the 4th Parachute Brigade's Drop Zone at Ginkel Heath
At dawn on 18 September 1944, the Battalions attempting to force their way into Arnhem renewed their advance. Once again, they encountered strong opposition, and decided to follow the route that John Frost’s 2nd Battalion had taken the day before. The 2nd Battalion had succesfully fortified themselves around the north end of the Arnhem Bridge, and beat off a strong German attack by armoured cars, leaving a tange of burning wreckage.
The house where Major-General Urquhart was forced to hide
Major-General Urquhart was still up ahead with the units fighting their way into the town. Attempting to make his way back to his Headquarters he became separated. Brigadier Lathbury was seriously wounded, and Urquhart himself had to shoot a German soldier with his pistol. After hiding Lathbury, Urquhart was forced to take shelter in the attic of a house near the St Elisabeth’s Hospital, just outside the town. At this most critical point in the battle, the Division’s commander was cut off.
Back on the Landing Zone’s, where the rest of the Division remained waiting for the second lift, Brigadier Hicks took charge. He despatched reinforcements into the town, in the shape of the 2nd South Staffords.
When the 4th Parachute Brigade began landing in the afternoon, on Ginkel Heath near Ede, the German’s were waiting for them, the valuable element of surprise lost. As the Dakota’s approached the troops holding the Drop Zone had to clear German’s from it with a spirited bayonet charge. Even then, enemy troops around the heath fired up at the vulnerable transport planes, and the men jumping from them. The Para’s worst fear was an opposed drop. There were many casualties, and soon the heath was on fire. One of the men landing on the heath was my Grandfather, Private Henry Miller, of the 11th Parachute Battalion.
Ginkel Heath on fire
Hicks had ordered the 11th Parachute Battalion to march straight away into the town, and reinforce the units fighting their way into the town. The other two Battalions, the 10th and 156th, along with the Kings Own Scottish Borderers, began their advance along the road from Ede down into Arnhem, to attempt to take the high ground north of the town.
The commander of the 4th Brigade, Brigadier Hackett, was most unhappy with the situation. He was senior to Hicks, and was not happy with the orders he had been given. What ensued was later described as a ‘flaming row’, an unfortunate event in the heat of such a crucial battle. After tempers had been soothed Hackett went back to his Brigade.
The German’s had reacted swiftly to the Landings. Even after a matter of 24 hours, they were gradually drawing a net around the British, at the Bridge and around the Landing grounds. They threw all the troops they could muster into the fray. This compounded the loss of surprise by the British, and the distance they had landed from the Bridge.
By nightfall on the 18th, only one Battalion had reached the Bridge. 4 others were fighting their way towards it, and 3 more were beginning their advance. Already the tide was beginning to turn against the lightly equipped Paras, who would have one last, desparate chance to break through.
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