The Battle of Arnhem

Although a failure, The Battle of Arnhem of September 1944 has gone down in history as one of the bravest stands of the Second World War. Piers Storie-Pugh recounts this tragic though inspiring episode through the eyes of his uncle John Frost. Surrounded by first-rate German SS troops, with ammunition supplies exhausted and over 150 men wounded, John Frost’s 2nd Parachute Battalion had no option but to surrender. Piers covers in gripping detail the other battle as the survivors of the 1st Airborne Brigade attempt to escape across the River Neder Rhine.

His story includes:

• The private soldier twins who died in action together.

• The Dakota co-pilot aged just 19 years old who was killed desperately trying to resupply the troops.

• The Dutch Jewish doctor who bravely tended the British wounded whilst in SS captivity.

• The German commander who was killed the day after he had been presented with his Knight’s Cross.

• The Royal Engineer flamethrower party that missed its target and blew up an ammunition dump.

• A battalion commander who marched his whole force who marched his whole force through the rear door of a house, to the great surprise of its owner.

• A company commander who somehow forgot to tell his daughter he had been awarded the Victoria Cross.

• A partially-blind commander who gave his orders from the church pulpit.

• The tragic story of the Polish effort.

• The Dutch nation still full of gratitude despite the hardships that followed this battle.

• The Nazi-indoctrinated SS troops who said ‘What a beautiful battle we have fought!’

After the DDay Landings the US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions had no further role; the British 1st Airborne Division had been given no role in the Normandy Landings in June 1944.

General Montgomery came up with a bold plan of a great offensive:  with the aim of driving the 2nd British Army over a series of rivers and canals in Belgium and Holland, using the Airborne Divisions to  seize the bridges in advance. If successful the Allies would penetrate the Ruhr, Germany's industrial heartland, and 'the war could end by Christmas 1944'. Supreme Commander Dwight Eisenhower approved the plan in early September. 

The Airborne Corps, comprising the three Airborne Divisions, was to be commanded by General  Sir Frederick 'Boy' Browning: the British 1st Airborne Division by Roy Urguart, the 82nd by the American  Jim Gavin and the 101st by Maxwell Taylor. The Americans would have responsibility for the Son, Veugel, Grave and Nijmegen Bridges and the British Airborne would have Arnhem - (The Bridge Too Far).  On the 17th September the gliders and Dakota Aircraft took off from their bases in England and the vehicles of 2nd Army, spearheaded by 30 Corps, started to role. 30 Corps' lead was taken by the Irish Guards. 

The bridges at Son, Veugel and Grave were taken with relative ease. The bridge at Nijmegen could have been seized on the 17th with ease but a misunderstanding between General Gavin and Colonel Linguist of the 508 Parachute Infantry Regiment meant that undue importance was given to the Groesbeck Heights rather than racing for Nijmegen. As a result elements of the 10th SS Panzer Division crossed the Arnhem Bridge, before anyone arrived, headed south and blocked the northern end of the Nijmegen Bridge which crosses the Maas River. Ferocious fighting took place for three days when finally General Gavin decided to send a company across the very fast flowing river in flimsy canvas boats in the face of intense German fire. It took a bit of time for British tanks, under Lt Peter (later Lord) Carrington to roll across to the northern end. It was too little too late and the whole advance petered out a few miles further on.

The 1st British Parachute  Brigade under Brigadier Gerald Lathbury took off from bases in England and the units consisted of 1st, 2nd and 3rd Parachute Battalions; the 1st Airlanding Brigade included the Reconnaissance Squadron under Freddie Gough; their role being to head straight for the Arnhem Bridge nine miles away - to hold until relieved! The three Parachute battalions would follow on shortly after. 

The Recce Squadron crossed the railway line at Wolfheze and immediately came under heavy German mortar and machine gun fire. By this time their commander Freddie Gough has detached himself and went looking for General Urqhart  who wished to give him fresh orders. The unfortunate Recce Squadron had hit the first German stopping line under Major Kraft. They got no further. 

Meanwhile the three Parachute battalions set off on their separate and prescribed routes. The 1st Battalion were ambushed in the woods by men of the 9th SS Division  and by the next day had lost half their strength killed wounded or missing. The 3rd Battalion got bogged down around the St Elizabeth Hospital. En route, they ambushed and killed the general commanding the Arnhem Garrison. During these battles General Urquhart and Brigadier Lathbury caught up with the commanding officer of 3rd Parachute Battalion - Colonel Fitch - urging him to move with greater speed . Colonel Fitch orders his C Company under Major Lewis to detach themselves and try another route to the Arnhem Bridge. During the next few days - precise date unknown - Colonel Fitch was killed: Urquhart and Lathbury nearly got captured and took refuge in an attic and would play no part in the Arnhem battle for 38 hours.

On 17th September, the 2nd Parachute Battalion assembled on the Ginkel Heide, drawn by the yellow smoke and the blowing of the hunting horn. This Battalion was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John Frost, already the holder of the DSO and MC, a veteran of the Bruneval Raid and battles in North Africa, Sicily and Italy.

Frost’s responsibilities were not insignificant! He ordered his A Company under Major Digby Tatham-Warter, to head straight for the Arnhem Bridge. Meanwhile the remainder of the 2nd Battalion took the southern route along the river, codename ‘Lion’. At the Oosterbeek Laag Railway Station, B Company came under fire. A platoon, which included the Gronert twins, was spurred into action. Both Gronert boys were killed in this action. At the same time Colonel Frost ordered his C Company to capture the railway bridge allowing him to put a force on the southern end of the Arnhem road bridge. Alas, the Germans had sent a force to blow the bridge. The Germans had themselves been galvanised into action under their commanders Field Marshal Model, General Bittrich and the SS Panzer Division commanders Harzer and Harmel.

By the evening, Frost had nearly 800 on the bridge, bolstered by the C Company from the 3rd Parachute Battalion. Fierce battles raged for the next three days as the Germans squeezed the perimeter from all sides, using infantry and tanks. The men at the bridge fought back gallantly. The German engineers tried to plant explosives on the bridge and Lt Grayburn and his men fought them off. Another platoon tried to reach the southern end but was beaten back with casualties. Lt Grayburn, already wounded, tried again to fight off the Germans on the bridge but was killed by machine gun fire. He was awarded the only Victoria Cross on the bridge. The Germans sent a convoy packed with soldiers across the bridge. The convoy was annihilated by the anti-tank guns of the Royal Artillery. Amongst those firing their machine guns was Freddie Gough who had alone made his way to the bridge. The Germans offered a truce but were told to, "Go to Hell". Frost was so badly wounded by mortar fire that he handed over command of his 2nd Battalion to Digby Tatham-Warter - who went around his soldiers with a bandaged head and an umbrella so his men could recognise him.

With 150 men wounded, no hope of 30 Corps reaching Arnhem and no ammunition the gallant band had no alternative but to surrender. Their SS captors treated them with much respect and admiration.

With the Arnhem Bridge lost, the focus moved to Oosterbeek and in particular to the Hartenstein Hotel, where General Urquhart had made his headquarters. He ordered regiments like the Borders, the South Staffordshires and the 10th Parachute Battalion to establish a perimeter and dig in, so a withdrawal of 2,500 could start. Colonel Lonsdale brought stragglers together at the Old Church and formed Lonsdale Force. Nearby, SSgt Baskeyfield almost singlehandedly fought off a number of German tanks with his field gun and was awarded a posthumous VC. Flt Lt Lord desperately tried to resupply the troops with essential ammunition from his Dakota. His plane was hit and badly damaged. He completed the drop and then he crashed. He too was awarded a posthumous VC. His co-pilot was aged just 19 years.

The Dutch underground movement played a valuable and gallant intelligence-gathering role, as did their medics, like the Jewish surgeon Dr Lippmann Kessel (played by Laurence Olivier in the film A Bridge Too Far) who was awarded a British Military Cross. The Kruik brothers, members of The Rolls Royce Resistance Syndicate, were executed by the Germans for their support of the British Airborne Forces.

Piers, both through his talks and his guiding at Arnhem, brings this remarkable story to life.