Hamilcar actual landing areas in operation Varsity

Hi all,

I am trying to locate the actual landing area of a particular Hamilcar during Operation Varsity.
It was attached to the 53rd worcester yeomanry and had on board a friend of mine, Gunner William Page (uncle Bill), it was carrying ammunition for the 75mm howitzers and was ment to lan at LZ'P' but missed due to a block barrage.
Now uncle Bill wants to go back for the 1st time next year on the aniversary and he wants to be standing on the exact spot where he landed on 24th march around 10am.
Any help would be great and is also worth a free beer if any of you ever visit Ypres and come into my bar.
cheers
Patrick

 

Hi all,

I am trying to locate the actual landing area of a particular Hamilcar during Operation Varsity.
It was attached to the 53rd worcester yeomanry and had on board a friend of mine, Gunner William Page (uncle Bill), it was carrying ammunition for the 75mm howitzers and was ment to lan at LZ'P' but missed due to a block barrage.
Now uncle Bill wants to go back for the 1st time next year on the aniversary and he wants to be standing on the exact spot where he landed on 24th march around 10am.
Any help would be great and is also worth a free beer if any of you ever visit Ypres and come into my bar.
cheers
Patrick

I wish my book was more specific. You did get my PM, did you? I am always willing to win a free beer.

Levien.

 

Operation: Varsity / Plunder. 24th March 1945
Lessons were learnt from not only from Normandy, but also Operation MARKET GARDEN, where in the previous September the British 1 Airborne Division had suffered greatly as a result of a dropping and landing with separate 3 lifts.
Operation VARSITY was the airborne element of the Rhine Crossing. Operation PLUNDER was the ground operation. However, gliders were again in short supply necessitating that 210 Battery was split between 211 and 212.
On March 24th 1944, 78 gliders set off from England following a successful night attack that had established bridgeheads on the German eastern bank of the Rhine. The regiment’s first guns were in action within 10 minutes of the gliders landing on the landing zone in the vicinity of Hammilkeln .
Unfortunately, the landing – at 1000hrs - was costly and 22 of the regiment’s gliders were destroyed either on landing or in the air. This emphasized that the most dangerous part of an airborne landing can be the arrival by glider. Only half of the Regiments guns were immediately available, however, and ammunition limited. The Hamilcar glider bring the bulk of the Regiments ammunition had crashed wide of the Landing Zone. The Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. Eden, led a daring raid to recover the ammunition, but this was unsuccessful, requiring a second, undercover of darkness, and with infantry support, to acquire sufficient 75mm shells. By the evening all of the Divisions objectives had been taken, and 15 (Scottish) Infantry Division were in contact. By this time however 2 Battery Commanders and 20 Other Ranks had been killed, with 8 officers and 59 men missing or prisoners of war.

SOURCE : 53rd Worc. Yeo. - Page 2

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/other-research/15427-varsity-kia-royal-artillery-2.html#post148783

 

I wish my book was more specific. You did get my PM, did you? I am always willing to win a free beer.

Levien.

yes i got your pm thanks Levien, if you find anything out the beer is always here

 

Operation: Varsity / Plunder. 24th March 1945
Lessons were learnt from not only from Normandy, but also Operation MARKET GARDEN, where in the previous September the British 1 Airborne Division had suffered greatly as a result of a dropping and landing with separate 3 lifts.
Operation VARSITY was the airborne element of the Rhine Crossing. Operation PLUNDER was the ground operation. However, gliders were again in short supply necessitating that 210 Battery was split between 211 and 212.
On March 24th 1944, 78 gliders set off from England following a successful night attack that had established bridgeheads on the German eastern bank of the Rhine. The regiment’s first guns were in action within 10 minutes of the gliders landing on the landing zone in the vicinity of Hammilkeln .
Unfortunately, the landing – at 1000hrs - was costly and 22 of the regiment’s gliders were destroyed either on landing or in the air. This emphasized that the most dangerous part of an airborne landing can be the arrival by glider. Only half of the Regiments guns were immediately available, however, and ammunition limited. The Hamilcar glider bring the bulk of the Regiments ammunition had crashed wide of the Landing Zone. The Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. Eden, led a daring raid to recover the ammunition, but this was unsuccessful, requiring a second, undercover of darkness, and with infantry support, to acquire sufficient 75mm shells. By the evening all of the Divisions objectives had been taken, and 15 (Scottish) Infantry Division were in contact. By this time however 2 Battery Commanders and 20 Other Ranks had been killed, with 8 officers and 59 men missing or prisoners of war.

SOURCE : 53rd Worc. Yeo. - Page 2

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/other-research/15427-varsity-kia-royal-artillery-2.html#post148783


thanks Phil but i have this info already, the problem is tracing where he actualy landed, we think it might be in between the autobahn and the canal but we are not sure.

 

Patrick, something that you may be interested in ?

ParaData | A living history of the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces

 

Just to update, if anyone has some new info, Bills glider chalk number was 257 which was a Hamilcar carrying ammunition for the 53rd worcester yoemanry, it landed of target which was to be LZ P.

 

Ammo and a small tank both?

Levien.

 

Hi Lieven,
no just ammo
Patrick

 

Are we talking about the same Hamilcar? Is it really the giant glider that hit my good friend Bill Sanders? In his memory that Hamilcar certainly had a small tank as cargo.

Levien.

 

Are we talking about the same Hamilcar? Is it really the giant glider that hit my good friend Bill Sanders? In his memory that Hamilcar certainly had a small tank as cargo.

Levien.

Levien,

The tank-carrying Hamilcars were Chalks 259-266. Patrick is researching a Hamilcar from the Block 255-258, which supported the 53rd WY.

Hope this helps.

Steve W.

 

Thanks.

Levien.

 

Yep, definatley a Hamilcar, chalk number 257, carrying ammunition only and landed off target, and Bill was taken POW the next day and taken to Fallingbostel.
We are travelling out there for the 24th and he realy wants to find out where he landed.

 

Yep, definatley a Hamilcar, chalk number 257, carrying ammunition only and landed off target, and Bill was taken POW the next day and taken to Fallingbostel.
We are travelling out there for the 24th and he realy wants to find out where he landed.

So, we're not talking about the same Bill, obviously.

Levien.

 

I know Hamilcar landed in Holland, but not sure it if had to do with Varsity, I will check it out, it was however long after Arnhem

 

Interesting, Philip.

Levien.

 

Will check the books tomorrow at work.

 

I know Hamilcar landed in Holland, but not sure it if had to do with Varsity, I will check it out, it was however long after Arnhem


That would be Chalk 273. It was part of the 716th Coy RASC contingent. It landed near Margraten. The pilots, S/Sgt Spowatt and F/O Ankers, were shot in the head and their bodies propped up against the undercarriage. The body of Driver Baker RASC, was found close by. The load of Bren Carrier and associated equipment, and other passengers, was never found.

Steve W.

 

That would be Chalk 273. It was part of the 716th Coy RASC contingent. It landed near Margraten. The pilots, S/Sgt Spowatt and F/O Ankers, were shot in the head and their bodies propped up against the undercarriage. The body of Driver Baker RASC, was found close by. The load of Bren Carrier and associated equipment, and other passengers, was never found.

Steve W.

Steve, do you have a list of the other passengers ?

P

 

Steve, do you have a list of the other passengers ?

P


Phil

Sadly not.

Steve W.