LZ 'P' Scenes and Photos, Operation Varsity

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by Cee, Apr 5, 2021.

  1. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Hello,

    This is an attempt to sort out a few familiar film clips and photos shot for the most part in the middle to south end of LZ 'P' during Operation Varsity. Hopefully it contains a few things of interest.

    I was notified by Guy recently that photos showing correspondent L. Marsland Gander after his arrival in Germany by glider were catalogued by the IWM. They were part of the series CH 14957-61 and are described as:

    ".. extract(s) from films made by the R.A.F. Film Unit of the airborne landings over the Rhine on 24th March 1945."

    Below CH 14961 and CH 14960

    CH 14961.png CH 14960.png

    They look more like actual photos than stills taken by the RAF cine cameraman that boarded Gander's glider not long before take off with Lt-Col. J.R.C. Hamilton, CRE 6th Airborne. Note the Eyemo camera sitting behind Gander in second photo. I speculated on the possibility the cameraman was Lee Howard in another thread but have never been able to confirm positively. As well there may have been another RAFFPU man that arrived by glider?

    Also on board were men of the Division HQ Defence Platoon under command of a Captain that Gander called Brown for convenience sake as he couldn't recall his name. Other passengers included Gander's companion at the time, Captain Frank Garstang, who was assigned the role of Observer and the Rev. A.P. Cameron, a senior Chaplain.

    He claims their glider left from Shepherds Grove but it is more likely one of the Divisional HQ glders, CN 315-342, all of which departed from RAF Rivenhall. The chalk number is partially visible in CH 14901 above and could be CN 318? Marsland Gander by the way is a fine writer and covers his experience with the Airborne in a darkly humourous style in his book, "After These Many Quests".

    While looking at photo CH 14958 it suddenly struck me that the CRE/Gander glider is the one in the centre background as there are other partial views showing how it landed with one wing down and a broken back. The nearer glider to the left was actually caught arriving in a cloud of dust in a separate clip. I'll have more to say on the glider seen in foreground in a moment but believe it shows the tail of CN 155. Unfortunately I don't have any decent air photos of the landing zone but was able to locate the trio using a blurry LZ 'P' aerial from the GPR Report .

    CH 14958.png CN 155 LZP Locations.jpg

    More to come ...
     
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  2. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Continuing ...

    There are number of well known scenes in IWM film APY 140-1 which show gliders arriving on LZ 'P'. Many of these were used in the making of period newsreels and documentaries on Op Varsity. I suspect our RAF cineman was responsible for a few and could be the key to discovering locations.

    For instance there are two clips shot from a position near the Gander glider tail. One captures the landing of the two gliders that came to rest just west of the big woods located in the middle of LZ 'P'. Another found in a Movietone compilation is a very nice pan that follows the progress of a gradually descending Horsa as it swoops in to land in the south end of LZ. In the middle distance to the right a lone glider sits with its nose to the ground. The tail has been removed and placed to port side.

    Two Gliders Land West of Big Woods.jpg Over The Rhine-Pan LZP.jpg

    I thought this has to be CN 155 around which a few scenes were later filmed. In the one 6th Airlanding Brigadier R. Hugh Bellamy is shown together with Lieutenant Colonel I.A. Murray, CO No. 1 Wing GPR. In the other other clip efforts are made to remove the jeep and trailer. Glider pilot Captain J.B. Bottomley can be seen as he leaves the scene. Since CN 155 was situated close to the Gander glider there is a good possibility these scenes were also captured by our RAF man. It was also from the CN 155 position that the glider to left in CH 14958 above was captured landing. After the dust clears a man is seen walking towards it. Could this be Lt-Col. Ian Murray on his way over to greet the latest arrival.

    CN 155-Brig. Bellamy and Lt-Col. Murray GPR.jpg CN 155-Captain Bottomley GPR.jpg Horsa Landing.jpg Horsa Landing-Perhaps Ian Murray.jpg

    Earlier Chalk 155 was captured landing in dramatic manner by Hungarian war photographer Robert Capa. The view is to the west and in the background a slightly blurred house is seen with possibly an orchard close by. There still exists today a similar house with orchard which could be the same. Also attached is another Capa photo shot even earlier in the morning of American Paras landing on LZ 'P' a few miles north of where they actually should have dropped. The landscape and background is similar to the CN 155 photo.I was informed by a forum member that Capa flew in with the 513th P.I.R, 17th Airborne and was on the same aircraft as Colonel James W. Coutts, Chalk 46 (C46A 47759).

    Glider 155 by Capa.png Capa U.S. Paras LZP.jpg

    Stay tuned ...
     
    Last edited: May 13, 2022
  3. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Views South

    I should mention the following clips which show views to the south of LZ 'P'. In the one two gliders on fire south of Bilscher Str. can be seen. The glider with the larger plume could be the one burning away and creating the noticeable smoke trail as seen on the aerial. The cameraman switches to a longer lens for a closer view and catches a soldier moving slowly across the scene and moments later a jeep with men and materials passes in opposite direction.

    Fires Below Bislicher.jpg Fire Below Bislicher-Man.jpg

    The other clip is quite interesting as it caught the crack-up of a glider attempting to land. Somehow the outer half of the starboard wing is broken off, followed by the glider abruptly turning and falling with a great crash on its starboard side.The port wing stands upright for a moment before it too topples over. To the right of the frame a Hamilcar can be seen. Was it gun fire or the striking of a Bislicher Str. electrical pole that brought the glider down?

    Sgt. Bert Hardy AFPU took a photo (BU 2546) of this glider when he arrived in the area later. As can be seen it was a devastating crash which must have resulted in injury and death to those on board.

    Crack-up & Hamilcar.jpg Crash off Bislicher.jpg BU 2546 Crash by Hardy.jpg

    There is a brief comment in Gander's book that could refer to this crash.

    "Other sights caused horror and dismay. Gliders were lying wrecked, burning or blackened skeletons. Some lost in the fog had collided in the air. Others were set on fire by flak. I saw one somersaulting caught like a child's toy in a gust of wind. God knows what happened to the men inside. It was not a bit like Megara."

    I wonder as well if this is the glider that brought in Brigadier Faithfull, Commander Royal Artillery, 6th Airborne? According to his DSO citation:

    "On the day itself he was a tower of strength. He was badly shaken up on landing, his glider being a total wreck. Moreover his Brigade Major was killed. He was entirely undeterred by these facts ..."

    Sgt. Hardy also photographed the nearby Hamilcar (BU 2617). In the background the Gander glider can be seen. Unfortunately the angle of the shot just misses picking up CN 155.

    BU 2617- Christie.jpg BU 2617 & BU 2546 Locations.jpg

    I'll try to put something together on the east side and post at some point.

    Regards ...
     
    Last edited: Mar 9, 2024
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  4. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Tremendous Stuff.
    One of the gliders filmed coming into land could possibly be CN 308 from the 53rd Air Landing Regiment, this is based on the map references given in their war diary appendix.
    If it is 308, Gunner Jordan was on board who is still alive.
    Alex
     
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  5. HighTow

    HighTow Junior Member

    There's well known footage of the gliders leaving from Rivenhall which includes a shot where the camera is set-up in the footwell of a Horsa Mk.I looking forward at the Halifax tug during take-off. Could this me the same photographer/glider?
     
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  6. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    Good work, Cee! Thank you for posting your findings...
     
  7. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Alex,

    Very interesting on the Gunner Jordan and Chalk 308 possibility!

    HighTow,

    Marsland Gander and Frank Garstang were originally intended to fly in a Hamilcar. After visiting the airfield and getting a sense of the glider and Officer in charge they didn't much fancy the idea and got Roy Oliver to switch them to another glider. He thought the Hamilcar he examined was at Shepherds Grove and believed the Horsa he was eventually assigned to also left from there. I think he was actually on a Div. HQ Glider myself. The gliders that left from RAF Rivenhall were pulled by Stirlings.

    The take off footage you mention captured from the front of the glider is quite interesting. Gander in his account makes no reference to his cameraman being involved in such a project. I should add the cameraman arrives at the last moment which wouldn't have left him much time to organise such an effort. Gander himself goes up to the cockpit entrance more than once to view the spectacle of nearby gliders and aircraft .

    The RAF man is only referred to once during the flight in Gander's account. I'll attach the page where he describes their landing. Once down the cameraman immediately sets to work filming the troops leaving the glider. Unfortunately it is not the best quality footage but a Bren gunner can be seen lying under the sloping wing in the IWM compilation.

    Page 303 Gander Book.jpg Gander Glider  Bren Gunner.jpg

    As seen in the group congratulatory landing photo Gander was wearing a long overcoat. There is a scene shot inside a Horsa that turns up in the documentary "Krieg am Niederrhein" of someone standing at a cockpit door in a longish coat. I suppose it could also have been a loose oversized smock? The best image of the incident found so far comes from a War Amps promotional film. The man seen there in slightly better quality appears to be wearing a Mae West as well. I could be imagining things again as it is all poor quality.

    Man at Cockpit Door.JPG

    Also there is the well known bit of footage taken in flight from a Horsa cockpit showing tow lines connected to a Stirling which were eventually released. It's claimed the Horsa seen to left in the clip is carrying Major-General Bols. I have no idea who is responsible for that footage but their glider belonged to the same element as the General's. The still version (CH 14957) is listed with others in the RAF series above which is interesting.

    CH 14957- Bols.jpg

    There is another cameraman who shows up in Op Varsity take off clips holding an Eyemo. I don't know the circumstances of his involvement so will just post a few stills of him.

    Invasion Aircraft (1945)-1.jpg Invasion Aircraft (1945)-2.jpg We Cross The Rhine - Cameraman-6.jpg

    Regards ...
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2021
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  8. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

    HOWARD Compare?.png
    The R.A.F. Cameraman from the Pathé footage inbetween the two known photographs of Lee Howard.
     
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  9. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Guy,

    That's an original idea and I never even considered that possibility as I was just so invested in the RAF man riding in the back of the Kubelwagen. I'll look a little closer at the airfield clips to see if they offer up any other clues.

    As for the footage taken from the footwell of a Horsa I may have been confusing it with a fairly long clip shot from a cockpit entrance. It captures both pilots at the controls as the glider lifts off the runway. Going by the tail it looks like a Halifax doing the towing. The shot is fairly stable so the camera is probably fixed. When the frame is adjusted slightly there is no handheld jerkiness. The clip can be seen at the end of APY 140-3.

    Regards ...
     
  10. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Leon Alexander HOWARD

    I'm pretty sure now after digging about that Guy has correctly identified the man in the film clip as Lee Howard. The short clip begins at 52 second mark of the British Pathe film "Invasion Aircraft (1945)". In a Gazette notification of a D.F.C. award provided by Guy his name and service number are given as:

    159694 Flying Officer Leon Alexander HOWARD R.A.F.V.R.

    The short clip begins when the Sgt. Bren Gunner sticks his face in front of the camera. Lee Howard is then captured holding his Eyemo and looking on with interest as an older Officer takes a document from a junior Officer to study.

    Sgt. Bren Gunner.jpg Lt- Col Hamilton & Lee Howard.jpg

    The older man seen only from the back is most likely Lt-Col. J.R.C. Hamilton, C.R.E. They are standing beside the glider that will take them and Correspondent Marsland Gander to Germany. Gander in his book describes the C.R.E. viewing an aerial and coming up with a plan of action for exiting the glider once landed.

    BU 4748- Lt-Col Hamilton CRE.jpg Page 300 - Gander book .jpg

    A thought. Why would Lt-Col. J.R.C. Hamilton, the 6th Airborne C.R.E., be on a glider carrying part of the Defence Platoon? At least one glider was allotted to the HQ RE. Has Gander got his facts wrong here? Don't know? Is it actually a RE glider?

    Also found is an IWM photo of Lee Howard from 1944 who resembles the cameraman at the glider. He was very slim at the time and seems to have kept the same hair style through out his life.

    FLM 2305-Lee Howard.png

    Another great observation by Guy.

    Regards ...
     
    Last edited: May 12, 2022
  11. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    I have to admit that I had to look up who Lee Howard is. Still, great research by Cee! And Guy's observation introduced me to Lee Howard...:D
     
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  12. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

    Screenshot 2021-04-07 at 15.59.04.png
    Leon Alexander Lee HOWARD D.F.C.

    18th June 1914 - 4th November 1978 aged 64
    He was listed as an editor residing at Flat 123 Cliffords Inn, Fleet Street, London in the '39 Register
    Screenshot 2021-04-07 at 19.00.08.png

    Commissioned from Flight Sergeant to Flying Officer on 5th September 1943
    Screenshot 2021-04-07 at 19.07.19.png
    London Gazette 7th December 1943 p.5342

    Editor of the Sunday Pictorial 1959-1961 and Daily Mirror 1961-1971
     
  13. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Near Kopenhof

    Let's visit the other side of LZ 'P' and start off with a couple of clips that were likely taken by Lee Howard. In photo CH 14960 we see Marsland Gander seated on the ground near a glider pilot and other Airborne men. The IWM description states he is at the "first rendezvous of one party of airborne troops". In the book it was the "Colonel" who led his glider party along the fringes of the Diersfordterwald to Kopenhof Farm.

    CH 14960 by Howard.png

    At the top of the photo a man in baggy trousers with a white belt can be seen checking equipment in the rear of a jeep. As it turns out there is a short pan which shows the same man with comrades looking over the contents of a trailer that appears to have come out of the nearby glider. This Horsa appears to be the one that came down on the edge of and just north of the small woods near the junction of the Isselbruch and Bislicher roads.

    CH 14960-Crop.jpg Glider near Kopenhof.jpg

    Another clip from what appears to be the same hedged area captures the dropping of resupply containers. The big tree, possibly a chestnut, at the Kopenhof Farm entrance stands out noticeably as do the tall trees near the Bislicher level crossing. Although hard to discern a Horsa (?) that landed in that area of LZ is visible to right of frame.

    Resupply at Kopenhof.jpg

    Gander comments on the resupply drop in his book:

    "During a long day of continuous alarms and excursion, we at Kopenof felt anything but linked-up. There were repeated supply drops that filled the air with coloured chutes and my mind with memories of the picture Bubbles. Rocket-firing Typhoons came over the tree tops firing madly."

    Regards ...
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2023
  14. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Along Isselbruch Str.

    There was quite a bit of activity along a short stretch of Isselbruch Str. with scenes caught on film and in photos. I'm not sure who took the following two clips. Maybe Lee Howard has he certainly liked to pan whenever possible.

    The image below is composed of stills spliced together from a pan moving left to right. On the left two Horsas lie near each other. The house in the middle is 2 Isselbruch Str. which still stands today. The long line of men are American Paras heading south in what seems like slow motion in the clip. In the distance, to the left, the big central woods (Bunty) can be seen as well as partial views of the gliders that landed on its east side.

    2 Isselbruch Pan View North.jpg

    The next bit of footage shows Americans and a few German prisoners with the view toward the T-junction of Isselbruch and Bislicher. A glider that turns up in many other photos sits in a field to the left. Kopenhof is just around the corner. The trees on the right belong to Isselbruch Woods, a small copse near the intersection.

    T-Junction Isselbruck Stitch.jpg

    Regards ....
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2023
  15. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Other Issenbruch Scenes

    Here are a few more images taken along the same bit of road between 2 Isselbruch Str. to junction with Bislicher Str. They include stills, stitches and photos. Some of the angles can be confusing. As for the tank is there any evidence that Lt. Leonard (6AARR) and his crew made it down to Isselbruch Str? There is a photo of his brewed up Locust not far from their Hamilcar on the corner of Am Wall and Bislicher Str.

    By 2 Isselbruch View South-1.jpg By 2 Isselbruch View South-2.jpg US Paras by Isselbruch.jpeg Tank on Isselbruck Stitch.jpg

    POWs

    The next day, March 25th, Jim Christie captured a tank emerging from Issenbruch Str. onto Bislicher while in the background a group German POWs under guard are gathered. Bert Hardy also took a few photos of POWs in the same field off Issenbruch, just north of Bislicher.

    BU 2396-Christie.jpg BU 2523-Hardy.jpg BU 2524-Hardy.jpg BU 2533 CN356-Hardy.jpg

    Hopefully all that makes sense and helps to clarify a few LZ 'P' locations.

    Isselbruch Str. camerawork locations:

    LZ 'P' - Camerawork.jpg

    Regards ...
     
    Last edited: Aug 22, 2023
  16. alberk

    alberk Well-Known Member

    Cee - amazing job! It must have taken you quite a while to do this... thank you for piecing this together.
     
  17. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

    I join alberk: remarkable job, much appreciated
     
  18. BrianHall1963

    BrianHall1963 Well-Known Member

    Great work Cee keep sharing you knowledge well done regards Brian
     
  19. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Last edited: Aug 26, 2022
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  20. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    A few photos by Major Sale as his tank group passes through the Airborne sector east of the Rhine on March 25th,1945 and afterwards can be viewed or downloaded at link below. It consists mostly of pics of abandoned gliders passed on the LZs.

    Major Sale - Op Varsity Photos.pdf - Icedrive

    Regards ...
     

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