US Figures For Arnhem: (1 Viewer)

[arnhem44mad]

Hey Andy there was a 14 man team attached to 1st Airborne HQ during Market Garden. They landed in LZ-Z with General Urquhart.

They were attached last minute for communications to fighters providing support for the british in and around Arnhem.

They landed in 3 jeeps with Very High Frequency radios in each jeep and wore their own american uniforms with patches removed incase of capture or death!

Very little is known about them but I think this would be a great set to release! 2 man team in jeep, another spare figure standing doing an action and another figure in a fighting pose!

No patches of course!

Scott

 

[Arnhemjim]

Hello Scott,
Am thinking that there might be a slight bit of confusion over the unit(s) I believe you are referring to. There were two RAF Light Warning Units (LWUs), 6341 and 6080 attached to Headquarters,1st Airborne Corps. There is little or no reference made regarding these units in any of the books on Operation Market-Garden (Battle of Arnhem). Virtually unknown, they were all RAF personnel (except one USAAF 1st Lieut.), and commanded by Wing Commander Laurance Brown MBE. Both LWUs were committed to battle, numbering a combined total of 25 officers and other ranks Their primary mission was to provide Ground Control Interception (GCI) using glider delivered light-weight radar sets and radio transmitters. Am not certain as to how much of their TO&E (jeeps and trailers) actually arrived at LZ “Z” as intended, but know at least two glider loads crashed. Their story is related in much greater detail at the following web site; http://www.raffca.org.uk/cms/afcs.html. There is a typo in the personnel chart, the number 6080 is listed twice. The second 6080 should be 6341. If these aren't the units you are referring to, my apologies. I have had the opportunity to previously mention the existence these units to Andy Neilson.

Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory

 

[Desertkiwi]

Great post Jim. Thoroughly enjoying all this 'new' info that keeps popping up about MG. Scott's attached link about the US attachment and capture was also very interesting. Amazing how so much of this military history often gets over-looked or forgotten about.

Cheers!

 

[arnhem44mad]

Sorry its 306th Fighter control squadron not command.

http://www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/dale_thatcher.htm

It is also mentioned in Cornelius Ryan's A Bridge Too Far.

Scott