Operation Market Garden
9 Field Company RE (Airborne) returned to the UK in November 1943 to prepare for D Day. In September 1944 the company took part in Operation Market Garden. With the exception of two gliders that crash landed, the remainder of the unit landed safely at Arnhem, where they played an important role in the defence of the bridge. The platoon was used as the counter-attack force by Lt Col John Frost, the Commanding Officer of 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, and fought with great bravery in the infantry role. However, they took heavy casualties, with just 57 of the original company of 215 men returning to the UK, the rest being captured or killed.
Read more about this topic: 9 Parachute Squadron RE
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