Operation "Market" Orders

 

T O P   S E C R E T

 

O P E R A T I O N   "M A R K E T"

 

Instructions No 1

 

 

1. PRIMARY TASK

    Your Primary task is to capture the ARNHEM bridges or a bridge.

 

2. SECONDARY TASK

    Your Secondary task is to establish a sufficient bridgehead to enable the follow-up formations of 30 Corps to deploy NORTH of the NEDER RIJN.

 

3. THIRD TASK

    During your operations immediately after the landing of the first lift, you will do all in your power to destroy the flak in the area of your DZs, LZs and ARNHEM to ensure the passage of your subsequent lifts.

 

4. JUNCTION POINTS

    (a) In order to preserve your southern bomb line, no attempt will be made to effect a junction with 82 US Airborne Division to the SOUTH.

    (b) At the southernmost you hold on the main axis of 30 Corps, whether NORTH or SOUTH of the NEDER RIJN, you will establish a liaison party who will organize the reception and pass through of the follow-up formations (most probably the Guards Armoured Division; this however, will be confirmed when known for certain).

    This liaison party must have full information of the enemy dispositions, your own, routes open, etc. The rank of the Officer in charge of the liaison party will be Lieut-Col or above.

    The time at which you are expected to junction with 30 Corps leading troops will be notified to you from Corps Headquarters as soon as it is definitely known. This information may not be available to you until some time after you have landed.

 

5. 30 CORPS PLAN

    30 Corps plan will be made available to you by, at the latest, Friday evening 15 September.

 

6. ENEMY INFORMATION

    The latest Intelligence will be sent to you up to the time of take-off.

 

 

 

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O P E R A T I O N   "M A R K E T"

 

1 Airborne Division Op Instr No 9

 

Confirmatory Notes on GOCs Verbal Orders

 

Ref Maps: 1/25000 GSGS 4427, GINKEL 388, EDE 387, RENEN 5 NE, ARNHEM 6 NW

 

                 1/100000 GSGS 2541 Sheets 2 and 5.

                                     "      4416 Sheet P.1

 

Infm

   1.   (a) Issued verbally.

         (b) 1 Polish Para Bde Gp is under comd.

 

Intention

   2. 1 Airborne Div will seize ARNHEM 7378 and the crossings over the NEDER RIJN and est bridgehead to the NORTH of that town.

 

Method

   3. Aircraft Allotment.

          As for Op "LINNET"-practically Scale "Y"

 

   4. The Div will land in three lifts

 

 

   5. Tasks

First Lift

1 Para Bde with under comd         DZ "X"

1 A tk Bty 1 Para Sqn RE Dets 9 Fd Coy RE 16 Para Fd Amb Recce Sqn (Less one tp) LZ "Z"

will (a) Seize and hold ARNHEM in order of priority

                   (i) Main br at 746768

                  (ii) Pontoon br at 738774

      (b) On arrival of second lift, seize and occupy sector allotted.

      (c) Occupy part of 1 Polish Para Bde sector until it arrives with third lift.

      (d) Cover DZ 'K' during the drop of 1 Polish Para Bde.

      (e) After Div sector has been occupied, make one bn available at short notice for Div reserve.

 

   6. 1 Airlanding Bde with under comd 181 Airlanding Fd Amb

                                                         LZ 'S'

will (a) Secure LZ 'S' and 'Z'

                       DZ 'X'

                and cover unloading of first lift.

      (b) Est posts at

                (i) Rd EDE 5785 - ARNHEM in vicinity of PLANKEN WAMBUIS 6683.

               (ii) Rd WAGENINGEN 5876 - ARNHEM in vicinity of RENKUM 6276.

      (c) Protect the arrival of the second lift

           on DZs 'Y' and 'X'

                LZs 'S' and 'Z'

      (d) After unloading of second lift has been completed, seize and occupy the sector allotted.

      (e) Protect landing of Polish gliders in third lift on LZ 'L'.

 

   7. Recce Sqn

      (a) Less one tp will come under comd 1 Para Bde for seizure of brs at ARNHEM. Dets 9 Fd Coy will be under comd.

      (b) One tp of Div res to RV HALTE WOLFHESEN 665805.

      (c) On completion task with 1 Para Bde will revert to Div and RV HEIJONOORD 725785. Dets 9 Fd Coy revert CRE.

      (d) Div tasks - recce in priority -

 

   8. 21 Indep Para Coy

will mark

for first, second and third lifts.

            On completion task will RV DER BRINK 718779.

 

   9. RA

      (a)   (i) Lt Regt less one bty under comd CRA.

                 3 Lt Bty in sp 1 Para Bde.

                 1 Lt Bty in sp 1 Airlanding Bde.

            (ii) Initial gun area 6779 - 3 Bty moving to 6977.

           (iii) FOO's as detailed by CRA.

      (b) A tk

             (i) 1 A tk Bty (less one 17-pr tp) under comd 1 Para Bde.

            (ii) One 17-pr tp for protection of Div tps.

 

  10. RE

      (a) 1 Para Sqn RE

           On arrival second lift, 1 Para Sqn (less one tp remaining under comd 1 Para Bde) reverts to under comd CRE. Sqn RV POWER STATION 753768.

      (b) 9 Fd Coy RE and det 261 Fd Pk Coy RE

             (i) 2 dets 9 Fd Coy under comd Recce Sqn.

                 Task to neutralize and remove charges on brs.

                 On arrival second lift, dets revert to under comd 9 Fd Coy RV TAFELLAAN 717792.

            (ii) One tp 9 Fd Coy under comd 1 Airlanding Bde from time of arrival LZ.

           (iii) 9 Fd Coy RE (less one tp and dets) and det 261 Fd Pk Coy under comd CRE. RV TAFELLAAN 717792.

 

  11. Tac Div

        Lands on LZ 'Z'. RV track junc 657797, thence main rd WAGENINGEN-ARNHEM. Opens ARTILLERIE PARK 7378.

 

Tasks                             Second Lift

12. 4 Para Bde with under comd     DZ "Y"

4 Para Sqn RE 133 Para Fd Amb 2 A tk Bty RA LZ "X"

will (a) Seize and occupy sector allotted.

           Axis of movement rd EDE - ARNHEM.

      (b) Occupy part of sector allotted to 1 Polish Para Bde until its arrival with third lift.

 

  13. RA

      (a) Arty

             (i) 2 Lt Bty in sp 4 Para Bde.

            (ii) Gun area for Lt Regt in main posn 7177.

      (b) A tk

             (i) 1 A tk Bty reverts under comd CRA and in sp 1 Para Bde

            (ii) 2 A tk Bty (less one 17-pr tp) in sp 4 Para Bde.

           (iii) Two 17-pr tps and one 6-pr tp in Div res under CRA.

 

  14. RE

           4 Para Sqn RE

           On arrival third lift, 4 Para Sqn RE (less one tp remaining under comd 4 Para Bde) reverts to under comd CRE. RV ARNHEM rly stn 732782.

 

  15. Re-supply

           35 Stirlings on LZ 'L'.

           Principal contents gun amn and mortar bombs. Some pet.

 

Tasks                             Second Lift

16. 1 Polish Para Bde Gp     DZ "K"

LZ "L"

           will occupy sector allotted with a minimum of delay.

 

  17. Re-supply

           100 aircraft plus DZ 'V'.

 

  18. Method of occupation

  Bdes will put out false front and standing patrols as far as is practicable. No attempt at co-ordination by Div will be made until arrival on ground and resources and situation are known.

 

  19. Bomb Line

      (a) As from H hr until second lift + 6 hrs

           785855 - 768852 - 750846 - 737845 - 730844 - 715845 - 708851 - 695852 - 676853 - 659853 - 639853 - 628853 - 613855.

      (b) As from second lift + 6 hrs (i.e. not before 11 00 hrs D + 1)

           629852 - 629842 - 630821 - 628807 - 623788 - 616772 - 614759.

      (c) Bde Comds will submit targets on which they wish pre-briefed bombing either before or after H hr.

 

  20. Glider Pilots

  Will remain with units landed until Div sector has been occupied.

Then: One bn remains under comd 1 Airlanding Bde.

         One bn in Div res RV SONSBEEK 743785.

 

  21. Timings

      (a) First Lift

               H hr (main glider lift starts landing) approx 14 00 hrs. D-Day, but not before 10 00 hrs

      (b) Second and Third Lifts

               As early as possible on D + 1 and D + 2.

 

  22. Briefing

  No briefing below unit comds and heads of services without further instrs from Div HQ.

 

  23. Recognition Signs

      (a) Ground to air: yellow smoke or flares, and yellow fluorescent panels, if available.

      (b) Ground to ground: yellow celanese triangles.

 

  24. Passwords

 

ADM

  25. Issued separately.

 

  26. Col H. N. BARLOW, Deputy Comd 1 Airlanding Bde, is appointed Town Commandant, ARNHEM. He will maintain close touch with Comd 1 Para Bde and will co-ordinate the tasks of the APM and OC Fd Security Sec.

 

INTERCOMN

  27. Sigs instrs issued separately.

 

  28. Only 30 Corps list of code names for places, as issued for COMET, will be used. Fmns and units may, however, give code names to important routes, axis of advance, or detailed objectives, at their discretion.

ACK

 

TACK HQ

Distribution

 

 

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Top Secret

'MARKET'

 

Glider Allotment by Lifts

 

 

 

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OPERATION 'MARKET'

Unit Allotment to Airfields

A. PARACHUTE AIRCRAFT

1st Lift. 1 Para Bde

 

2nd Lift. 4 Para Bde

 

3rd Lift

 

 

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1 AIRBORNE DIVISION ORDER OF BATTLE

OPERATION 'MARKET'

 

HQ 1 Airborne Div

GOC	Major-General R. E. Urquhart DSO
ADC	Capt G. C. Roberts
GSO 1 (Ops)	Lt-Col C. B. Mackenzie
GSO 2 (Ops)	Major O. F. Newton-Dunn
GSO 2 (Air)	Major D. J. Madden
GSO 2 (Int)	Major H. P. Maguire
AA & QMG	Lt-Col P. H. H. H. Preston
DAAG	Major L. K. Hardman
DAQMG	Major E. R. Hodges

 

HQ RA

CRA	Lt-Col R. G. Loder-Symonds DSO
BMRA	Major P. T. Tower MBE

 

HQ RE

CRE	Lt-Col E. C. W. Myers CBE, DSO
Adjt RE	Capt M. D. Green

 

Divisional Signals

OC Div Sigs	Lt-Col T. C. V. Stephenson
2 i/c	Major A. J. Deane-Drummond MC

 

HQ RASC

CRASC	Lt-Col M. St J. Packe
2 i/c	Major D. G. Clark

 

Medical Services

ADMS	Col G. M. Warrack
DADMS	Major J. E. Miller MC

 

RAOC

ADOS	Lt-Col G. A. Mobbs

 

REME

Adj REME

Capt F. W. Ewens

 

RAChD

SCF	Major A. W. H. Harlow

 

Pro

APM	Major O. P. Haig

 

 

1 Para Bde

Comd	Brigadier G. W. Lathbury DSO MBE
BM	Major J. A. Hibbert
DAA & QMG	Major C. D. Byng-Maddick
1 Para Bn	Lt-Col D. Dobie DSO
2 Para Bn	Lt-Col J. D. Frost DSO, MC
3 Para Bn	Lt-Col J. A. C. Fitch
Recce Sqn (less one tp)	Major C. F. H. Gough MC
3 A/L Lt Bty RA	Major D. S. Mumford
1 A/L A-Tk Bty RA	Major W. F. Arnold
1 Para Sqn RE	Major D. C. Murray MC
16 Para Fd Amb	Lt-Col E. Townsend MC
Det RASC

 

4 Para Bde

Comd	Brigadier J. W. Hackett DSO, MBE, MC
BM	Major C. W. B. Dawson
156 Para Bn	Lt-Col Sir W. R. de B. des Voeux
10 Para Bn	Lt-Col K. B. I. Smyth OBE
11 Para Bn	Lt-Col G. H. Lea
2 A/L Lt Bty RA	Major J. E. F. Linton
2 A/L A-Tk Bty RA	Major A. F. Haynes
4 Para Sqn RE	Major A. E. J. M. Perkins
133 Para Fd Amb	Lt-Col W. C. Alford
Det RASC

 

1 Airlanding Bde

Comd	Brigadier P. H. W. Hicks DSO, MC
Deputy Comd	Col H. N. Barlow
BM	Major C. A. H. B. Blake
1 Border	Lt-Col T. Haddon
7 KOSB	Lt-Col R. Payton-Reid
2 South Staffords	Lt-Col W. D. H. McCardie
1 A/L Lt Bty RA	Major A. F. Norman-Walker
181 Fd Amb	Lt-Col A. T. Marrable
Det RASC

 

 

Div Tps

1st Light Regt	Lt-Col W. F. K. Thompson MBE
No.1 FOU	Major R. Wight-Boycott
9 Fd Coy RE	Major J. C. Winchester
21 Indep Para Coy	Major B. A. Wilson
250 Lt Coy RASC
93 Coy RASC (det)
Ord Fd Pks (det)
REME wksps (det)
89 Fd Security Sec	Capt J. E. Killick
Div Pro Coy	Capt W. R. Gray
No. 1 Wing, GP Regt	Lt-Col I. A. Murray DSO
No. 2 Wing, GP Regt	Lt-Col J. W. Place

 

 

Seaborne Tailą

OC	Major R. D. Sellon (KOSB)
Div HQ	Capt The Hon J. B. Coventry
1 Para Bde	Major J. A. Jessop
4 Para Bde	Major J. C. H. Eyles
A/L Bde	Major W. E. Balmer
Recce Sqn	Capt R. J. Clark
RASC	Major J. R. Halls
Lt Regt	Capt A. J. A. Hanhart