack. The South Staffs set off at about 1030. Subscribe Today
The second lift, which contained the remaining elements of the South Staffs and the 11th Parachute Battalion, did not arrive until 1530 on the 18th. The initial assembly was delayed by German fire on the LZ. An advance guard, consisting of Major Lane’s A Company and a section of mortars, set off within a few hours after landing. Company C and the majority of the battalion transport, under the command of Major P.R.T. Wright, followed some two hours later. After his glider aborted in the first lift, Major Cain and Company B Headquarters Section joined this group. With B Company in the van, the South Staffs had begun filtering into the area around the road junction and St. Elisabeth’s Hospital by 1900 to relieve the battered remnants of Lt. Col. David T. Dobie’s 1st Parachute Battalion. The men spent what was left of the evening preparing for the attack. Battalion HQ was set up in a house on the corner of Utrechtseweg and Oranjestraat. D Company of the South Staffs, the lead element, took up position north of the road in and around the houses and gardens west of the high boundary wall of the hospital. B Company South Staffs was in position across the road slightly to the south. A Company South Staffs and the 11th Battalion were strung out along Hulkesteinseweg and Klingelbeekseweg. Company C and the battalion transport were still on their way from Oosterbeek. After an evening of orders and counter orders, Division HQ finally gave the word to press on into the city. At about 0200 Major Ian Toler, a glider pilot commanding B Squadron, No. 1 Wing Glider Pilot Regiment, was roused by a parachute officer and directed to the battalion headquarters. There he found McCardie with some of his own officers and Dobie, commander of the 1st Parachute Battalion, sitting around a single candle in the darkened front parlor, making final preparations for the attack. Dead tired after the 14-hour march from the LZ, Toler recalled: ‘It was a dramatic scene, windows full of bullet holes, one chap bent over a wireless and a single candle burning. The atmosphere was very tense, they’d had terrible communication problems but had just managed to get through to 2nd Battalion holding the bridge.’ The colonels decided on a simple plan that was conceived that evening. The attack would begin at 0400. The South Staffs would lead the advance up Utrechtseweg with the 11th Battalion in support. The 1st Parachute Battalion would advance along the right flank, along the river. The 3rd Parachute Battalion was nearby but not in contact. Because of the geography, the South Staffs’ assault would have to diverge from the line of attack of the parachute battalions soon after departure. The confined nature of the terrain provided precious little room to maneuver, or to allow the battalions to provide mutual support during the assault. To make matters worse, time did not permit a full reconnaissance, and it was unclear where the main line of the German defenses began. The British would have about two hours of darkness and had to be clear of the open ground before dawn, or risk being cut to pieces on the open road. Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to
            Tags: 20th - 21st Century, Airborne Operations, Historical Conflicts, World War II
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20 Comments to “Operation Market Garden: 2nd Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment Defend Arnhem Bridge”
My husband was one of the 133 enlisted men that returned with Maj Cain’s B Co. He was one the paras that were on the Arnhem Bridge. He is 84 yrs old. Outside of a hearing loss and a hip replacement he is doing very well.
We attended Anzac Day this year at the local military facility and marched to the memorial square.
By Jackie Bassett on Jul 21, 2008 at 5:47 am
I am researching the death of Leonard V MIles – killed in active service in 1944 whilst serving in the S. Staffs Reg – can you provide any information?
By Alan Cogdell on Aug 27, 2008 at 3:45 am
I am trying to piece together my Grandfather’s career in the South Staffs.I certainly know he was in the 2nd Bn. and had been a member of the regiment since 1922 so would be considered something of a veteran by the outbreak of W.W.II .His name was Harry Ford and I am given to understand that he was an R.S.M. by the end of his career sometime in the 1950s’.Anyone who can provide even the smallest of insight would be gratefully received and muchly appreciated.
By David Ford on Oct 20, 2008 at 6:08 pm
My Uncle, Russell Ambrose Thorpe joined 2nd Btn Sth Staffs
during the late 1930s and saw action at Sicily and Arnhem,
where he was captured and sent to PoW camp.After the war he
emigrated to Australia and remained there until his death 2 yrs
ago. If any members of the regt can remember him I would love
to get in touch.Thankyou.
By Peter Elkington on Nov 4, 2008 at 11:46 am
HI MY NAME IS JAYNE BREESE IAM RESEARCHING MY DADS
GREAT UNCLE ALFRED FROM STOURBRIDGE. HIS REG NO WAS
9026 HE WAS IN 1ST BN SOUTH STAFFORSHIRE IF ANYONE
HAS ANY DETAIALS OF HI IN THE SOUTH STAFFS I WOULD BE
GRATEFULL. ALL I KNOW IS WHER HE IS COMMEMEATED.
KIND REGARDS JAYNE
By jayne on Nov 6, 2008 at 12:07 pm
My grandfather, Thomas Clarke served in the South Staffs
Regiment. He retired as a RSM and died in 1954, aged 74 in
Walsall, Staffs. He was in India in 1907. He also served in the
Boer war, and spent some time in Palestine. I am trying to trace
his branch of my family history. I don’t know his reg: no: nor
which batallion he served in.
By Maggie on nov 7, 2008 at 20:28
By Maggie Ferguson on Nov 7, 2008 at 4:28 pm
My Uncle, Russell Ambrose Thorpe joined 2nd Btn Sth Staffs
during the late 1930s and saw action at Sicily and Arnhem,
where he was captured and sent to PoW camp.After the war he
emigrated to Australia and remained there until his death 2 yrs
ago. If any members of the regt can remember him I would love
to get in touch.Thankyou.
By Peter Elkington on Nov 4, 2008 at 11:46 am
If this person contacts me I can help
By Russell Thorpe on Dec 13, 2008 at 3:09 pm
ref above I would like to make contact
By Steve Bluff Uk on Dec 13, 2008 at 3:14 pm
I am researching my fatherin laws military career, he was Willam (Bill) Johnson, he served with 2nd Battalion South Staffs ( Ist Airborne in North Africa, Sicily, italy, Arnhem and Norway. If anyone has any information I would be extremely grateful.
By Terence Janes on Jan 3, 2009 at 12:54 pm
I am researching my fatherin laws military career, he was Willam (Bill) Johnson, he served with 2nd Battalion South Staffs ( Ist Airborne in North Africa, Sicily, italy, Arnhem and Norway. If anyone has any information I would be extremely grateful.
By Terence Janes on Jan 3, 2009 at 12:55 pm
My father, Sidney Grice, served in the 1st Airlanding Bigade , South Staffs Regiment in Sicily,Italy and Arnhem. I would delighted to here from anyone who new him.
By Vincent Grice on Jan 14, 2009 at 2:05 pm
My Uncle, Russell Ambrose Thorpe joined 2nd Btn Sth Staffs
during the late 1930s and saw action at Sicily and Arnhem,
where he was captured and sent to PoW camp.After the war he
emigrated to Australia and remained there until his death 2 yrs
ago. If any members of the regt can remember him I would love
to get in touch.Thankyou.
From the book By Land Sea and Air….
Thorpe RA Private in HQ Company Signal Platoon Army Number 4914617 taken prisoner…he may be mentioned in the text but haven’t been through it….
By arnhem medic on Jan 20, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Spencer Towns pass away two years ago in Cardiff also served at
North Aficrica, Silcily Arnhem .taken POW stayed with his men..
By towns on Jan 26, 2009 at 10:35 am
My father Capt. Charles Wallace Morgan of the 7th South Staffs fought in the Battle for Caen and I have his account of this and other battles which I have transcribed from the original (written in pencil in a small maths exercise book in the field over a period of 8 weeks). Capt. Morgan emigrated to Rhodesia in 1947 and died in a car accident in 1969. His writings start from leaving Margate in June 1944 to disbandment of the regiment in August 1944. I have some of his military regalia and wonder if anyone would be interested in seeing Capt. Morgan’s memoirs. I live in Johannesburg, South Africa and would appreciate hearing from someone who has a father/uncle/grandfather who served in this regiment.
By Lindsay Insel on Apr 18, 2009 at 6:10 am
TRYING TO FIND MORE ABOUT MY DAD REGINALD CHARLES GLOVER 1ST PARA AND OPERARATION MARKET GARDEN AND HIS PART IN IT AND MAYBE SOMEONE WHO KNEW HIM
By REG GLOVER on Apr 27, 2009 at 10:06 pm
I hope somebody can help.My mothers uncle,who named her when she was born,died 6th August 1944.He was in the Battle of Caen we think.He was Warrant Officer Class II (C.S.M.) William Charles Stanton of the South Staffordshire Regiment Unit 2/6th Bn. Service number 2651297.
We just wondered if anybody knew him,and if they did,what was he like etc,or of how he may of lost his life.We are planning a trip soon to his war grave in FONTENAY-LE-PESNEL WAR CEMETERY, TESSEL.
We would be very interested to know if anyone has any information,thanks.
By Natalie Clarke on May 30, 2009 at 5:29 pm
My Father Arthur Broadbent served in The South Staffs.2nd Battalion was badly wounded in Arnehm after being in hospital in Arnehm he was returned to a hospital in England.Does anyone remember him?
By patricia Jones (Broadbent) on Sep 26, 2009 at 10:14 am
Please can anyone help? My father Ivor Williams of A company
7th platoon 2nd South/Staffs no.51214938 . North Africa, Sicily,
Italy, Arnhem(escaped) Norway. My father always talked about
his friend and no.2 on his bren gun Jack Ross no.4928331 dad had to leave Jack at Mrs Ter Horst house as he was injured, he was then p.o.w. at Stalag 11b, dad never saw him again, although
he knew Jack survived the war. Dad has now passed away, but, if
anyone has any info i would be grateful.
By mr James Williams on Oct 11, 2009 at 11:45 am
My Father Ted Paget served with the South Staffs Airbourne Regiment (gliders) at Arnhem. He lived in Lichfield, West Midlands.
If anyone knew him I would appreciate if they would contact me.
His Son
Roy,
I
By Roy Paget on Nov 7, 2009 at 8:20 am