I agree it’s a C-47, the plot map was based on people’s interpretation on the aerial photos and they obviously got that one wrong.
Hi alberk, The book "Tip of the Spear" has a photo of the Canadian Hamilcar sitting on the LZ. It is the foremost glider and is located just above and slightly west of the Axehead Woods. Nicklin's Wood can be seen to left. The caption reads: "This shot was taken at approximately 1100 hours and shows gliders coming in to land on the Battalion’s DZ. The nearest glider had just landed and carried the Mortar Platoon’s carrier and trailer, which contained spare mortar tubes and ammunition." It looks like a Horsa at first glance until viewed more closely. In that case could the Hamilcar marked on plot map somewhere near base of axe handle be another? There is a thread on the third Hamilcar, CN 280, which landed off zone and has still not been located. Regards ...
Hi, Here's a wild and crazy idea. I'm reminded of Moe's post of aerial showing what was thought to be a Hamilcar. I later entertained the idea it was a Horsa but wasn't really sure? I'm wondering could this be CN 280. There are a few German trenches and possible gun positions nearby. Just a thought ... Regards ...
Cee, thanks for pointing out the older conversation regarding No 280. Still a mystery, I suppose. I have always wondered where the Hamilcars of 3 Bde ended up. Of course, one landed because a carrier was available to the Canadians (the one that was hit later on the 24th - correct?). The aerials (Elllen, Mehrhoog and Schneppenberg (serial 2603 - 25 March 1945 - in NCAP) do not match up with the map plotting the glider landings with regard to the Hamilcars. That, at least, is my impression.
I have a German veteran's account who says that he and his comrades took prisoner the pilots of a gilder that landed near Zimmermann's farm. This farm was still in German hands after the airborne landings. After the glider had landed, the British were about to bring a mortar into action but he and his comrades fired at them and told them "Hands up!" Above all he claims that they took a small tracked vehicle from that glider - this could only have been a carrier. That vehicle was later used by this group of Germans to evacuate some of their own wounded. One passenger of the glider was dead and was buried on the spot. This account was given to the Hamminkeln archives in 1997. "Many points of his account were corroborated by Anna Zimmermann" says the archive employee who recorded the account. Anna Zimmermann was present at the farm in 1945.
He certainly did not say that it was upside down - so I am not suggesting this is No 280. Here's my suggestion for another Hamilcar (280?): It certainly landed in German held territory:
I enjoy it every time I look in here....not quite my playground, but I appreciate the really thorough research very much
alberk, The Zimmermann Farm incident is quite interesting. There is a similar story in the book "Boys of the Clouds" which involves the 1st Canadian Para Vickers Platoon. It doesn't end quite the same as the wounded pilots and men trapped in glider(s) by German snipers are eventually rescued after the mortar platoon was able to lay down smoke between glider and farm house. A few men before that made mad dashes toward the besieged glider in a desperate attempt to help out. I have yet to run across any stories concerning the fate of the 8 Para Hamilcar other than the claim it did come down on LZ 'A". Perhaps the German veteran's account fills in the gap. With regards your suggestion for CN 280 it does indeed look like an overturned Hamilcar. It would be great if it turned out to be the actual glider. Regards ...
The images we can see aren’t as clear as the originals so maybe they’re just not visible at that resolution. I spoke to someone at the NCAP and they said if you purchase an image you get the full clarity. That might be the reason?
I am afraid I am not quite convinced by this explanation, Alex1975uk. The images I see very clearly show the intact Horsas, one can even make out the camouflage pattern. And I am surprised how the individual parachutes stand out. So, I find a lot of detail on the ones I looked at. It is more difficult with burnt gliders but even with those you realize that there is a structure that does not usually belong on a ploughed field...
I’m with you, I’m just saying what the guy at NCAP told me. On the plot map they suggest a Hamilcar is just North West of Axe Handle, but it does look like a Horsa. Is that two that have crashed into each other on the opposite side?
I would like to illustrate my point by this example. Please take a look at the marked Hamilcar landing spot suggested by the plot - then check on the photograph below. Nothing remotely like a glider to be seen in the circle. I could repeat this for all the other examples I marked as erroneous.
Alex1975uk - I am really still wondering about that one. I am not sure what type of glider it is. It seems burnt, doesn't it? The Germans liked to set fire to gliders that they could reach ur fire at. The ones they reached were of course thoroughly searched and then plundered...
My main question is: Where did the Hamilcar land that successfully brought in the carrier for the Canadians? A second one was taken by the Germans if we want to believe the German veteran I quoted. The third Hamilcar (No. 280) is unaccounted for - or it is the one I spotted just southeast of Mehrhoog station/railroad crossing. I seem to remember that I read in the older "No. 280" thread that 3 Para Bde had three Hamilcars allotted - one for each battalion. Is that correct?
From the "C Coy narrative" appendix to the war diary of 1 CPB: "The gliders of the Bde had dropped also on our DZ. During the afternoon and evening we sent patrols to try and unload them. Some of the parties succeeded and others could not reach them. During the night we established a patrol EAST of #7 pl's position where a hedge ran out to the small woods on the DZ. The enemy by this time had been retiring from the Rhine and we had seen approx 200 of them go into a wood 800 yds NW of #9 Pl's position. Also in the night he moved up some 20 mm guns and fired at the gliders. Two of them he set on fire."
I would rule out that a Horsa can be used to transport a carrier. So, I'd say that we are looking for an intact Hamilcar. The appendix to the Canadian's war diary simply says this in the section about the mortar platoon: "On my arrival at our RV we recognized the platoon. By that time Sgt Fitzsimmons came in with his Bren Carrier." Not much drama there, apparently...
