Horsa Glider

[51highland]

Met a gentleman from a place called St Michielsgestel in Holland. As a 10 year old boy he witnessed a Horsa Glider crashing and disintergrating on 17th September 1944. He helped the local priest bury 6 men from the Glider. Is it possible to find out who was in the Glider or any info about the glider from the identification plate, the treasured possession, of a Mr van Griensven. The small brass plate about 3" long by approx 1.5" wide has following info;
Horsa
EBB(or EB8)ltd(or itd)/W&G/CB
Serial No 2982
M25 M213
M31 M232
M46 A204
M36
M93
M132
M171
M201
M207

The above is how the plate is stamped. The gentleman concerned is sending me approx 8 minutes of film of taken by Dutch civilians of the gliders going over in September, and of the liberation troops arriving in St Michielsgestel in October 1944. Can't wait. Heres hoping all you clever persons out there can come up with the goods yet again. Cheers!!

[Kyt]

Unfortunately, the details of the ID plate will be difficult to cross-reference against allocated gliders because as far as I know that level of research has yet to be done.

However, we may be able to guesstimate by cross-referencing the Roll Of Honour, against date, against location of drops, against unit.

Could take a while though.

I'm currently cross-referencing 222 Squadron at the moment but wouldn't mind giving it a go next week.

[51highland]

That would be great thanks.

[Kyt]

Do you happen to know exactly where the Horsa fell, or could you mark it on a map?

[Philip,ABRG]

The plate would not be brass, but most likely aluminium,(see example) each horsa had some 20 tags of them, the numbers are modifications numbers, do you maybe have a photograph of it?



It came down on the 19th, Chalk No.126 Polish troopers, 4 men were killed

[51highland]

Was definately brass, officially there were 4 men stated as being killed, but the gentleman I met says, and was quite positive, that they buried 6 men. I wouldn't think that a 10 year old boy would forget something like that, however I cannot be sure. Will try and get a scan of it from Holland. Thanks for the info.

[Kyt]

I've been looking at the unit diaries for Market Garden at The Battle of Arnhem Archive

and one that seems possible is "B" Squadron

17th September 1944

Place: Arnhem

1040 - 1st Lift takes off from Manston on Operation "MARKET". Weather excellent over base and sea. Cloudy over Holland. L.Z. located and all landed within area without casualties except of S/Sgt. Hopkins and Sgt. Hooper who were wounded by M.G. fire after landing. Two Gliders failed to arrive. Lieut. Barclay and Lieut. Millar rope broke over TILBURG. S/Sgt. Geary and S/Sgt. Bristow rope detached from tug over U.K. Combination flew over on second day. No opposition on L.Z. South Staffs and G.P's. rendezvous at REIJERS CAMP. Quiet night after digging in.

Does anyone have details of the No 1 Wing, The Glider Pilot Regiment and Lt Barclay and Millar (who they may be carrying)?

[Philip,ABRG]

Have check the records and the Dutch glider pilot expert, Luuk Buist ,only 4 killed in this crash, the 2 glider pilots Osborn and Whitehouse, and 2 Polish A/T Gunners Maslorz and Nowak.

[Philip,ABRG]

Barclay and Millar

near a place called Loon op Zand

Chalk 298, 26 troops of No.12 Platoon B.Company South Staffords

[Kyt]

The above Archive has Osborn, Whitehouse (confirmed by CWGC check), Maslorz and Nowak all dying on the 19th. Do you know whether they died from their injuries two days after the crash.