Operations 1st Airlanding Light Regiment

1 operations

1.1 italy
1.2 england
1.3 arnhem
1.4 norway

operations
italy

75 mm howitzer , gun crew shooting in support of british 5th infantry division, november 1943.

the regiment left england north africa on 16 may 1943, arriving @ oran in algeria on 26 may. 1st airborne division whole did not take part in allied invasion of sicily. however, 1st parachute , 1st airlanding brigades took part in brigade sized operations, ladbroke , fustian, without artillery support regiment. while in sicily lieutenant-colonel crawfurd, division s commander royal artillery (dcra), killed. replaced lieutenant-colonel mcleod , second in command, major w.f.k sheriff thompson, given command of regiment.

in september 1943, involved in operation slapstick, part of allied invasion of italy. division in north africa boarded ships of royal navy s 12th cruiser squadron @ bizerta on 8 september 1943. @ 15:00 on 9 september, flotilla reached port of taranto on heel of italy. landings unopposed , troops disembarked.

in italy regiment not supported 1st airborne division, fired in support of 1st canadian infantry division @ campobasso. 1st airborne division withdrawn england, leaving regiment behind. in october supported british 5th infantry division @ rionero , isernia in november. after this, supported 2nd new zealand division during 3 unsuccessful attacks on orsogna. next fired in support of independent 2nd parachute brigade , british 78th infantry division mid-december 1943 january 1944, @ casoli, gessopalena , roccascalegna. regiment withdrawn , sent rejoin 1st airborne division in boston, england.

england

in england regiment trained operations in north-west europe under supervision of airborne corps, commanded lieutenant-general frederick arthur montague browning. although not scheduled take part in normandy landings, operation wastage contingency plan drawn whereby of 1st airborne division parachuted in support of 5 invasion beaches if delays experienced.

in september regiment prepared operation comet during 1st airborne division s 3 brigades land in netherlands , capture 3 river crossings. first of these bridge on river waal @ nijmegen, second bridge on river maas @ grave , bridge on river rhine @ arnhem. planning comet advanced when, on 10 september, mission cancelled. instead, new operation proposed same objectives comet carried out 3 divisions of first allied airborne army.

arnhem

landings first allied airborne army s 3 divisions began in netherlands on 17 september 1944. although allocation of aircraft each division similar, u.s. 101st airborne division, under major general maxwell d. taylor, landing @ nijmegen use 1 lift. u.s. 82nd airborne division, under major general james m. gavin, @ grave required 2 lifts while british 1st airborne division, under major-general roy urquhart, @ arnhem need 3 lifts. whereas 2 american divisions delivered @ least 3 quarters of infantry in first lift, 1st airborne s similar drop used half capacity infantry , remainder deliver vehicles , artillery.

map of arnhem area showing planned drop , landing zones.

the 1st airborne division had required airlift capacity deliver 3 parachute brigades glider-borne anti-tank weapons or 2 of parachute brigades , airlanding brigade on day one. instead however, vast majority of division s vehicles , heavy equipment, plus 1st parachute brigade, of 1st airlanding brigade , divisional troops on first lift, rest follow on next 2 days. following first lift, airlanding brigade remain @ landing grounds defend them following day s lifts, while parachute brigade set out alone capture bridges , ferry crossing on river rhine.

on 17 september 1944, first day of operation, fifty-seven gliders carried regimental headquarters , 1st , 3rd batteries arnhem. 2nd battery , remaining men of regimental headquarters on second day s lift.

with 3 of regiment s men travelling in gliders, 2 pilots stayed guns drivers , provide local protection, until rest of regiment assembled. after landing 3rd battery set gun line east of landing zone z . meanwhile, 1st battery set between 3rd , village of wolfheze. both on call support 1st parachute brigade in advance bridges, , 1st airlanding brigade defending landing zones.

in morning of second day, 19 september, in order support paratroopers in arnhem, guns had move new position beside church in oosterbeek. batteries set on slight high ground existed north-east , north-west of church. @ arnhem road bridge, 2nd parachute battalion, commanded lieutenant colonel john frost, , supporting units, under attack reconnaissance battalion of 9th ss panzer division, attempting force crossing. regiment s guns called action , caused significant damage un-armoured vehicles, armoured cars , half-tracks. later targeted german mortars firing @ 1st parachute battalion trying fight through bridge in arnhem. guns called upon break german attacks on landing zones, still defended 1st airlanding brigade, in danger of being overrun. when thirty-three gliders of 2nd battery on second lift, arrived around 15:00, 1 of guns damaged on landing , had left behind. afternoon, attempt fight through 2nd parachute battalion @ arnhem bridge had failed , remnants of 4 battalions involved started arriving @ regiment s position.

75 mm gun , crew @ oosterbeek, 20 september 1944.

on 20 september division had been forced perimeter around oosterbeek. regiment provided local protection 5 flights of glider pilot regiment. group made remnants of 1st parachute brigade known lonsdale force right. while on left d company, 1st battalion, border regiment. morning germans using tanks, self propelled artillery , infantry attempted break through british line , reach regiment s guns east.

on 21 september, fifth day of operation, germans again attacked east , got within 300 yards (270 m) of guns. engaged in hand-to-hand fighting, infantry support requested , guns firing @ point blank range. german artillery attacked gun line killing , wounding number of men. amongst wounded commanding officer, lieutenant-colonel thompson. 1 of men defending guns major robert cain part of lonsdale force. cain wounded disabling tiger tank, after brought 1 of regiment s guns forward finish off. cain later awarded victoria cross, , other actions during battle. end of days fighting regiment s stock of ammunition running out.

by 22 september, xxx corps had advanced close enough arnhem artillery participate in battle. 1st airlanding regiment s guns broke german attack on glider pilots positions after 07:00 morning. following days took on same pattern until night of 25/26 september, when remnants of 1st airborne division withdrawn south of river rhine. gunners fired remaining ammunition , disabled guns, not used germans. of regiment s 372 men went arnhem, 136 evacuated, 200 reported missing , thirty-eight killed.

norway

after arnhem regiment , division brought strength, war ended before ready further operations. in may 1945, 1st airborne division sent norway disarm , repatriate german occupation army. code named operation doomsday part 1st airlanding light regiment sent stavanger. in june men left join 53rd (worcester yeomanry) airlanding light regiment, part of 6th airborne division. rest of regiment returned england in august , disbanded on 1 december 1945.

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