Captain Captain Michael Grubb

Michael ‘Mike’ Grubb was born on the 30th August 1920 and came from Farnham in Surrey.

He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in The Border Regiment on the 31st December 1939 and served in France in 1940 with the 1st Bn, The Border Regiment. [1]

He was promoted to full Lieutenant on the 1st July 1941.

He was one of the Officers who helped to form the 31st Independent Reconnaissance Company and was therefore with the 1st Air Landing Company from the beginning. He became the Signals Officer, but later was promoted and became the Adjutant and went to North Africa with the Squadron in May 1943 in that capacity. During his time in North Africa, he carried out a parachute course run by the 4th Parachute Brigade in August 1943.

In September 1943 he took part in ‘Operation Slapstick’, the 1st Airborne Division’s landings at the Italian port of Taranto.

Upon the return to the U.K., he became the Commander of ‘A’ Troop, when Captain Firbank went off to Staff College, in January-February 1944. He was confirmed in the rank of Acting Captain on the 9th of March 1944.

On Sunday, 17th September 1944 he took off from Barkston Heath aerodrome and parachuted onto D.Z. ‘X’, near Heelsum in Holland, as part of ‘Operation Market-Garden’. He was slightly frustrated by the lack of vehicles from his Troop that had arrived at the R.V. but knew his Troop was in reserve and that the urgency for ‘getting on’ lay with the other Troop’s.

He was wounded and taken prisoner during the Oosterbeek perimeter battle and was sent to Oflag IX-A/H at Spangenberg, Hessen in Germany (POW No 2113).

He is mentioned extensively in ‘Remember Arnhem’ by John Fairley, pages 40, 76, 86-87, 92, 94, 106, 113, 126, 133, 151, 169, 178, 196 & 213.

This is his personal account:

‘BATTLE OF ARNHEM – Log of events written in October 1944, after arrival in Oflag IX AH, Spangenberg, Germany.

Sunday, 17th Sept 1944.

The show is on. Left billets at 0915 hrs. Airfield at Barkston Heath (on B6403 N.E. of Grantham). The planes lined up are an impressive sight. The inevitable wait. Finally take off at 1100 hrs. All the ground staff turned out to see us go. Perfect flight over a smooth sea. One or two gliders seen force landed. The Dutch islands flooded. Perfect run in and drop at 1407 hrs. All Sqn Para Party were at RV. About 5 casualties. Bob (Guthrie) put a Sten round through his hand. A-Tp tpt 4 jeeps short. Finally move to Div HQ before dark. Formed part of their perimeter at night and got some sleep. 2 Sect and 3 Sect vehicles missing.

Monday, 18th Sept.

Tried to get 3 Sect vehicles out of gliders. They were eventually extracted in the afternoon. Moved out to the main road to Arnhem behind ‘D’ Tp. Held up by a railway bridge (beyond Oosterbeek). Did foot patrol and took up position by green. More patrols to the railway during the afternoon. Dutch people were very friendly producing beer and apples and tea. Bivouaced in Sqn area at Div for night, opposite Hartenstein.

Tuesday, 19th Sept.

Joined by 2 Sect vehicles from C-Tp. [2] They had force landed in England and come on 2nd Lift. Recce towards Renkum. D-Tp on the left. 2 Sect got to the outskirts and met tanks. Finally observed on line of road – North and South through woods. Captured 4 prisoners and knocked out light gun. Took patrol from 3 Sect to house looking for Quisling. Delightful Dutch people. Observed John Park, D-Tp, from the water tower. Recalled to do patrol to Wolfhezen. 1 Sect vehicle radiator punctured by Vickers K, By Grham Wadsworth. Considerable chaos of 4 Bde, Wolfheze area. Returned to Sqn area at dusk. Casualties by mortar bomb. Good night in Sqn harbour by Div HQ. Dug in positions.

Wednesday, 20th Sept.

Tp sent up to Railway Bridge (North of Oosterbeek – near entrance to Airborne Cemetery). Sent out patrols from 200 yards and met Glider Pilots in wood. Encountered SP Gun in road. Took vehicles back to sqn HQ and went up on foot to hold cross roads (junction of Krugerstraat and Mariaweg) to South-West of bridge.  Dougie Galbraith blown out of house to North. Took up Section positions in houses and ??? on cross roads. During night 156 Bn came up and took over bakery and also house to our front by the woods. GP’s came up early on 21st Sept and dug-in on cross roads. Dutch people very helpful. Most of them kept to cellars. Our system at night – shut up house, with posts on top floors observing.

Thursday, 21st Sept.

Bertie Lickorish came up and Tom Collier (QM) sent 38 Set, papers, etc. Took patrol out for panniers. Our area mortared and hit. 156 Bn disappeared for time. Dougie did excellent work snipping and knocked out MG 42 and team. He was first class. Major. Powell, 156 Bn, ordered to command our sector with A-Tp and D-Tp. Went round with him and John Park, OC, D-Tp, after dark to allot area’s. Steve Stevenson moved over to North side of road at dawn and Powell established his HQ in house on South side. Had shave in morning. Graham Wadsworth took patrol to KOSB on left of D-Tp.

Friday, 22nd Sept.

Continued to hold our three houses. Steve had Sgt. Riches in bakery. P’s knocked out lorry on road with PIAT, towed back by carrier. 156 Bn did far too much intermittent firing all day (giving away positions). We did not fire a shot. Rung up by Brigadier Hackett and told to send PIAT patrols for SP guns. Saw GP’s and went along to D-Tp and KOSB’s. Got some sleep at 0200 hrs. Two houses on fire nearby.

Saturday, 23rd Sept.

Sent out patrol at 0500 hrs under Steve to houses to North. Nothing seen. Bakery evacuated by 1 Sect. We retook it by counter attack. It caught on fire. In later afternoon SP Gun came up, which we hit with PIAT. A tank came through garden of our house (Tp HQ, Sect), started to blow us out and forced us to move back to houses on other side of the road. A-Tp moved nearer D-Tp. Hit in ankle by splinter from [a mortar]. Spent night in house. Dougie sent for supplies from Sqn HQ.

Sunday, 24th Sept.

Evacuated by jeep by Bellwood [3] and Cpl. Jenkins, RAMC [4] to 133 Fd Amb, Pietersberg. Drove through German lines with Red Cross flag. A lot of badly wounded, no chance of having splinter removed. Soon afterwards house was mortared. We moved down to cellar. During morning the place was shelled and mortared during afternoon and evening. Met Cfmn. York. [5] Uncomfortable night in cellar, very crowded with 1 blanket. The men very cheerful, and the RAMC Orderlies splendid. The RAMC were doing terrific work.

Monday, 25th Sept.

As on Sunday. House area mortared and shelled. Enemy still in occupation. Food scarce. RAMC Orderlies splendid. At dusk walking wounded evacuated by jeep to 181 Fd Ambulance on main road, Schoonoord Hotel. Two wonderful Dutch girls [6] taking round tea and biscuits. They had terrific courage. Padre. Pare [7] gave us some chocolate and sweets and said prayers. Very heavy shelling by 30 Corps Artillery during early part of night of area to North of us (Div evacuation). Got some sleep later.

Tuesday, 26th Sept.

All walking, or so called, wounded evacuated by German trucks to Apeldoorn, some 20 miles North of Arnhem, where we found a train. 23 in cattle trucks. About 500 wounded with 2 RAMC Orderlies and no Doctor. Met Bob Guthrie. Spent all day in siding. Red Crosses painted on roof on our demand. Moved off at dusk. We had straw in our truck. Very little water, which we collected in helmets from guards. Only a little bread and meat to eat.

Wednesday, 27th Sept.

Passed through Munster, which looked well hit. Not a smile on the faces of the people. I don’t think they liked us. Some engines looked good, but mostly rusty.

Thursday, 28th Sept.

After another cold night we arrived at Falingbostel, North of Hanover. Arrived Stalag XIB.

Airborne officers transferred by train to Oflag IX A/H at Spangenberg, East of Kassel. Held here, in reasonable conditions, but short of food, until 29th March [1945], when we were moved on foot Eastwards. Considerable military and civilian chaos on roads. It was good to see the German Army in full retreat. By 6th April we had crossed the River Werra and felt it time to take over our guards arms. Americans of 6th Armoured Div had caught up with us at Wanfried. We were flown back to Paris from Eschwege in Dakota’s, which had brought up petrol, and thence home to England.

Altogether an interesting and exciting experience.’

He was recommended for the Military Cross, for his actions at Arnhem, but it was rejected.

On his return to England from the POW Camp in Germany he decided to stay on in the Army, returning to the Border Regiment, and was confirmed in the rank of Captain on the 1st July 1946 and then Major on the 31st December 1952. He retired from the Army on the 3rd December 1960.

On the death of David Allsop, ‘Mike’ Grubb agreed to take over as President of the 1st Airborne Recce Squadron Association in 1987.

‘Mike’ Grubb died on the 19th of September 1993 at Yeovil in Somerset.

NOTES:

[1] Letter in 1st Airborne Recce Squadron Newsletter No 25, October 1988, page 11.

[2] This sounds as if the 2 Section Jeeps, with their drivers, stayed with C-Troop, near the L.Z. area after landing on Monday, 18th September 1944.

[3] 3602940. L/Cpl. Maurice Simpson Bellwood. Driver, MT Section.

[4] 7345277. Pte. Walter Jenkins. R.A.M.C., Medical Orderly, HQ-Troop.

[5] 1603588. Cfmn. George Edwin York, MM. R.E.M.E., Mechanic, HQ-Troop.

[6] One of them was Hendrika van der Vlist.

[7] Capt/Reverend. George Alfred Francis Pare. Chaplain, No 1 Wing, The Glider Pilot Regiment.