10 Para battalion 20 september

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by COMMANDO, Feb 13, 2011.

  1. COMMANDO

    COMMANDO Senior Member

    Who can help me with accounts of veterans of 10 Para as what happened on 20 september 1944... ?
     
  2. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    Here we go.

    "Again, in the late morning of the 20th September, Captain Clegg led his Company in a most spirited bayonet attack in the final stages of which he personally attacked and destroyed a German Machine Gun post.
    In the late afternoon the Battalion, now sorely depleted in strength, was ordered to attack and capture a cross-roads held by the enemy on the Divisional perimeter at Oosterbeek. To secure these cross-roads it was necessary to clear eight houses and their gardens. Captain Clegg personally led the assault on and cleared three of these houses against bitter opposition from the enemy. In the third house he was very seriously wounded in the jaw by Machine Gun fire but insisted on carrying on until all the enemy were exterminated, and the three houses cleared and organised in a state of defence. During this time he was losing a great deal of blood and was in great pain. He finally consented to have his wounds dressed and had just handed over his Company to the senior Sergeant when he collapsed." The Battle of Arnhem Archive
     
  3. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    Another. "
    Sergeant Thomas Cyril Bentley

    Unit : Mortar Platoon, Support Company, 10th Parachute Battalion
    Army No. : 6400234
    Awards : Distinguished Conduct Medal

    At Oosterbeek on 20th September 1944, Sergeant Bentley, who had already shown conspicuous bravery in much hard fighting since he was dropped on 18th September, was in charge of a detachment of mortars using the top floor of a house as an Observation Post in the hard pressed north eastern corner of the divisional perimeter. The position was held by the remnants of the Battalion about 50 strong, constantly under fire and frequently heavily attacked. From his Observation Post he not only directed telling heavy fire upon the enemy but also obtained information vital to the defence which he was obliged to take back personally to his CO under fire from close range on each occasion. When the side of his house was blown in by a self-propelled gun at point blank range he fell from top floor to basement but crawled out and carried on from another. He was located and shot out more than once that day but set a magnificent example of determination to carry on and during the operation was responsible for the discovery and repulse of a dangerous infiltrating movement from an unexpected quarter. The CO was wounded and a few men in the Battalion Headquarters house were captured and the mortars lost. That night Sergeant Bentley led a patrol into enemy occupied area and brought the mortars out operating them from then on under heavy fire under the personal direction of the brigadier, for whom they were the last two mortars in the brigade.
    It is difficult to praise too highly this NCOs courage, coolness, endurance and competence or to under estimate his contribution, both material and moral, in a difficult operation." The Battle of Arnhem Archive
     
  4. COMMANDO

    COMMANDO Senior Member

    Thanks... Sorry, I must have added that I am particulair interested in the time of the battle in the woods... between 00.00 hrs 19/20 September till about 13.00 hrs 21 September
     
  5. Grahame

    Grahame Junior Member

    Commando

    Is it specific veteran accounts you are looking for, or a detailed sumary of what they were doing, where they were etc?

    Grahame
     
  6. COMMANDO

    COMMANDO Senior Member

    I know where they were, so I am looking for personal accounts especialy for the battle in the woods of 20 september
     
  7. Medic7922

    Medic7922 Senior Member

  8. COMMANDO

    COMMANDO Senior Member

  9. airborne medic

    airborne medic Very Senior Member

    Commando,

    As you are in Holland have you thought about asking Philip Reinders for help? He said in another recent thread that he is doing something on the 10th???????
     
  10. ronald

    ronald Senior Member

    They are both in the ABRG

    Ron
     
  11. COMMANDO

    COMMANDO Senior Member

    Thanks guys, Philip is already looking around fore me but I (we) are wondering if there are others here who might can gave some info which we do not have... Its seems that there is very little known about the advance from Wolfheze towards Oosterbeek regarding the 10th.
    We know the actions in which 156 was involved, but apart from what lines from Brigade War Diary it seems that the 10th lost about 200 men in those woods whithout any specific mention how this happened.
     
  12. Grahame

    Grahame Junior Member

    Commando

    The 10th were NOT a single grouped Battalion during the advance through the woods, they were framented into at least 5 main groups. Most books (and 4 Para Bde war Diary) take the storyline from Urquarts comments of the Batallion as they arrived at Div HQ as 'filthy, exhausted, and bleeding their dsicpline was immaculate and that Lt Col Smyth reported he had 60 men left and had been taken on heavily'

    However, this is far from the full story.

    There was semblance of order in the Battalion, where the main body were still operating as Coy groups wherever possible (i.e. the remaining members of D Coy and its HQ were still operating as a functional unit)

    As the Battalion was fragmented from the late hours of the 19th until arriving at Div HQ, this was one of the reasons they were 'late in moving off' early on the 20th (Lt Col Smyth and likewise Hackett, didn't know where his remaining troops were (over 150 men) all Lt Col Smyth knew was that he had about 80-90 men together at his Batt HQ area.

    Some of the these fragmented groups managed to make there way back to Div HQ later on the 20th ( my Uncle included- despite being fatally wounded!) after the main CO group arrived back at 1300. Most of the smaller groups were captured in the woods, or attached themselves to other units (156 PARA and 4 BDE HQ)

    For the full detail about all this, you'll just have to wait for the book to be published!!!!

    Regards

    Grahame
     
  13. SallyD

    SallyD Member

    Commando

    Have you heard of a book called "Blik Omhoog" (Look Up) written by Cor Janse?

    I believe he interviewed some veterans, including my uncle, and wrote their stories in this book.

    My uncle was in the 10th A Coy and was wounded during the battle in the woods. He was subsequently taken as a POW.

    I have recently been looking for a copy of this book myself. ISBN 9080356719

    Regards
    Sally
     
  14. horsapassenger

    horsapassenger Senior Member

    Sally

    Blik Omhoog is a multi volume set - see attached advert from Meijers & Seigers in Oosterbeek. I'm out there in June so if you let me have your Uncle's name I'll gladly have a look in the book (assuming they have a copy in stock) to see if he's mentioned.

    John
     

    Attached Files:

  15. stamp

    stamp Member

    PM send
     
  16. Sussex by the Sea

    Sussex by the Sea Senior Member

    Hi Grahame,
    Is the book nearly ready for publishing?

    Regards

    Steve
     
  17. Mike Barr

    Mike Barr Junior Member

    Me too Commando, my father was KIA on 19th somewhere in the woods, but truth be told it could have been 20th
    The 19th was "estimated" by Pdr McGowan when his body was recovered I guess after the withdrawal on 25/26th
    So any info you find, no matter how small, I would be happy if you posted it here.
     
  18. SallyD

    SallyD Member

    These two photos of the 10th Paras were in my uncle's possession.
    Does anybody recognise anybody in them?

    Frank left, back.jpg
    Frank left, back (2).jpg
     
  19. Sussex by the Sea

    Sussex by the Sea Senior Member

    Great pictures Sally, i wonder if that is the stables at Somerby leicestershire?
     
  20. Sussex by the Sea

    Sussex by the Sea Senior Member

    Hi Sally,
    What was your uncles name?

    Steve
     

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