Second Lieutenant Leslie A Curtis MM

Second Lieutenant. Leslie Arthur Curtis, was a member of Headquarter Company, 1st Parachute Battalion.

Leslie Curtis was born in 1919 in Hammersmith, London. The son of Albert James Curtis, and Emma Boyce, of Tottenham, London, he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Groesbeek Memorial panel 8.

He enlisted into the Grenadier Guards on the 20 January 1940. [1]

Not long after he had completed his training he volunteered for parachute duties with No 2 Commando and was posted to the unit on the 17 August 1940, being made an Acting Corporal on the same day, and then he was made a war Substantive Corporal on the 14 November 1940.

At some stage during his early service he became known by the nickname ‘Gerry’, or sometimes ‘Jerry’.

He originally did a parachute course in late 1940 or early 1941, before proper records were kept.

In August/September 1941, when the 11th SAS Battalion (the title was changed from No 2 Commando on the 12 December 1940) was converted to the 1st Parachute Battalion, Corporal. Curtis was serving as a Section Second-in-Command in 9 Platoon, ‘T’ Company. [2]

As a Corporal, he was the Anti-Tank Section Commander attached to ‘T’ Company in October 1942, and he went to North Africa on Operation ‘TORCH’. [3]

On the 16 November 1942 he took part in the parachute drop at Souk-el-Arba in Tunisia, having taken off from Maison Blanche Airfield near Algiers in Algeria.

He was promoted to Acting Sergeant on the 6 January 1943.

As a Sergeant, and acting as a Platoon Commander, he took part in an action in North Africa on the night of the 27/28 March 1943, for which he was awarded the Military Medal.

The award of his Military Medal was announced in the London Gazette on the 15 June 1943, and reads:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and leadership.

On the 27/28 March 43 the Battalion attacked strong enemy positions in the Djebel Aboid sector (Tunisia sheet 10). Sergeant Curtis was a Platoon Commander in one of the forward companies. The advance of the company was held up by an enemy minefield and heavy machine gun fire. Sergeant Curtis showing a complete disregard for his own safety led his platoon through the minefield and attacked the enemy machine gun positions destroying many machine guns and capturing thirty prisoners. By this act of leadership and gallantry Sergeant Curtis was an inspiration to the men under his command and by his leadership prevented the advance of his company from being held up.’

He was promoted to War Substantive Sergeant on the 5 July 1943.

Sgt. Curtis was discharged to a Commission, as a Second Lieutenant, on the 22 June 1944. [1]

His Commission was formally announced in the London Gazette on the 29 August 1944.

He did another Parachute Course, No 123, at RAF Ringway, 2 – 18 July 1944. [4]

Still serving with the 1st Parachute Battalion, in Headquarter Company, he commanded the 1st Glider Party, on Sunday, 17 September 1944. This group of four Horsa gliders carried eight Jeeps and men, and flew from RAF Keevil, with glider pilots from ‘D’ Squadron, The Glider Pilot Regiment, and landed successfully at LZ ‘Z’ near Wolfheze in Holland as part of Operation ‘MARKET’.

After gathering at the 1st Parachute Brigade Transport Section R.V. Point, it was found that there were only six Jeeps present. After waiting a while for them and the two Bren Carriers to turn up, he then set off for the Battalion R.V. Point at the wood just North of Jonkershoeve. ‘Gerry’ Curtis was not to know that one of the Horsa gliders had ditched in the English Channel and that two of the Jeeps were lost.

Between 15.40 and 16.00 hours the battalion set off on what had been designated as Route ‘LEOPARD’, which would take them North of the railway line and onto the high ground just to the North of Arnhem. However, at Wolfheze railway station they were informed of an enemy force blocking the track that they were supposed to follow, just to the North of the railway line, and the CO (Lieut-Colonel. David Dobie), decided to change the route to the North along the Wolfhezerweg, leading towards the Amsterdamseweg.

Only an hour after this change in route the battalion made direct contact with an enemy force and they would have to change their route again, this time along a track just on the edge of a large wooded area, and just to the South of the Amsterdamseweg, and heading East. Only about a mile along this route they again encountered a strong enemy force and would be halted in that area for the next six to eight hours.

Extract from Battalion war diary:

‘Sunday, 17th September 1944. 22.00hrs. Major Bune returned with 2 i/c R-Coy – they had 50 per cent casualties and could not get casualties away. Sent M.O. Field Ambulance back with 2 i/c R-Coy with all available transport for evacuation of casualties – 2 i/c to bring remainder Coy back  to Bn. Sent patrols to main road – many enemy – spasmodic fighting and firing.’

This meant that at least two, possibly three of the Jeeps were taken by Major. John Bune and Capt. Stanley Kaye and part of his Section of the 16th Parachute Field Ambulance, RAMC and would not be able to re-join the battalion.

The CO now decided to abandon the attempt to reach the original objective and try to get through to the 2nd Parachute Battalion, which he had been informed had reached the Bridge and were in need of reinforcements. This meant moving away from the enemy force, which were on virtually three sides of them, without making any noise, so the vehicles would have to be pushed to start with.

Extract from the Battalion War Diary:

‘Monday, 18th September 1944. 03.00hrs. Very bad going through woods with [6 Pdr] guns, [Bren] Carriers, etc. Bumped enemy post X tracks 697797 (approx) – caused enemy casualties – enemy withdrew (Major Bune and Mortar Det missing).’

Eventually they re-crossed the railway line and made their way along the Utrechtseweg towards Arnhem, but in the area of the open ground near the railway line that branched off towards Nijmegen, the lead unit, ‘S’ Company came under fire and a short, sharp battle developed here. The Transport Section was at the rear of the battalion column, and must have been in the area of the road junction with Beukenlaan, where Capt. Arthur Percival and Sgt. William Hayden, set up the Regimental Aid Post. Again Jeeps of Gerry’s Section were used for the transport of the wounded, this time to the St Elizabeth’s Hospital in Arnhem: “My own M.O. (Capt Percival) was attending about twenty men grouped in about 4 houses (M.R: area 705781). An ambulance from the 16 PFA MDS. in town had taken some of these men under Capt Percival’s care back into Arnhem. Whilst the ambulance was making these runs I was sent down to 1st Bn area to get transport for a number of wounded. On the return journey with transport for these wounded we were fired upon and were unable to get through to Capt Percival. I did, however, see the ambulance draw out from one of the houses and go in the direction of the town. I presume that Capt Percival was taken prisoner.” [5]

The battalion again changed direction and moved onto the Southern route, the Benedendorpsweg, used by the 2nd Parachute Battalion (Route ‘LION’), and attempted to keep moving East towards Arnhem Bridge. ‘T’ Company now took over the lead, Sgt. ‘Bob’ Quayle: “I told the lads what I expected them to do and then took off down a street. We went as fast as we could until we reached the low road. Not a lot happened but it must be remembered we were not trained experts at street fighting. There were quite a large number of men on the low road and I recognised the chaps from HQ Company. 11 Platoon turned up and so did Company HQ and my Commander, Lieutenant Davies: He had broken his wrist watch, so borrowed mine. I had a pleasant surprise here. I met ‘Gerry’ Curtis, who had been my Platoon Sergeant in Tunisia where he was awarded the MM. When the battalion went to invade Italy he had gone home to train as an officer. He told me he had joined the Battalion only a couple of days before.” [6]

Not long after they passed the Lower Oosterbeek railway station (08.00 hous) the battalion again ran into a strong enemy position, and this time ‘T’ Company had to carry out the attack to clear them. This failed and the effort to dislodge them would take until 15.00 hours. All the time the Transport Section was being held back at the rear of the battalion, and therefore out of direct line of fire of the enemy.

Eventually the Battalion were able to advance as far as the junction of the Bovenover and the Ondleangs near the Rijn Hotel, and just a short distance from the St Elizabeth’s Hospital. A plan was now formulated between the CO and the CO (Lieut-Colonel. Derek McCardie) of the 2nd Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment, to launch an attack that night at 21.00 hours, but confused radio messages about the situation at the Bridge and from Divisional HQ, meant that this was delayed until the early hours of the 19th September, by which time they had been joined by the Lieut-Colonel. George Lea, and his 11th Parachute Battalion.

This combined assault got under way at 04.00 hours, and initially made good progress, but as it got light the assault stalled under the weight of the enemy fire, and then finally it was stopped and the Germans counter-attacked driving the various British units back, with Lieut-Colonel. Dobie wounded and taken prisoner, and all fifteen of his Rifle Company officers becoming casualties.

Extract from the Battalion War Diary:

‘Tuesday, 19th September 1944. 02.00hrs. In the transport area 726778, 40-50 men under Lt. Williams. He set about gathering into this area stragglers and isolated parties cut off from the Bn. 2nd Glider Lift party under Lt. Turrell arrived during the night.

09.00hrs. The Bn now 200 strong under Lt. Williams, with Lt’s. Turrell, Clarkson, Curtis, Lt.(QM) Brown, Capt. Caird the F.O.O. and Capt. Watkins the Padre.

09.30hrs. Patrol by Lt’s. Williams, Curtis & Turrell on a jeep with a Vickers M.G. mounted. This penetrated far into town before meeting heavy opposition, but failed to find the rest of the Bn.’

The battalion, along with the remnants of the 3rd and 11th Parachute Battalion’s, and the 2nd Bn, The South Staffs, all minus their C.O’s, were forced to withdraw to the Western side of the railway underpass, and to the edge of Oosterbeek village, along the Benedendorpsweg.

Private. ‘Fred’ Moore of the Medium Machine Gun Platoon, was amongst those that were moving back towards Oosterbeek: “It was at this point that I was overtaken by an old friend. Jerry Curtis had been my section Lance Corporal way back in 1941, when we were designated 11 SAS and housed in civvy billets in Knutsford. We had become good friends and remained together until the North African campaign, when he had been promoted in the field to 2nd Lieutenant. Now he informed me that his runner had been killed and we agreed that I would take his place. We reached a road junction where everyone was halted and those officers that still survived were summoned to formulate a coherent plan. The conference was in the grounds of a large building on the corner of the road junction and Jerry instructed me to wait inside the building. Left to explore the various rooms in the building, I looked for and found a large kitchen with a stove, a frypan, a supply of eggs and some butter. Not one to pass up an opportunity, I threw four eggs into the frypan and was soon rewarded with the characteristic sound and sight of eggs popping and crackling. I thought to myself how pleased Jerry would be when he rejoined me, but just as the yolks were firming and the outside turning white, I heard Jerry calling out to me from the front door. ‘I’m just cooking some eggs for us’; I said. ‘Never mind the eggs’, he replied, ‘we have a job to do!’ He explained that there were German tanks in the vicinity and the assembled troops were to evacuate the area as quickly as possible, making their way back to Oosterbeek, where a perimeter was to be defended and that he, me and a gunner from the Anti-tank Brigade were to remain behind for fifteen minutes to cover their rear. I was not altogether thrilled with this prospect and as the last of the column disappeared around the bend in the road leaving us in isolation, we scanned the two approaches to our position and listened for any sound of approaching armour. I mentally counted each interminably long passing second until Jerry declared our mission completed and we set off to catch up with the main body.” [7]

Extracts from the Battalion War Diary:

‘Tuesday, 19th September 1944. 14.00hrs. New positions consolidated in area X roads 726778. By now we were joined by 60 men of the 3rd Para Bn under Capt. Dorrien Smith, and 1 x 17 [Pdr] Gun and 4 x 6 [Pdr] Guns of 1st A.L, A-Tk Bty. We also had one [Bren] Carrier. This position was held against increasing opposition from the East and North.

19.30hrs. Withdrawal to area railway bridge 712774. The night was spent in preparing positions with 1st Bn on the right, 11th Bn on left and 3rd Bn in centre. During the night there was some enemy shelling and mortaring. Casualties during the day were about 6 killed and 20 wounded. The [Bren] Carrier and the 17 [Pdr] A-Tk Gun were knocked out.’

With most of the transport now being either completely lost or damaged, Gerry took over command of the remnants of ‘S’ Company.

Extracts from the Battalion War Diary:

‘Wednesday, 20th September 1944. 08.00hrs. S-Coy under Lt. Curtis attacked by tanks, and one tank knocked out. From then on Company was heavily mortared but held firm.

11.00hrs. Tanks reported approaching. Three broke into our positions but were destroyed by the A-Tk Guns. Snipers got into buildings under cover of the tanks and patrols under Lt.Curtis and Turrell engaged them.

12.00hrs. Enemy aircraft overhead did a little strafing but were chiefly spotting our positions.

14.00hrs. Major. Lonsdale arrived from Divisional H.Q. to take command of the whole Eastern sector of the Divisional Perimeter. ‘Lonsdale Force’ came into existence, consisting of 1st Para Bde, 2nd Bn South Staffs, 11th Para Bn, a party of Glider Pilots and 4 x 6 [Pdr] A-Tk Guns.

15.00hrs. Patrols under Lt. Curtis and Turrell cleared snipers.

However later in the afternoon the enemy pressure and fire increased on the battalion position.

Extract from the Battalion War Diary:

‘Wednesday, 20th September 1944. 16.30hrs. Heavy enemy attack by infantry, Self Propelled Guns and a few tanks, with enfilading MG fire from the railway bank on the right. Considerable casualties in our sector. Lt. Curtis killed.’

‘Gerry’ Curtis was killed in action, probably near No 3 Benedendorpsweg in Oosterbeek, near the railway underpass area, on Wednesday, 20 September 1944, aged 25. The actual incident was witnessed by Pte. Fred Moore: “As dawn approached we dispersed amongst the houses and gardens waiting for the inevitable onslaught and listened in vain for some indication of the promised breakthrough by the British 2nd Army on the far side of the river. We sighted the only available Vickers machine gun on a low wall, at the rear of the houses on the left hand side, giving us an unobstructed view of the demolished railway bridge over the lower Rhine, about 1,000 yards to our left, then waited.

 The attack, when it came, was heralded by the characteristic clunk of heavy armour. Round the bend came a tank, which, coming to a halt began to systematically demolish the buildings which we occupied. The supporting infantry were engaged by the defence force and they and the tank were driven off with casualties on both sides. In the meantime we had observed a group of Germans approaching across the open land from the direction of the bridge. We opened fire with the machine gun, supported by riflemen and the attack came to an abrupt halt. Twice more, in the course of the morning, the tank attacked, each time destroying more houses and denying us vital cover. The enemy infantry had now infiltrated our defences and posted snipers, unseen, in commanding positions. The area was devastated, houses were burning and we were forced to take refuge inside the few houses still intact. We barricaded the windows with whatever furniture was available and prepared to make a last stand. A load groan came from the front bedroom upstairs, followed by a heavy thud. It was the guy posted at the window, obviously the victim of a sniper. ‘Jerry’ Curtis ordered me to take his place. I thought ‘Shit!’. Creeping upstairs I ran across the room to the wall by the window and tentatively pushed my rifle into position, careful not to expose myself, then I quickly moved behind the rifle with my hand on the trigger. To my immense relief this did not draw the expected rifle fire and at least I had a theoretical advantage.

 From the other side of the road came a figure with a maroon beret. Halfway across he collapsed in the road, hit by enemy fire. He was followed by another Airborne soldier, who stopping to help, was hit himself and there were then two bodies lying in the road. I heard ‘Jerry’ Curtis downstairs instruct everybody to stay in position, the front door opened and he was gone. Before he could reach the other two he was himself gunned down and died instantly. The house next door was on fire and death or captivity now seemed the only possible alternatives!” [7]

Another witness was Sgt. ‘Bob’ Quayle, who was holding a position on the Southern side of the Benedendorpsweg, almost opposite that of ‘Gerry’ Curtis: “There was a set of stairs going up just inside the back door. I went upstairs cautiously. I needn’t have worried as there was absolute carnage in the room. When I got down again to the door, I realised I was on my own. There was a skirmish going on across the road. Second Lieutenant ‘Gerry’ Curtis was killed and there were several wounded.” [6]

 

NOTES:

[1] The Parachute Regiment Transfer & Enlistment Book 02, page 60.

[2] 11th S.A.S. Bn/1st Para Battalion. Order Of Battle. August/September 1941.

[3] 1st Parachute Battalion. Order Of Battle/Nominal Roll. October 1942.

[4] Parachute Course Report, R.A.F. Ringway. July 1944.

[5] Report by Sgt. W. Hayden, ‘Medical situation during Arnhem Operation’. September/October 1944.

[6] Letter & account from Bob Quayle to Bob Hilton. 21 April 1997.

[7] Letter & account from Fred Moore to Bob Hilton. 10 December 1996.