Award Military Medal L/Cpl J. Regner, 5th (Belgian) S.A.S. Operation Regan

L/Cpl Jules Regner, 5th (Belgian) Special Air Service received Military Medal (2104)
SAS Operation REGAN September, October, November 1944 in North Holland

Regner pictured receiving his Military Medal from Montgomery on 10th March 1945 at an investiture at Grande Place, Brussels.
WO 373/153/43

 

Not exactly an accurate account of Regner’s actions. After the landings at Arnhem suffered from radio problems Regner, who had landed in the area on 15th Sept with Gilbert Sadi Kirschen, to report on German troop movements, was instructed to go into Arnhem and bring back an officer who could provide an update via Kirschen’s well established radio link. He set out with a Dutchman, Leone Timmers, on the 19th September but they were unable to reach Arnhem by the north bank of the Rhine so crossed the river at Renkum and tried by the south. Although on the evening of the 20th they made contact with a British Army Captain on the south bank, near Driel, he explained that the was on a mission but would return later. They waited until the following morning but he failed to appear.They then sought assistance from the local resistance near Elst and although Timmers, from Rotterdam, was able to satisfy them about his credentials, Regner was not. The local resistance were sheltering an American airman, Captain W H Fletcher of 360 Fighter Squadron, 356 Fighter Group US Army Air Force, who had been shot down on Sunday 17th September. Piet van der Linden, the local resistance leader, asked Fletcher to interview Regner who explained that he was a member of the Belgian SAS. Fletcher had never heard of the SAS and instead asked Regner questions about the situation in London and the damage caused by the V1 attacks. Sadly Regner had barely visited London so was unable to do so. As they were carrying forged identity papers he offered to send Timmers back to collect his Army Pay book but this was refused. Instead van der Linden refused to provide any assistance and sent the pair on their way to Nijmegen with instructions to contact British troops at Malden. Van der Linden sent people to follow them with instructions that should they deviate from their route or make any attempt to contact German forces they were to be shot.