EVADED CAPTURE IN HOLLAND. Op Market Garden

Evaded Capture in Holland. Statements made by

2033893. Pte. HUME, William.                     

2049705. Pte VAUGHAN, Dennis Michael.   .

6298911. Pte SHARP, Ronald Francis.  All members of 3 Battalion The Parachute Regiment, 1 Airborne Division

Left: EINDHOVEN, 24 Oct 44                                  Arrived: UK, 24 Oct 44

(For personal details see end of this report)

17 Sep 44, Dropped by parachute near RENKUM.

We were dropped with our battalion at 1345 hrs on 17 Sep 44 east of RENKUM (N.W. EUROPE 1:250,000, Sheet 2A and 3A, E 6276). We proceeded to OOSTERBEEK (E 7079) and were engaged by the enemy.

19 Sep 44, Cut off by enemy action at OOSTERBEEK.

At 0200 hrs on 19 Sep Col. FITCH gave orders to evacuate. We then believed that we were the last three of our party to leave the cover of the houses. We were cut off by machine gun fire and we returned to one of the houses in OOSTERBEEK and took turns in keeping guard at one of the windows. We remained there until the morning of 23 Sep.

On 22 Sep the area surrounding the houses was used as a half-track vehicle park. At about 1600 hrs a Dutchman brought a note to us which stated that Cpl. WESTCOTTE and Cpl BARTLE of A Coy, Ptes MITCLEMORE, SMITH (last two figures of personal number are 80) and WALKER of H.Q. Coy, and Pte. DRINKWATER of ‘C’ Coy, were in a nearby house. They asked us to join them, but this was impossible because of enemy action. We did not see them, and we do not know what happened to them.

On the morning of 23 Sep another Dutchman came to the house and discovered us. He advised us to leave, as the Germans intended to use the houses, including the one we were in, as billets. The Dutchman went away and returned later that day with two bicycles and three suits of civilian clothes. We changed to civilian clothes and hid our uniforms and equipment in the cellar. We left the house during the afternoon of 23 Sep.

Ptes VAUGHAN and SHARP:

We travelled by bicycle escorted by a Dutchman to a house in ARNHEM (E 77).

Pte HUME:

I left the house escorted by a Dutchman and we walked to a house in ARNHEM, where I re-joined Ptes. VAUGHAN and SHARP.

Ptes HUME, VAUGHAN and SHARP:

23 Sep 44, ARNHEM

We remained at this house in ARNHEM until 10 Oct. During this time we were visited by a Dutch doctor who dressed Pte. HUME’s arm which had been burnt by a flame-thrower.

10 Oct 44, OUD REEMST.

At 0600 hrs on 10 Oct the doctor and another doctor took us by bicycle to the Elizabeth Hospital in ARNHEM. There we were met by a Dutch civilian who escorted the three of us to a house about 8 km NW of RNHEM. We were met by another escort who took us to a Red Cross building in OUD REEMST (E 6286). We remained there for about two hours and then two Dutchmen escorted us to a shooting lodge in the woods SE of OUD REEMST, where we met Capt DEVLIN, RAMC and six airborne troops (names unknown).

On 11 Oct Capt DEVLIN and three of the airborne troops, probably RAMC Orderlies, were taken to EDE (E 5985).

The remaining six of us stayed at this hut until 22 Oct. During this time we were supplied with food by the Dutch Underground movement and at intervals we were joined by other evaders, members of the RAF and USAAF, etc (names unknown) and Capt GRIFFITHS, RA

At 1100 hrs on 22 Oct Major. HIBBERT, 2 Bn, Para Regt, arrived at the hut dressed in civilian clothes.

The remainder of our experiences are as related by Major. Hibbert IN HIS REPORT (S/P.G. (H) 2849).

                                                Pte HUME.                          Pte VAUGHAN.                  Pte SHARP.

Date of Birth:                       3 Mar 18.                              6 Feb 21.                               13 Aug 23.

Army Service:                      Since 11 Feb 35 (TA)           Since 3 Mar 38                    Since 29 Dec 41.

Peacetime Profession:        Electrician.                            Grocer’s apprentice.            Waiter.

Private Address:                 EASTLEIGH, Hants.            SOUTHAMPTON.               SPALDING, Lincs.