Page 45 - All About History - Issue 18-14

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Henry Cain

WWII, THE BATTLE OF ARNHEM, 17-26 SEPTEMBER 1944

Written by Tim Williamson

ushed, anxious voices and the clattering help hold the positions. However, the British In among the chaos, the battalion’s commander
of kit echoes around the old church at paratroopers and other infantry had dropped right was taken prisoner, along with hundreds of men
Oosterbeek, as the early morning light filters into the heart of two German Panzer divisions. under his command. Major Cain was barely able to
in and begins to rouse the British troops. What was supposed to be a surprise attack, escape with one company, totalling just 100 men.
H One officer, Major Richard ‘Dickie’ Lonsdale, meeting limited resistance, turned into a massacre. Running out of ammunition and food, the British
makes his way through the pews, lined full of After joining the 2nd battalion in 1942, Cain saw were forced to retreat back west, to the village of
sleeping soldiers, toward the pulpit. Some look action during the invasion of Sicily, in what would Oosterbeek, where a defensive n-shaped perimeter
up as he passes, noticing his arm in a sling and be the campaign to drive the Nazis from Italy. As was being formed by the surviving units.
the bloodied bandage wrapped around his head. well as amphibious landings, a number of British Command over the eastern sector’s defence
Casting his eye over the beleaguere and unlikely and US troops were dropped in by parachute and fell to Major Lonsdale, who was well aware of the
congregation, already bloodied and worn down glider, but difficulties with weather and landing the importance of the line holding. His force was all
from four days of fighting in enemy territory, fragile gliders safely presented grave peril before that would stop the Germans from cutting the
Lonsdale draws a breath and pauses as he musters the troops even got a look at the enemy. Similar Allied army off from the Rhine, driving a wedge
up what words of encouragement he can. problems now hampered the British over Holland. between them and any hope of relief or escape.
Major Robert Cain, of the 2nd South Staffordshire After his glider malfunctioned on Sunday 17 Now the men gathered in the little Dutch church
regiment, was among Lonsdale’s men that day, September, as part of the first lift to Arnhem, Cain shoulder their weapons, snatch the final drags of
huddled in the church just east of the Dutch joined the second lift the following day, but was their cigarettes and turn to face the pulpit above.
town of Arnhem. The 35-year old military veteran delayed further by fog. This lost crucial time in an “You know as well as I do there are a lot of bloody
knew more than most just what was coming their attack that was, by this point, no longer a surprise Germans coming at us,” Lonsdale declares bluntly.
way, and he had more reason than most to want for the German forces. “We must fight for our lives and stick together.
revenge. Operation Market Garden, the British and Once safely landed and organised, the 2nd We’ve fought the Germans before. They weren’t
Polish-led advance into German-occupied Holland, South Staffordshire advanced through the city of good enough for us then, and they’re bloody well
had so far been a disaster and was on the brink of Arnhem. However, the men soon found themselves not good enough for us now. They’re up against the
failure. Cain’s regiment had been one of those that surrounded by well-prepared German defences. finest soldiers in the world […] Make certain you dig
had borne the worst of the fighting. Enemy marksmen seemingly picked off soldiers at in well and that your weapons and ammo are in
The plan had been to pull off one of the largest will, while self-propelled guns and tanks blocked good order. We are getting short of ammo, so when
aerial assaults ever conceived, capture key bridges the route ahead and ceaseless shelling went on you shoot, you shoot to kill. Good luck to you all.”
on the Rhine and return home for tea and medals. unchecked. Soon the streets were littered with Cain and his men went outside to take up their
The 2nd Army, as well as Polish brigades, would dead soldiers, caught with nowhere to take cover positions and wait for the German men and tanks
then move up from the south to support and and nothing to counter the armoured units. that were rumbling down the road to meet them.

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