| Handley Page Halifaxes of Number 298 Squadron are seen towing Airspeed Horsa gliders towards the landing zones near Arnhem, during Operation Market I, September 17, 1944: the airborne operation to seize bridges between Arnhem and Eindhoven, Netherlands, part of Operation Market Garden, some 10 miles away; flying over the River Waal. The village of Deest can be seen at lower right. Number 38 Group, Royal Air Force (RAF) formed from 38 Wing on November 6, 1943. The Group contained 9 squadrons initially: 4 flying Armstrong Whitworth Albemarles (Numbers 295, 296, 297, and 570), 1 flying Handley Page Halifaxes (Number 298) and 4 Short Stirlings (Numbers 299, 190, 196, 620). Number 644 Squadron, flying Handley Page Halifaxes, joined the Group in February 1944. While the Group often flew bombing missions, they were mostly employed in towing gliders. September 17 is a date well known in the annals of 38 Group as this was the 1st trip for the involvement with Operation “Market Garden. During Operation Market, the airborne phase of the narrow front advance into the Netherlands, 38 Group flew operations every day, because there wasn’t enough transport capacity to lift 3 Allied airborne divisions in a single operation. The worst levels of casualties were suffered particularly in Numbers 190 and 196 Squadrons on September 20-21, 1944. From September 17-23 1944, Number 190 Squadron participated in sorties for Operations Market I, II, III, IV, V and VII. Number 190 Squadron flew a total of 98 sorties and had to suffer heavy losses due to anti-aircraft fire and enemy planes; 12 aircraft failed to return, and 38 men were killed). On September 21, 10 Stirlings took off, but only 3 returned to base. Of the 7 aircraft which failed to return, 1 was piloted by the Commanding Officer of the Squadron, Wing Commander Graeme Elliott Harrison (July 21, 1915 – September 21, 1944). Finally, on September 23, for the last re-supply flights of the Squadron, only 7 aircraft took off; Number 190 Squadron had so suffered that it was all it could muster. Fortunately all returned to base after having successfully accomplished their mission. On September 17, 1944, for Market I, 25 of Number 196 Squadron’s Short Stirlings towed gliders to capture 3 important bridges at Grave, Nijmegen and Arnhem. Only 21 succeeded in their mission but all of the 25 aircraft returned safe. The next day, September 18, for Market II, this time Number 196 Squadron towed 22 Horsa gliders. 3 were failed to complete their mission, but all the Stirlings again returned safe despite the number of Nazi German anti-aircraft guns deployed. On September 19, Market III, 25 Stirlings took off to re-supply troops. Many Stirlings returned with flak damage, and sadly the 1st Number 196 Squadron Stirling failed to return. Stirling IV EF248 flown by Warrant Officer Keith Skip Prowd (January 2, 1922 – January 6, 2013) of the Royal Australian Air Force. Proud went into captivity at Stalag Luft 7 and barely survived a death march ahead of the advancing Red Army; 2 of his crew were prisoners of war, 5 were killed in the crash, or shot descending by parachute, or murdered by the Germans in hospital; and 2 died of wounds in German hospitals months later. September 20 saw the next lift, Market IV, 17 Stirlings took off again for re-supply, but it was to be a very sad day for Number 196 Squadron. 7 aircraft never returned; the Nazi Germans had moved several anti-aircraft batteries into the area. Flak became more and more intense. Numerous crews, while they were circling to wait for their turn to drop, saw many of their friends flying before them falling in flame, went in for very low drops for more precise accuracy. Fortunately most of the Number 196 Squadron’s airmen survived the crashes. Because of the losses, for Market V, on September 21, only 10 aircraft could take off to re-supply troops engaged in the Netherlands. This time again flak was terrifying, but there were also now German fighters and so 3 more Number 196 Squadron aircraft failed to return. Stirling IV LJ810 flown by Warrant Officer Mark Azouz (1922 – September 21, 1944), 2 killed, 6 evaded; Sterling IV LJ843 flown by Flight Sergeant Gilbert John Green (April 13, 1922 – September 21, 1944), 6 killed, and Sterling IV LJ928 flown by Flight Sergeant Ronald E. G. Waltrich (September 1921 – September 21, 1944), 6 killed. Market VI on September 22 had been cancelled because the weather was too poor. For Market VII, on September 23-24, 13 aircraft took off for more re-supply operations. 1 aircraft, Stirling IV LJ949, was flak damaged and didn’t return. The drop of LJ949 had been successful but the Pilot, Flight Officer William A. Bill Sparks (July 12, 1920 – March 26, 2013), Royal New Zealand Air Force, and the Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, Flight Sergeant John E. Herring (May 11, 1922 – January 1, 1979), were injured by flak, so the plane had to make a safe crash land at Leende, 90 kilometers (55 miles) south of Arnhem. Finally, on September 24, 3 aircraft took off but couldn’t succeed in their re-supply drop. Flight Sergeant D. Draper’s (???? – Presumed Missing September 13, 1945) Stirling IV LK142, on a mission to resupply Special Operations Executive (SOE) operatives in France, was off course, their altimeter faulty and couldn’t return to base so they crash landed in the Haute Savoie near Annecy, France, confused about location and altitude. 3 of the 6 crew were killed. Draper, his Navigator and Rear Gunner returned to the United Kingdom in an RAF Dakota. LK142’s fuselage was used as a horse barn for many years, until it was placed in a French Museum and sent to the United Kingdom to its former base at RAF Graveley. With 115 Sorties, Number 196 Squadron was the 38 Group Squadron who flew the most sorties for Operation Market. 25 men were killed, and 13 aircraft were lost due to heavy anti-aircraft fire and enemy planes. Number 196 & 620 Squadrons each lost 13 aircraft and were the 2 Number 38 Group Squadrons who lost the most aircraft during Operation Market. Sunday, September 17, was also the 1st daylight operation that Number 295 Squadron had experienced. Number 295 Squadron flew off at 1135 hours and made their return nearly 5 hours later, after having delivered their gliders successfully. The following day Number 295 Squadron were loaded up with containers that fitted in the bomb bays as well as large pannier baskets which had to be kicked out at the rear of the aircraft at the appropriate moment. This was the job of the Wireless Operator and the Rear Gunner, who also had the task of retrieving the static lines after the drop. A further re-supply trip was executed on the Wednesday September 20. On September 15, 1944, Number 296 Squadron, and other Albemarle Squadrons, were relocated to RAF Manston to increase the range to reach Arnhem. Kenneth Frere (March 29, 1923 – May 7, 2018), Pilot of Number 296 Squadron, writes in his article “Albemarles at Arnhem,”: “From 2 September onwards we spent our time moving Horsa gliders over to RAF Manston, as near to Holland as it was possible to get. On September 15 the Albemarle Squadrons were all relocated at RAF Manston in readiness for Operation ‘Market,’ the airborne element of ‘Market Garden.’ [The Albemarle was] an interesting, but essentially unsatisfactory aircraft. It was no good as a bomber, never used as a dive bomber, underpowered as a tug aircraft, awkward for parachute dropping, hopeless as a load carrier and hard work on long flights because George (the automatic pilot) refused to fly it straight and narrow.” 25 Gliders were towed by Number 296 Squadron on the opening day, September 17, 1944, followed by 21 more on the following day without loss. On September 15, 1944, Number 297 also moved to RAF Manston. It was, again, necessary due to the limited range of Albemarles in project of Operation Market. On September 17, for Operation Market I, 28 Albemarles (2 Albemarles were from Hampstead Norris Operation Refresher Training Unit – ORTU) took off at 1040 Hours, 26 with Horsa Gliders and 2 with Waco Gliders, to the landing zones 5 miles(8 kilometers) East-North-East of Arnhem. This was followed next day with Market II, flying off 24 more without loss. On September 17, 1944, 45 tugs were towed by Number 298 Squadron who participated in Market I, II and III, dropping paratroopers from Eindhoven to Nijmegen. On September 17, during Market I, Number 298 Squadron towed 13 Horsas and 7 Hamilcars; on September 18, Market II, 7 Horsas and 8 Hamilcars and on September 19, Market III, 10 Horsas. No Handley Page Halifaxes were lost during Operation Market, although many were hit by flak. Also on September 17, 1944, for Operation Market I, 25 Number 299 Squadron aircraft towed gliders to capture 3 important bridges at Grave, Nijmigen and Arnhem. Through September 23, 1944, Number 299 Squadron made 87 re-supply flights to troops for Operations Market II, III, IV, V and VII. The Commanding Officer of the Squadron Wing Commander Peter Brian Newsom Davis (1916 – September 19, 1944) and 3 other men were killed. 5 aircraft didn’t return from this operations. Number 299 Squadron continued SOE resupply after Market operations. Also on September 17, for Market I, Number 570 Squadron carried out 20 glider towing sorties with elements of the United Kingdom Royal Army 1st Airborne Infantry Division. Through September 23, for Market II, III, IV, V and VII, Number 570 Squadron made 84 other missions to Arnhem; 58 were re-supply missions. Number 570 Squadron lost 22 men and 9 aircraft. Losses and damages were so high during these operations that crews from Number 295 Squadron and 1665 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) had to be posted in Number 570 Squadron to fill vacancies. In September 1944, the full strength of Number 620 squadron was mustered for the Arnhem operation; in which it dropped and towed the 1st paratroopers, elements of the United Kingdom Royal Army 1st Airborne Infantry Division. Thereafter, the Squadron continued to drop supplies during this ill-starred airborne operation for as long as it was able to do so. During 1 of these missions Sterling IV LJ873 flown by the Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Lee (February 16, 1915 – October 1968), was shot down. He was rescued by the Dutch Resistance and returned to Number 620 squadron within a matter of hours. 109 sorties were flown through September 24. 4 other aircraft, besides LJ873, failed to return: Sterling IV LK127 flown by Flying Officer Athol Richard Scanlon (1915 – September 20, 1944), Royal Australian Air Force, 2 survived, 6 killed in action; Sterling IV LK548 of Pilot Officer Maurice McHugh (July 9, 1923 – September 20, 1944), Royal Australian Air Force, 3 evaded, 4 killed in action, 1 missing; Sterling IV LJ830 flown by Flying Officer Harold Nipper M. McLeod (September 25, 1922 – July 22, 2008) Royal Canadian Air Force, 2 prisoners of war, 3 evaded, and 2 killed in action; and LJ946 flown by Pilot Officer John Jack C. L. Carey (September 21, 1920 – December 2001), which belly landed at Bennekom September 21, 1944; the Wireless Operator and Rear Gunner were prisoners of war, the other 6 evaded. Number 644 Squadron participated in Operation Market I, II and III until September 19. The Squadron was committed to move the United Kingdom Royal Army 1st Airborne Infantry Division. 47 sorties were flown, and no aircraft were lost during this operations. While other 38 Group Squadrons continued Market, Number 644 Squadron returned to SOE operations. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0535.jpg |
| Image Size | 230.94 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 1670 x 1971 |
| Photographer | B Bridge |
| Photographer Title | Royal Air Force Official Photographer |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | September 17, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | Deest |
| State or Province | Gelderland |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Archive | Imperial War Museum |
| Record Number | CL 1146 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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