Page 46 - All About History - Issue 18-14

Victoria Cross

MAJOR ROBERT HENRY CAIN

Praise 01 Digging in around the perimeter
Major Cain and the remaining troops of
but their defeat means the full force of the
forahero the 2nd South Staffordshire regiment are German Panzer divisions will be directed
positioned on the southeast corner of the
at them. Wehrmacht troops and armour
British perimeter, under Major Lonsdale’s are bearing down on the British, and their
“ How many more command. Their sector is closest to the efforts will be focused on the Lonsdale force.
Rhine, facing the direction of Arnhem in Major Cain and his men are positioned to
young men, how the east, from where the army has been the north of Oosterbeek’s church, in trenches
retreating. Until the previous day, soldiers that cover open waste ground, as well as the
many more teenage from the 1st Airborne Division had still roads to the east, which the Germans are
been fighting to hold the bridge at Arnhem, sure to come down.
soldiers might have
died had he not
fought so ferociously?”

Jeremy Clarkson, TV
presenter and Major Cain’s
son-in-law
02 Contact with the 01
enemy
“ I thought, he must be As Germans are spotted heading
down the eastern road, Major Cain 03
a very brave man to positions himself with a PIAT
(projecting infantry anti-tank) gun, 02
be knocked out and with Lieutenant Ian Meilke firing
from the roof of a nearby house.
return to take up the He loads and fires at the first tank,
but the blast leaves no damage.
same position, and Alerted to the threat from Cain’s
PIAT, the German gunner turns his
still hit tanks. But he tank’s 88mm barrel on the major.
The blast from the shell obliterates
was still firing when the chimney Lieutenant Meilke is
behind, killing him instantly and
we left” covering Cain in a curtain of falling
debris. Cain waits in his position,
Richard Long, Glider Pilot continuing to fire on the tank until
he is forced to take a new position
Regiment, witnessing Major out of the gun’s sights. Not one
of his shots penetrates the Tiger’s
Cain’s return to the fi eld 10cm (4in)-thick hull.

The aftermath
After nearly six days of successfully
defending attacks, the Allied perimeter
at Oosterbeck finally retreated across
the Rhine on Monday 25 September.
Over 101 German artillery pieces had
pummelled the British lines, devastating
the area so terribly that it became
nicknamed Der Hexenkessel – the
Witch’s Cauldron – by German soldiers.
On the march back to friendly territory, 04
the major even found the time to shave,
in order to look more like an officer. After
the war, Cain returned to his native Isle
of Man and his job in the oil industry.
He never talked about his Victoria Cross,
and his family only learnt of its existence
as they sorted through his belongings 04 Major Cain is wounded
after his death in 1974. Operation Market With another tank advancing down the his face, which is covered in tiny
Garden stands as among the last and road Cain takes up position behind the shrapnel shards from the blast, but he
worst major defeats of the British Army. corner of a building. As he jumps out is alive. Shouting “like a hooligan” for
With the launch of the largest aerial from cover and pulls the trigger, his someone to man the PIAT, Cain’s men
assault ever known, commanders had PIAT’s bomb misfires and detonates just drag him from the field to be treated for
been hopeful of bringing an early end feet in front of him, blowing him back. his wounds. The tank is disabled with
to the war, but the operation was a Seeing the blast, his men fear the worst PIAT fire, before one of the 75mm guns
failure and only 2,700 soldiers out of the and rush to his side. The explosion has from the 1st Light Regiment is brought
original 10,600 who set out to Holland completely blinded Cain, blackening forward to blow it apart completely.
returned home alive.

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