Airborne Assault MuseumArticle
Arnhem (Operation Market Garden)
1st Allied Airborne Corps, which included the American 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, was tasked to secure the main canal...
Driver Walter Godfrey Venables was born in 1915 and enlisted in the Welch Regiment on 16 May 1940.After time at 305 Infantry Training Centre he had various postings with the Regiment until transferring to the RASC towards the end of 1942.
He was posted to 93 Airborne Composite Company on 16 May 1943.
While with 93 Airborne Composite Company he served overseas in North Africa when the Coy was based at M’Saken, near Sousse and undertook intensive training in technique of re-supply by air, including container and pannier drops from Albemarles; later in 1943 he served in Italy.
In August 1944 he served in France supporting the advance of the allied forces from Normandy.
He was also part of the Coy’s attempted relief effort for Market Garden. Using two 3 Ton vehicles loaded with ammunition, they attempted to reach the Rhine in order to ferry across supplies to the besieged 1st Airborne Division. Regrettably, the attempt failed.
His final overseas deployment was Operation Doomsday in May 1945, as part of the occupation of Norway to disarm German Troops, before returning to the UK in September 1945.
After a brief move to Minstead, in the New Forest, Driver Venables transferred to the Army Reserve in April 1946.
Walter Venables died in March 1987.
Based on information kindly supplied by Ian Venables.
Service History
- 1940 305 Infantry Training Centre (Private)
- 1940 17 Home Defence Battalion (Private)
- 1940 17th Battalion Welch Regiment (Private)
- 1941 60 Holding Battalion (Private)
- 1941 31st Battalion Welch Regiment (Private)
- 1942 9 Training Battalion RASC (Private)
- 1943 20 Armoured Brigade Company RASC (Driver)
- 1943 93 (Airborne) Composite Company RASC (Driver)
