John E Robson

John Emmerson ‘Jack’ Robson of 17 Flight, ‘A’ Squadron, The Glider Pilot Regiment. was born on the 9 September 1920 in New York, USA.

He enlisted in the Welch Regiment 27 April 1939, and went onto serve in the 2nd/5th Battalion, The Welch Regiment.

He flew to LZ ‘W’ on the evening of D-Day, 6 June 1944, with a Horsa glider load (C/N: 133) from the 2nd Battalion, The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry of the 6th Air Landing Brigade. This was part of Operation ‘Mallard’, and they flew out of RAF Harwell. His second pilot was Sgt. Venables.

He flew to LZ ‘L’ near Oosterbeek on the 3rd Lift, 19th September 1944, with a load from the 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade. The Horsa glider (C/N: 123) was towed by a Halifax tug-aircraft of 298 Squadron, RAF piloted by Squadron Leader GH Briggs, DFC, flying from RAF Tarrant Rushton. They should have taken off at 07.45 hrs, but this was delayed, and they eventually took off at 12.15 hrs. “I took off for Arnhem as part of the third lift, on September 19th. As best I can remember, the take-off point was Tarrant Rushton. The manifest consisted of 1 jeep, 1 six pounder gun, and seven assorted bodies with a bicycle. All Poles from the Polish Air Landing Brigade”. [1]

The second pilot was, again, 5773041. Sergeant Gerald Windsor Curry ‘Gerry’ Venables, [2] and the load was a Jeep, trailer and two motor-cycles, plus four men of the 1st Polish Anti-Tank Troop.

During the battle in the woods, south of the railway (between Wolfheze and Oosterbeek) he was taken prisoner, and was sent to Stalag Luft 7, POW No: 946. He was housed in Barrack Hut No 46, room No 10.

He was discharged on the 14 January 1947.

NOTES:

[1] Letter from Jack Robson to Bob Hilton. 13 January 1997.

[2] Sgt. Venables had originally enlisted into the Royal Norfolk Regiment on the 11/01/1939, but had then transferred to the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers, before volunteering for the Glider Pilot Regiment. He was WIA/POW, and sent to Stalag 11B, 118710. He transferred to the Royal Engineers on the 09/02/46.

He transferred to the Royal Engineers on the 09/02/46.