The Eagle Has Landed

[markrgv]

Sad to hear that Jean Marsh was taken ill last week. I'm sure we all wish her well.

That's sad to hear. I hope she recovers soon.

I met her a couple of years ago and we talked about The Eagle Has Landed. She was extremely nice and looked very well - and younger than she is.

[Azanti]

love Jean Marsh, liked her in Willow too,

On Operation Market Garden

Regarding the Special Jeep Squadron, they did actually reach the bridge and they did land safely. It took longer than expected for them to form up, the first troop that went to towards the Bridge were ambused, two of the jeeps and all their crews were killed and a further two were rights offs. At this time Urquart was mis-informed, as he is seen to be in the movie (My favourite movie too) that the jeeps hadn't arrived, where as in fact only one was lost on the way in. In the mean time messages were sent out to Gough to report to HQ, so the jeeps came back to the HQ, only to find that Urquart had left and would later go missing. Gough meanwhile, then re-traced Frosts route, and arrived at the Bridge with several jeeps and an ammunition trailer and spent the rest of his time at the bridge until its surrender.

Regarding an overview of what mistakes were fundamental to the failure of the Operation as a whole, the one and only singluar change that would have garanteed a sucessful link up over the road, still taking into account everything else that happend historically would have been the capture of Nijmegen Bridge on the first day by the 82nd Airborne. Gavin even considered a gilder assault on the main bridge, but later relented (Various reasons have suggested as to why most of them involving the attitude of the RAF) if this had happened, the link up would have at least taken place, even though the Highway still would have been cut.

Anyways, back to Eagle....

[ayrshireman]

Regarding the Special Jeep Squadron, they did actually reach the bridge and they did land safely. It took longer than expected for them to form up, the first troop that went to towards the Bridge were ambused, two of the jeeps and all their crews were killed and a further two were rights offs. At this time Urquart was mis-informed, as he is seen to be in the movie (My favourite movie too) that the jeeps hadn't arrived, where as in fact only one was lost on the way in. In the mean time messages were sent out to Gough to report to HQ, so the jeeps came back to the HQ, only to find that Urquart had left and would later go missing. Gough meanwhile, then re-traced Frosts route, and arrived at the Bridge with several jeeps and an ammunition trailer and spent the rest of his time at the bridge until its surrender.

I may be wrong on this, but if memory serves John Fairley's definitive 1990 book on the jeep unit states 28 out of 32 jeeps were safely landed. But that some were battered by the landing, and of the ones who set out, as you said two were shot up by Battlegroup Krafft. A battlegroup that would not occupied the route had the squadron set off on time.

The delay came not only from bad landings but that the gliders with the jeeps had been spread about by landings at various locations instead of a correct central drop. Add to that the aforementioned problems in getting some even just out of damaged gliders, and the clock was already ticking. Even although most did arrive, the initial objective was simply unattainable due to delay, the German reaction and some loss of jeep and equipment. Also the poor communication.

The attacking squadron that had landed in Arnhem to take the bridge ended up ironically being a mobile defence force at Oosterbeek.

[Azanti]

No, there are several sources that supercede that book and although the reasons for them being late were various, including the issues with them forming up, the principle reasons were firstly the ambush, and second that they spent most of the day looking for the General, because Gough received orders to contact him as soon as possible.

This is very well documented.

The most up to date books on the subject, rich in detail, are Market Garden, Then and Now, though Gough and Urquarts own accounts also mention this confusion, as do numerous other orders.

In any event, they did reach the bridge eventually, all be it much later than planned and after others had arrived on foot.

Market Garden is something of a specialty subject for me.

[ayrshireman]

Azanti, its also a speciality subject with me.

Gough only took some of his HQ troop (two Jeeps and 7 men) and some of D Troop back to find Urquhart with him. A troop was in reserve as planned, and HQ, C & D troop had headed for the bridge. So most of the squadron kept on with their initial task.

C Troop took 2 hrs and 5 minutes from landing to set off (it took them 1 hr 25m just to get to the jump off point and another 40m to form up) and another 10 minutes before meeting German resistance. D troop also took 2hrs 5 mins to set off from initial landing and it was 4.30 (2hrs 55) before they encountered Germans. A troop took 3 hrs 15 mins to assemble all jeeps (minus the damaged or missing jeeps of no2 and no3 section and their drivers), they moved to intended positions at 17.55 and didnt encounter Germans until the next day.

[Azanti]

Thanks for the extra detail which compliments everything I said. As I said, most of them did arrive, and despite the initial ambush they did get to the Bridge, eventually.

[Azanti]

BTW did you know there is a group of film makers attempting to remake A Bridge Too Far, a subject for another thread when I find out more...

[agutterfan]

For those interested, a special screening hosted by the gorgeous Jenny: http://chicks.org.uk/get-involved/ev...-jenny-agutter