#4463284 - 02/27/19 09:32 PM
Re: And on this date during WW2
[Re: oldgrognard]
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Nixer
Scaliwag and Survivor
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Scaliwag and Survivor
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Living with the Trees
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C Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Parachute Brigade was chosen for the operation - 120 men commanded by Major John Frost. I knew that rang a bell...the Hexenkessel in Arnhem! Operation Biting
Frost distinguished himself in Operation Biting, a raid to dismantle and steal the radar dish or components of the German Würzburg radar at Bruneval. The raid was the second time the fledgling British parachute regiment was called on. C Company under the then Major Frost was given the task and on 27 February 1942 120 men landed. They met stiff opposition but succeeded in stealing the component as well as capturing a German expert on the radar. The operation lost three men killed and seven badly wounded. Prime Minister Winston Churchill applauded the raid and guaranteed further wartime operations for the paratroopers. Frost was awarded the Military Cross. On 17 September 1944, as commander of the 2nd Parachute Battalion, Frost led a mixed group of about 745 lightly armed men who landed near Oosterbeek and marched into Arnhem. The battalion reached the bridge capturing the northern end, but Frost then found that his force was surrounded by the II.SS-Panzerkorps and cut off from the rest of 1st Airborne. Frost was in command during the fierce four-day battle that followed, in which the Germans rained artillery fire onto the parachutists' positions, and sent tanks and infantry into some of the most intense fighting seen by either side, with very little mercy given. The Germans were greatly surprised by the airborne forces' refusal to surrender and their continuous counterattacks. After a short truce on the third day, when 250 wounded were removed, the battle continued until the remaining paratroopers had run out of ammunition. There were around one hundred paratroopers left. I had forgotten that raid on Bruneval. Classic commando op not performed by commandos. My father had a book with a rather large chapter on this raid when I was young. Never made the John Frost connection until just now...he was the CO with that officer armed with a bloody umbrella under his command. Thanks for jarring my memory OG. Sticky Wiki...wot
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#4463335 - 02/28/19 06:09 AM
Re: And on this date during WW2
[Re: oldgrognard]
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 602
FsFOOT
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On 17 September 1944, as commander of the 2nd Parachute Battalion, Frost led a mixed group of about 745 lightly armed men who landed near Oosterbeek and marched into Arnhem. The battalion reached the bridge capturing the northern end, but Frost then found that his force was surrounded by the II.SS-Panzerkorps and cut off from the rest of 1st Airborne. Frost was in command during the fierce four-day battle that followed, in which the Germans rained artillery fire onto the parachutists' positions, and sent tanks and infantry into some of the most intense fighting seen by either side, with very little mercy given. The Germans were greatly surprised by the airborne forces' refusal to surrender and their continuous counterattacks. After a short truce on the third day, when 250 wounded were removed, the battle continued until the remaining paratroopers had run out of ammunition. There were around one hundred paratroopers left.
Really rings a bell. Operation Market Garden always has been a facination to me also. Of course its covered famously by a favorite movie A Bridge Too Far Seems this portion was actually called the Battle of Arnhem And the rescue operation later Operation Berlin (Arnhem)The wikipedia page notes After failing to achieve its objectives, the division was surrounded and took very heavy casualties, but held out for nine days before the survivors were evacuated. The remnants of the 1st Airborne Division was returned to England soon after. The division never fully recovered from their losses at Arnhem and the 4th Parachute Brigade was disbanded. Just after the end of the war in Europe, the depleted formation took part in Operation Doomsday in Norway in May 1945. They were tasked with the disarmament and repatriation of the German occupation army. The 1st Airborne Division then returned to England and was disbanded in November 1945.
Last edited by FsFOOT; 02/28/19 06:13 AM. Reason: markup fix(es).. finale!
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#4463633 - 03/01/19 10:12 PM
Re: And on this date during WW2
[Re: oldgrognard]
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Joined: Mar 2001
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semmern
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R. V. Jones’ book, «Most Secret War» contains a bit about this raid. That book is one of my favourite books about the science behind some of the electronic warfare in WWII, and a great read overall.
In all my years I've never seen the like. It has to be more than a hundred sea miles and he brings us up on his tail. That's seamanship, Mr. Pullings. My God, that's seamanship!
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#4463711 - 03/02/19 05:41 PM
Re: And on this date during WW2
[Re: oldgrognard]
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BD-123
Old Scroat
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Old Scroat
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Naunton Beauchamp Worcestershi...
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Nice to see British involvement in the conflict recognised; so often overlooked, especially by Hollywood!
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