Post by Danny Boy on Mar 20, 2003 12:24:53 GMT -5
For all of you with a "gung-ho" attitude to warfare.
My Father was asked, 2 years ago, to give his recolection of The Battle of Arnhem. The bits in brackets I have added from what he told me. Sorry if it as a bit long
Dear Philip
Many thanks for your enquiry about my recollections of the 4th Dorset’s involvement in the Battle of Arnhem. I've tried to put down as much as I can remember. I hope it will be of use to the Arnhem Battle Research Group.
Account by Roy Hannam, Private 5728543 of the 4th Dorset regiment, of the 24th- 25th September engagement at "The Island", Driel, Holland.
The 4th Dorset Regiment under the command of Lt Colonel Tilley was trying to help evacuate 1st Airborne Division troops who were trapped on the other side of the Lower Rhine. We knew little of what was happening, except that it was touch and go for the Airborne troops.
'A' company of the 4th Dorsets, together with elements of the Polish Brigade, were to cross the water and wipe out German opposition over a narrow stretch of land, creating a safe corridor for the retreat of the Airborne troops back to the riverbank.
I wasn't actually a member of the 4th Dorset rifle companies but was attached to head quarter’s company as a jeep driver. As my jeep had been destroyed at the Normandy landing (my father had been stood down and told to “get some sleep” after 2 days without sleep, the driver who took over the jeep was killed when the jeep took a direct hit less than 4 hours after my father handed it over), I was driving a water truck instead. It was supplying the rifle companies at Driel with water.
On the night of the 24th September the Dorsets gathered near the riverbank, behind orchards. We were located in what I believe was a factory. It was 25 yards downstream from one of two guide ropes that had been strung across the river.
That night a few liaison officers went across to make contact with the Airborne men and tell them that we were going to get them out the next night.
During the next day, the 25th, we went to ground waiting for evening. The idea was that after dark our men in 'A' company, and the Poles, would go across in 8-seater assault boats and form the corridor - but things didn't go according to plan, as often happens in war.
When it got dark our troops moved up through orchards to the riverbank. The riverbank was very dark, steep and muddy. There was heavy fire - artillery, mortars, and heavy machine gun fire from across the river. Our guns fired back quite a bit too.
That night I was seconded from the water truck to man a Bren gun as one of its two operators had been wounded. My job was to fire on fixed lines across to the German positions to keep them pinned down.
Things started to go wrong when the Polish troops who were supposed to be crossing with 'A' company become annoyed and did not want to cross the river. They were unhappy as they thought they were being asked to do more than other troops and were being put into unnecessary danger. So 'B' company of the 4th Dorsets came to replace them and cross the Lower Rhine with 'A' company. I don't know what happened to the Poles after that.
We were expecting our assault boats to be delivered on the back of DWKs but the transporters ran off the marshy roads and down step embankments. This mean we didn't have any assault craft so 'A' company and 'B' company used the Poles' boats instead. But there were problems as many of the boats were missing their paddles.
Many of our men who went across that night didn't come back - either killed or captured. The battalion lost approximately 200 men and officers - spread over both companies. But we did succeed in creating the safe corridor for the Airborne's escape.
'A' company was commanded by Major Grafton and 'B' company by Major Whittle. (I don't know if Major Whittle had been with the Battalion right through from Normandy. Major Roper of C Company also had been in the Battalion since landing in Normandy.)
I can clearly remember Major Hall, who was also a long-serving member of the battalion. He made several crossings of the river that night, trying to contact members of our battalion. Very few were found. I'm not sure but I think he might have been wounded.
The Airborne who did get back - about 2,000 I think - were in a terrible condition and yet remarkably cheerful under the circumstances, and despite the terrible losses (1,500 killed 7,000 taken prisoner) they had suffered. Some came back in assault boats but many had swum back, which must have been awful as the river was very fast flowing. I can remember that some of the men were naked.
It seems hard to believe how calm they were but I suppose by now death was an everyday thing for them and all people cared about was that they had survived.
It was a terrible night. I can remember one chap describing it as a river of blood. I'm sorry I can't really recall much more, but it was 55 years ago.
After the battle the battalion went back to a little village called MERKLEBERK? to regroup and be brought back up to strength. After that we went back to Belgium to the Ardennes.
I served with the 4th Dorset Regiment continuously from 1940 to 1945. Unfortunately, as much of the Battalion had been wiped out in previous actions in France, many of the men at "the Island" were replacements and hence were strangers to me. For that reason I can't put you in touch with anyone else who was there. Sorry
I'm not sure, but I think there were only 87 of the original 4th Dorset men from 1940 still serving at the end of the war (how fuckin’ sad is that, when you realise that he joined up with 1000 men, many of whom were friends he had grown up with).
I've enclosed four photographs which I hope might be of interest. I am on the left in the picture of four soldiers. Jim Corbin, third from left, was my co-driver on the water truck.
I am front row left in the group shot of 'A' company. Many of the men in this picture were lost or captured on the 12th July at Etterville in France.
I'm front row left in the smaller football picture and front row right in the larger one (he played for the England army team against Scotland in Italy, he still has the programme, it lists all the player and their teams, Wolverhampton Wanders, Arsenal etc, and the old man’s team, “Lytchett Red Triangle”, classic),
I hope this is of help. If you need to know more please don't hesitate to get back in touch with me.
Yours sincerely
Roy Hannam
My Father was asked, 2 years ago, to give his recolection of The Battle of Arnhem. The bits in brackets I have added from what he told me. Sorry if it as a bit long
Dear Philip
Many thanks for your enquiry about my recollections of the 4th Dorset’s involvement in the Battle of Arnhem. I've tried to put down as much as I can remember. I hope it will be of use to the Arnhem Battle Research Group.
Account by Roy Hannam, Private 5728543 of the 4th Dorset regiment, of the 24th- 25th September engagement at "The Island", Driel, Holland.
The 4th Dorset Regiment under the command of Lt Colonel Tilley was trying to help evacuate 1st Airborne Division troops who were trapped on the other side of the Lower Rhine. We knew little of what was happening, except that it was touch and go for the Airborne troops.
'A' company of the 4th Dorsets, together with elements of the Polish Brigade, were to cross the water and wipe out German opposition over a narrow stretch of land, creating a safe corridor for the retreat of the Airborne troops back to the riverbank.
I wasn't actually a member of the 4th Dorset rifle companies but was attached to head quarter’s company as a jeep driver. As my jeep had been destroyed at the Normandy landing (my father had been stood down and told to “get some sleep” after 2 days without sleep, the driver who took over the jeep was killed when the jeep took a direct hit less than 4 hours after my father handed it over), I was driving a water truck instead. It was supplying the rifle companies at Driel with water.
On the night of the 24th September the Dorsets gathered near the riverbank, behind orchards. We were located in what I believe was a factory. It was 25 yards downstream from one of two guide ropes that had been strung across the river.
That night a few liaison officers went across to make contact with the Airborne men and tell them that we were going to get them out the next night.
During the next day, the 25th, we went to ground waiting for evening. The idea was that after dark our men in 'A' company, and the Poles, would go across in 8-seater assault boats and form the corridor - but things didn't go according to plan, as often happens in war.
When it got dark our troops moved up through orchards to the riverbank. The riverbank was very dark, steep and muddy. There was heavy fire - artillery, mortars, and heavy machine gun fire from across the river. Our guns fired back quite a bit too.
That night I was seconded from the water truck to man a Bren gun as one of its two operators had been wounded. My job was to fire on fixed lines across to the German positions to keep them pinned down.
Things started to go wrong when the Polish troops who were supposed to be crossing with 'A' company become annoyed and did not want to cross the river. They were unhappy as they thought they were being asked to do more than other troops and were being put into unnecessary danger. So 'B' company of the 4th Dorsets came to replace them and cross the Lower Rhine with 'A' company. I don't know what happened to the Poles after that.
We were expecting our assault boats to be delivered on the back of DWKs but the transporters ran off the marshy roads and down step embankments. This mean we didn't have any assault craft so 'A' company and 'B' company used the Poles' boats instead. But there were problems as many of the boats were missing their paddles.
Many of our men who went across that night didn't come back - either killed or captured. The battalion lost approximately 200 men and officers - spread over both companies. But we did succeed in creating the safe corridor for the Airborne's escape.
'A' company was commanded by Major Grafton and 'B' company by Major Whittle. (I don't know if Major Whittle had been with the Battalion right through from Normandy. Major Roper of C Company also had been in the Battalion since landing in Normandy.)
I can clearly remember Major Hall, who was also a long-serving member of the battalion. He made several crossings of the river that night, trying to contact members of our battalion. Very few were found. I'm not sure but I think he might have been wounded.
The Airborne who did get back - about 2,000 I think - were in a terrible condition and yet remarkably cheerful under the circumstances, and despite the terrible losses (1,500 killed 7,000 taken prisoner) they had suffered. Some came back in assault boats but many had swum back, which must have been awful as the river was very fast flowing. I can remember that some of the men were naked.
It seems hard to believe how calm they were but I suppose by now death was an everyday thing for them and all people cared about was that they had survived.
It was a terrible night. I can remember one chap describing it as a river of blood. I'm sorry I can't really recall much more, but it was 55 years ago.
After the battle the battalion went back to a little village called MERKLEBERK? to regroup and be brought back up to strength. After that we went back to Belgium to the Ardennes.
I served with the 4th Dorset Regiment continuously from 1940 to 1945. Unfortunately, as much of the Battalion had been wiped out in previous actions in France, many of the men at "the Island" were replacements and hence were strangers to me. For that reason I can't put you in touch with anyone else who was there. Sorry
I'm not sure, but I think there were only 87 of the original 4th Dorset men from 1940 still serving at the end of the war (how fuckin’ sad is that, when you realise that he joined up with 1000 men, many of whom were friends he had grown up with).
I've enclosed four photographs which I hope might be of interest. I am on the left in the picture of four soldiers. Jim Corbin, third from left, was my co-driver on the water truck.
I am front row left in the group shot of 'A' company. Many of the men in this picture were lost or captured on the 12th July at Etterville in France.
I'm front row left in the smaller football picture and front row right in the larger one (he played for the England army team against Scotland in Italy, he still has the programme, it lists all the player and their teams, Wolverhampton Wanders, Arsenal etc, and the old man’s team, “Lytchett Red Triangle”, classic),
I hope this is of help. If you need to know more please don't hesitate to get back in touch with me.
Yours sincerely
Roy Hannam
Don't Die Before You Live...