The Airborne Jeeps of the British 1st Airborne Division at Operation Market-Garden - 1944

In Operation Market-Garden the primary, and most prolific, vehicle employed by the British 1^st Airborne Division  was the Truck ¼ Ton, Utility, Willys MB or Ford GP (General Purpose), thus more commonly known as the ‘Jeep”. Also referred to as Car, 5-cwt. 4 X 4. A principal reason for this was the fact that not only did it conveniently fit (with modifications) within the cargo envelope of the Airspeed AS 51 Horsa Mk I Assault Glider, but could be loaded through the forward door of the glider (hinged nose of later Mk II configuration), and was well within the payload weight carrying capacity of the Horsa.

In order to further facilitate its glider carriage and use by airborne forces, the Jeep was extensively modified to an airborne configuration by further reducing the size profile and weight. This task was undertaken, and accomplished on an accelerated schedule, by the Airborne Forces Development Center. It included the following features:

                  • Cutting down the front bumper Footsteps and grab handles removed to allow fitting into the Horsa Glider.

                  • Stowage of the spare wheel in front of the radiator grill to prevent shrapnel damage in the Reconnaissance version. This, in turn, unfortunately caused over heating.

                  • Addition of a pintle mounted single or twin Vickers .303 cal. 'K' Machine Gun for the front passenger in the Reconnaissance Role.

                  • Stowage of the rear jerry can in between the front seats, with two more added behind the seats to enable loading in a Horsa Glider.

                  • Fitting of a No. 22 Wireless Set over the rear drivers side wheel arch and additional battery holders and reels for the Signals variant.

                  • Attachment points on the bonnet (hood) for stretchers for the Ambulance version.

                  • Attachment of a collapsible stretcher rack (accommodating two stretchers) on the rear for the Ambulance version.

                  • Attachment of a collapsible pannier rack on the rear of the Payload Recovery configuration.
                  • Removal of the windscreen
- Addition of a removable steering wheel with the horn being moved to the dashboard.

                  • Entrenching tools removed from the sides, to allow for easy loading and unloading, with the tools relocated to the bumper.

                  • Black-out driving light on the left front mudguard removed and the lights in the grill were replaced with smaller versions mounted on the mudguards. The two main headlights were generally replaced by a single British blackout headlight.

As inferred above, there were at least five configurations in the TO&E of the 1^st Airborne Division, which nominally included 904 Jeeps.

                  • Armed (not armored) Reconnaissance configuration

                  • Ambulance configuration

                  • Signals (communications) configuration

                  • Payload Recovery configuration (facilitated the carriage of CLE containers and panniers) Very limited information available to the author on this variant. It is known to have had a collapsible pannier carrying rack on the rear. See drawing further below on this page.

                  • Basic Airborne configuration (10% being provided with the rear collapsible stretcher rack)

The following photograph is of one of the armed Jeeps of the 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron.

Note both the Arm of Service (AoS) tactical marking and the 1st Airborne Division's Airborne Forces 'Pegasus'  formation sign still discernible on the vehicle's front bumper. Also the single Vickers .303 cal. 'K' Machine Gun still mounted on the passenger side pintle.

A frontal view of the armed Jeep, with single Vickers .303 cal. 'K' Gun as used by the 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron.

As indicated the standard means of delivery of the Airborne Jeeps was by the Airspeed AS 51 Horsa Mk I Assault Glider. Probably most interested readers know that the 1^st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron had 39 armed Jeeps in their ‘coup-de-main’ force delivered in the 1^st Lift. (Chalk No. 354-375). The 1st Airlanding Light Regiment, RA employed the Jeep to tow their batteries of the 75mm Pack Howitzer, M1A1 (M8 carriage). It was capable of being carried with a Jeep, trailer, and crew, as one payload in the Horsa Glider.  The 1st Lift also included 7 gliders (early Chalk No. 263, 286-290, 313) carrying major elements of the 181^st Airlanding Field Ambulance.

The following drawing is of an official loading diagram for the 75mm Howitzer, M1A1 (M8 carriage), a 10-cwt trailer (loaded) and its Jeep towing vehicle. Not that the gun carriage is partially disassembled. All as a single load in an Airspeed AS 51 Horsa Mk I  Assault Glider. 

As an aside, and for those of us not fortunate enough to obtain the real thing, to say nothing of a discrete place to park it, the following is a good alternative. It is a highly detailed, and "reasonably (limited by use of polystone) accurate", 1:6 scale model of the 75mm Howitzer, M1A1 (M8 carriage) produced by Dragon Models. The aiming stakes are scratch built from brass tubing. Based on expert knowledge however, modified lifting bars, not the stakes shown, were used for the function.  Keen of eye might notice the base of a scale model complete round (real brass) for the howitzer on the shelf above, beside a No. 75 Anti-Tank Grenade, ( 'Hawkins Bomb'), and two No. 69 Grenades.

In order to afford a direct comparison, the following are a few photographs of the real thing, first in a museum, and then in actual use from the battery positions of the 1st Airlanding Light Regiment RA in Lower Oosterbeek within the final perimeter. In the last picture of the howitzers in action note the fuze assemblies of the stack of ready service rounds in the immediate foreground.

This drawing is of the collapsible pannier carrying rack in stowed position on the Payload Recovery configuration. An educated guess would be that Jeeps of this specific capability would have been within the TO&E of the following elements of the 1st AB Division; 250th Light Company RASC, 93rd Composite Company RASC and 253rd Composite Company RASC. The AoS Tactical Marking of 250 Lt. Coy. RASC is shown as an example below the drawing.

In further detailing the Ambulance Jeeps, the Order of Battle of the 1^st Airborne Division contained three field ambulances. The 16^th Parachute Field Ambulance was assigned to the 1^st Parachute Brigade, the 133^rd Parachute Field Ambulance to the 4^th Parachute Brigade, and the  181^st Airlanding Field Ambulance to the 1^st Airlanding Brigade. According to original source documentation; 1 AIRBORNE DIVISION, Report of Operations “MARKET” ARNHEM 17 – 26 Sep 1944, Parts 1 - 3, SECRET, 10 January 1945) Appendix ‘C’ to Part II ORDER OF BATTLE – A/Q STAFF AND SERVICES (page 33) a table details the following;

                    16 Fd. Amb          5 jeeps 4 trailers 2 m/cs 1 Lt wt m/c

                  133 Fd. Amb         5 jeeps 4 trailers 2 m/cs 1 Lt wt m/c

                  181 Fd. Amb         10 jeeps 6 trailers 5 m/cs

These figures are in slight variance to another original source document; REPORTS BY MEDICAL OFFICERS OF 1 A/B DIVISION on OPERATION “MARKET” AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT EXPERIENCES 17 SEPT 1944 – 8 MAY 1945, which cites the following numbers;

                    16 (Para) Fd Amb   6 jeeps 6 trailers 4 m/cs

                  133 (Para) Fd. Amb  8 jeeps 6 trailers 2 m/cs

                  181 (A/L) Fd. Amb 8 jeeps 4 trailers (unk) m/cs

The following group of photographs show an excellent specimen of a fully restored Airborne Ambulance Jeep with the exception of the light blue WD numbers (correct for 6th AB Div), would be white in most, but not all the vehicles, of 1st Airborne Division, and the yellow bridging disc, which was present on many of the known jeeps at Arnhem or Oosterbeek. The Jeep shows both the correct AoS marking, White '117' on Black 'Square', for the 181st Airlanding Field Ambulance, and the Airborne Forces 'Pegasus' formation badge on its front bumper.

 There are only limited contemporary photographs of ambulance jeeps present at either Arnhem or Oosterbeek. Am not certain about the first photograph as the windscreen (windshield) is still present.

Unfortunately because this jeep is burnt out no markings are discernible, other than the white star on the side. As a consequence it cannot be positively identified as an airborne ambulance jeep, or one of the airborne jeeps with the stretcher rack modification.

An example of a correctly restored Airborne Signals Jeep configuration is shown in the following photographs. Again restored in the colors of the 6th Airborne Division (light blue) the WD and AoS numbers would be white rather than light blue for the 1st Airborne Division. Also note collapsible stretcher on rear. See; http://arnhemjim.blogspot.com/2012/09/british-1st-airborne-division-vehicle.html on this blog page. (with full and  grateful acknowledgement to David Gordon's excellent Airborne Jeep web site; see Links).

Finally a photograph of an excellent restoration of the 'standard' Airborne Jeep, with exception of the side view mirror. Again the AoS tactical markings are for the 6th Airborne Division (with full and grateful acknowledgement to Brian Tegg).

Sources of information for this blog page included: 

1 AIRBORNE DIVISION, Report of Operations “MARKET” ARNHEM 17 – 26 Sep 1944, Parts 1 - 3, SECRET, 10 January 1945, Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces Official Files, Aldershot

REPORTS BY MEDICAL OFFICERS OF 1 A/B DIVISION on OPERATION “MARKET” AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT EXPERIENCES 17 SEPT 1944 – 8 MAY 1945, Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces Official Files, Aldershot

Margry, K., OPERATION MARKET-GARDEN Then and Now (Vol 1 and 2), After the Battle, London, 2002, ISBN 1 870067 45 2

Peters, M. & Buist, L., Glider Pilots at Arnhem, Pen & Sword, Barnsley South Yorkshire, 2009 ISBN184415763-6

181 Airlanding Field Ambulance RAMC Living History Group Website;

http://www.geocities.ws/ramc181/gallery.html

Middlebrook, M., ARNHEM 1944 The Airborne Battle, Viking, London, 1994 ISBN 0-670-83546-3

Piekalkiewicz, J., Arnhem 1944, Scribner’s, New York, 1976 ISBN 0-684-15479-X

Taylor, R., WARPAINT Volume II: Colours and Markings of British Army Vehicles 1903-2003, MMP Books, Poland ISBN 8389450925

Forty, G., BRITISH ARMY HANDBOOK 1939-1945, Sutton, Gloucestershire, 1998 ISBN 0-7509-1403-3

Airborne Jeep – Modifications; http://www.m201.com/abmods.htm

Bouchery, J., THE BRITISH SOLDIER FROM D-DAY TO VE-DAY (Vol 1 and 2), Histoire & Collections, Paris, 1999 ISBN 2 908 182 742

Hodges,P. and Taylor, M., British Military Markings 1939-1945, Cannon Publications, 1994, ISBN 1-899695-00-1

A Vintage Set of W. Britains Toy Soldiers - The Cameronians - 1940

The Scottish Regiments of the British Army were always a popular subject of W. Britains Ltd., and frequently featured in action poses, as well as marching in review order. As most collectors know, Set No.11 was a classic, depicting the 42^nd Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) charging with fixed bayonets.  The set was issued in 1893, virtually at the founding of the company, and remained in their catalog, although going through a series of casting evolutions, until 1966 when all production of metal hollowcast Britains ceased. Not as well known was Set No. 6, The 2^nd Dragoon Guards (Royal Scots Greys), the only regular Scottish cavalry regiment of the British Army, also first issued in 1893.

Years of production saw representations of almost all the Scottish Regiments appear as W. Britains sets. However, it was not until the year 1940, with Great Britain again at war, that an un-cataloged set of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) was issued. It was only produced for a very brief period 1940 - 1941, as Set No. 1913, very attractive but not in great quantity, and as such is very rare and greatly valued by Britains collectors.

Retired and on essentially fixed income, my collecting endeavors are rather limited these days. Recently I was successful in bidding on a set of Cameronians, boxed and in near mint condition. It has been stated that because of the wartime conditions and complexity (not actually) of the Douglas Tartan trews, that the set was limited to six marching riflemen and an officer. There was apparently an additional economy move, in that the plume on the officer's shako is the same as the riflemen, not taller as it should be.  There is no normal label on the set, and it merely has the number 1913 printed on a small paper square glued on the lid end where the normal label would be. The set is the second rarest in my collection of vintage W. Britains (James Opie rarity index of 83 out of 100 on a logarithmic scale).

The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), raised in 1689, were one of the early victims of force reductions in the British Army. Rather than face reduction in size or amalgamation the regiment chose disbandment in 1968 (ironic set of numbers). During their 279 years of service to the crown, 12 members of the regiment were recipient’s of the Victoria Cross, a justifiably proud achievement. Having fought in the peninsular campaign (Iberian Peninsula) against Napoleon in 1808, under the command of General Sir John Moore, they very deservedly earned one of their first battle honors “Corunna”, protecting the right flank of the greatly outnumbered British force.

Although traditionally the rifle regiments of the British army carry their rifles at the trail, Britains produced their set with the regiment marching at the slope, with both fixed and un-fixed bayonets.

Another tradition of the rifle regiments of the British Army is that they did not carry colours (flags) in the field, nor carry drums (communicated by bugle), but instead looked to the battle honors which were incorporated in their cap badges. Here is an example of a Cameronian regimental drum. Note the black rope stringing the drums as contrasted to the white rope on most rope strung regimental drums.

In addition to W. Britains, Ltd., several toy soldier/military miniature manufacturers produced examples of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Here is an excellent 1/32 scale (54mm) figure by Greenwood & Ball produced in the 1960's depicting an officer of the regiment in review order circa 1914.

Taken from the book, THIER GLORY SHALL NOT BE BLOTTED OUT, The Last Full Dress Uniform of the British Army, MacLeod, LCol O., Lutterworth Press, Cambridge, 1986, ISBN 0-7188-2673-6, with full and grateful acknowledgement, is a plate depicting the Sottish Lowland Regiments of the British Army. The officer of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) stands out in his unique dark rifle green (virtually black) doublet and Douglas Tartan Trews.

   
For those who may be interested, the following is a series of archival films showing the Disbandment Parade and Ceremony in 1968. To all fellow Scots it was, and still is, a particularly poignant, and at the time, prescient event. Note the quick march cadence of a light infantry/rifle regiment. The regimental quick march being played by the drums and pipes of the 1st Bn Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) is 'Kenmuir's on an' Awa'.

Prior to the disbandment parade of the Regiment, King Gustaf VI of Sweden, the then Colonel-in-Chief of the Cameronians, awarded the regiment's commanding officer, adjutant, and RSM (regimental sergeant major) the Medal of the Order of the Sword of Sweden, for their service.

The various ranks of the Order of the Sword

Yeomanry Regiments of the British Army circa 1900 by Richard Simkin

It would appear that Yeomanry and Yeomanry Regiments, as part of a Territorial Army, is a concept unique to the United Kingdom. Today’s remaining regiments evolved from the original volunteer cavalry regiments raised in the 1790’s as an augmentation to the regular standing army, in order to provide an additional homeland defense against the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte in France, and the threat of invasion. Yeoman officers were drawn from both the nobility and the landed gentry. The definition of the word “yeoman" at that time being a small farmer who owned his own land. There was one unique proviso that existed in their regulations. No one could be sent abroad on foreign service duty without individually volunteering. However, officers and personnel of these regiments took their obligation as "nobles oblige" very seriously, and served with distinction throughout British military history, and even up to the present day.

As they continued to develop, and particularly during the Victorian era, it seems to this colonial that they became either a substitute or supplementary to membership in men’s private clubs. In any event their full dress uniforms became resplendent, rivaling those of the regular British Army’s hussar and lancer regiments of the times.  Naturally this provided rich (quite literally) natural material for the famous military artist Richard Simkin.

Again we are indebted to the pages of 'Tradition’ for the reprint of Simkin’s portrayal of their magnificent uniforms. Am not certain how many watercolors were included in the artist’s total effort, nor how many were included in the magazine’s reprint series. But I do know that the yeomanry regiments shown in these prints represent only a small fraction of the total number. The order of precedence from the Army List of 1914 shows 55 yeomanry regiments. 44 'regiments' still exist, albeit at reduced strength, i.e. squadron, detachment. What follows are the contents from those editions of the magazine in my collection.

ROYAL NORTH DEVON HUSSARS

ROYAL 1st DEVON YEOMANRY CAVALRY