On the night of 22 Oct, 1944, Operation Pegasus I was put into action.
This was an evacuation of mostly British Airborne troops from the German held territory north of the Rhine, who had been stranded after the Battle of Arnhem.
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The Battle of Arnhem ended 26 Sep with the British 1st Airborne Division forced to withdraw back across the Rhine, but leaving almost 8,000 men behind. About 500 were able to evade capture & go into hiding in woods. Many were hidden in safe houses by Dutch civilians.
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1st Airborne's Major Tatham-Warter (he who carried an umbrella into battle) escaped hospital on 21 Sep & along with other British officers & Dutch Resistance, set up "Brigade HQ in hiding". They also worked with the Belgian SAS who organized drops of weapons & supplies.
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The initial plan was to wait until the Allies made an advance & join them. But, on making contact with the British 2nd Army in Nijmegen, they learned that no plans were in place to attack across the Rhine. An evacuation was planned instead.
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In the night of 16 Oct, Lt Col David Dobie, CO of 1st Battalion, swam across the Rhine & reached the Allied lines. He was able to contact Tatham-Warter by phone & draw up the plan of escape.
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Together with the Royal Canadian Engineers, Royal British Engineers, & members of Easy Co, 506th PIR, led by Lt Fred "Moose" Heyliger, the preparations were put in place.
The plan was for the men to be brought across by inflatable boats.
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For several nights, patrols & tracer fire was sent over the river to disguise the actual actions on the planned night. The operation was brought forward by 1 night when locals were told by the Germans they must evacuate their houses by Oct 22nd.
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120 parachutists, 10 British & U.S. pilots, two Russians & 15 Dutchmen, would all assemble in the woods north of the Rhine on the night of the 22nd, & at 9pm began moving to the river in platoons. The point of contact with the Allies was codenamed DIGBY
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Tatham-Warter recalled "Before we reached the River the party most closely resembled a herd of Buffalo, & I think it was this fact, ....... which probably mislead the Boche as to our numbers. Although they were aware of our presence they were obviously windy to take us on"
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Col Dobie: "All preparations were completed without mishap at 2300 hrs. At 2400 the Bofors gun indicated crossing place. We heard small arms fire from about 1,000 yards east. This later proved to be a German patrol which had run into the airborne personnel on the river bank"
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"At 0030 hrs two red verey lights were fired by Germans in the wood.  Mortars opened up and landed near my left-hand patrol.  A machine gun opened up from about 1,000 yards West.  Shooting was inaccurate."
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"At approx 0100 hrs Lieut H(eyliger). returned with the first party of parachutists, who were embarked and sent across. A red and a white were sent up by the Germans and some artillery fire came over in the Randwick area. Mortar fire continued, but no casualties were caused"
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By 01.30, 138 men had been evacuated across the Rhine (one man was captured).
A champagne reception was held in a barn near Randwijk. This was also portrayed in the Band of Brothers episode Crossroads (with Tom Hanks' cameo as a British Paratrooper)
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The men of East Company were commended by Col Sink for their "aggressive spirit, prompt obedience of orders, devotion to duty".
The 1st Airborne men were flown back to England in the following days
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