Untitled Document

Order of Battle

21st ARMY GROUP - Field Marshal Sir Bernard L. Montgomery, Chief of Staff: Major General F. W. de Guingand

FIRST ALLIED AIRBORNE ARMY - Lieutenant General Lewis H. Brereton, deputy Lieutenant General Frederick A. M. Browning

Ground Element

XVIII US Airborne Corps (HQ secondary role only in battle) - Major General Matthew B. Ridgway

82nd ('All American') Airborne Division - Brigadier General James Gavin

Divisional HQ - Chief of Staff: Colonel Robert Wienecke/ G1: Major Alfred W. Ireland/ G2: Colonel Walter Winton/ G3: Major John Northon/ G4: Lieutenant Colonel Albert Marin
504th Parachute Infantry Regiment - Lieutenant Colonel Reuben Tucker

1st Battalion - Major William E. Harrison
2nd Battalion - Major Edward N. Wellems
3rd Battalion - Major Julian A. Cook

505th Parachute Infantry Regiment - Colonel William E. Ekman (& Div. HQ Staff + Addit. units)

1st Battalion - Major Talton W. Long
2nd Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin H. Vandervoort
3rd Battalion - Major James L. Kaiser

508th Parachute Infantry Regiment - Lieutenant Colonel Lindquist

1st Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel Shields Warren Jr.
2nd Battalion - Major Otho E. Holmes
3rd Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel Louis G. Mendez Jr.

325th Glider Infantry Regiment - Colonel Charles Billingslea

1st Battalion - Lieutenant Teddy H. Sanford
2nd Battalion - Major Charles M. Major
2nd Battalion (401st GIR) - Major Osmond H. Leahy

Divisional Artillery - Colonel Francis Andrew March

376th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel Wilbur M. Griffith
456th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion - Lieutenant Wagner J. d'Allesio
319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel James C. Todd
320th Glider Field Artillery Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel Paul E. Wright
80th Airborne Anti Aircraft Battalion - Colonel Raymond E. Singleton

307th Airborne Engineers - Colonel Edwin A. Bedell
307th Airborne Medical Company - Major Jerry J. Belden M.C.
Support - 82nd Airborne Division Military Police Platoon, 407th Quartermaster Company, 782nd Ordnance Company, 82nd Airborne Division Signal Company, 82nd Airborne Reconnaisance Platoon, ASP (Air Support Party)

101st ('Screaming Eagles') Airborne Division - Major General Maxwell Taylor

Divisional HQ
501st Parachute Infantry Regiment - Colonel Howard R. Johnson

1st Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel Harry W. Kinnard
2nd Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel Robert Ballard
3rd Battalion - Ewel

502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment - Lieutenant Colonel John H. Michaelis

1st Battalion - LieutenantColonel Patrick C. Cassidy
2nd Battalion - Chapman
3rd Battalion - LieutenantColonel Robert E. Cole

506th Parachute Infantry Regiment - Colonel Robert F. Sink

1st Battalion - Lieutenant ColonelLaPrade
2nd Battalion - Strayer
3rd Battalion - Major Oliver M. Horton

327th Glider Infantry Regiment - Colonel Harper

1st Battalion - Sallee
2nd Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel Thomas J. Rouzie
3rd Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel Ray C. Allen
1st Battalion (401st GIR)

Divisional Artillery - Brigadier General Anthony C. McAuliffe

321st Glider Artillery Battalion - Carmichael
907th Glider Field Artillery Battalion - Colonel Clarence Nelson
377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion - Elkins
81st Airborne Artillery Antitank Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel X. B. Cox Jr.

326th Airborne Engineer Battalion - Pappas
326th Airborne Medical Company - Barfield
Support - 101st Airborne Division Military Police Platoon, 426th Quartermaster Company, 101st Airborne Division Signal Company, 101st Airborne Reconnaisance Platoon

I Airborne Corps - Lieutenant General Frederick A. M. Browning (Dep. Comd. 1st AAA), (C.O.S.) Brigadier Gordon Walch

1st Airborne Division - Major General Roy E. Urquhart, Aide: Captain G.C. Roberts

Divisional HQ - (G-I) Cos: Lieutenant Colonel Charles MacKenzie/ OPS: Maj. C.F. Newton-Dunn/ OPS (Air): Major D.J. "Tiny" Madden/ (G-2) INT: Major Hugh Maguire/ ARTY: Lieutenant Colonel Robert Loder-Symonds/ ENG: Lieutenant Colonel E.C.W. Myers/ Supply: Lieutenant Colonel Michael St. John Packe/ Medical: Colonel Graeme Warrack/ Seaborne Tail: Lieutenant Colonel G.A. Mobbs
1st Parachute Brigade - Brigadier Gerald W. Lathbury

1st Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel David Dobie
2nd Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel John Frost
3rd Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel John Fitch
1st Air Landing Anti-tank Battery, Royal Artillery - W. Arnold
1st Parachute Squadron - Major Murray
16th Parachute Field Ambulance - Lieutenant Colonel Townsend

4th Parachute Brigade - Brigadier John W. Hackett

10th Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth B.I. Smyth
11th Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel George H. Lea
156th Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel Sir Richard de Voeux
2nd Air Landing Anti-tank Battery, Royal Artillery - P. Haynes
4th Parachute Squadron - Major Perkins
133rd Parachute Field Ambulance - Lieutenant Colonel Alford

1st Airlanding Brigade - Brigadier Philip H. Hicks

1st Battalion, The Border Regiment - Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Hadden
2nd Battalion, South Staffords - Lieutenant Colonel W. D. H. McCardie
7th Battalion, Kings Own Scottish Borderers - Lieutenant Colonel Robert Payton-Reid
181 Airlanding Field Ambulance - Lieutenant Colonel Marrable

1st Airlanding Light Regiment, Royal Artillery - Lieutenant Colonel W. F. K. (Sherrif) Thompson
1st Forward Observer Unit, Royal Artillery - D. R. Wright-Boycott
21st Independent Parachute Company (Pathfinders) - Major B.A. Wilson
1st Airborne Reconnaisance Squadron - Major C. F. H. Gough
1st Airborne Divisional Signallers - Lieutenant Colonel T. C. V. Stephenson, Major A. J. (Tony) Deane-Drummond
9th Field Company - Major Winchester
250th Light Composite Company
1st Wing Glider Pilot Regiment - Lieutenant Colonel Murray
2nd Wing Glider Pilot Regiment - Lietenant Colonel Place
1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade - Major General Stanislav Sosabowski

1st Parachute Infantry Battalion - Colonel Rawicz Szezerbo
2nd Parachute Infantry Battalion - Captain Sobocinski Waclaw
3rd Parachute Infantry Battalion - Major Ploszewski Waclaw

52nd (Lowland) Division (airportable, were not put into action) - Major General E. Hakewell-Smith

Air Element:

USAAF IX Troop Carrier Command - Major General Paul L. Williams

52 Wing: 61, 313, 314, 315, 316, 349 Groups (Dakota)
53 Wing: 434, 435, 436 437, 438 Groups (Dakota)
50 Wing: 439, 440, 441, 442, Groups (Dakota)

(Total 60 Squadrons; 1,100 aircraft)

RAF 38 Group - Air Vice Marshal L. N. Hollinghurst

190, 196, 295, 299, 570, 620 Squadron (Stirling)
296, 287, 298, 644 Squadron (Halifax/Albemarle)

(Total 12 Squadrons; 240 aircraft)

RAF 46 Group - Air Commodore L. Darvall

48, 233, 271, 437 (RCAF), 512, 575 Squadron (Dakota)

(Total 6 Squadrons; 279 aircraft)

SECOND BRITISH ARMY - Lieutenant General Sir Miles Dempsey

XII Corps - Lieutenant General N. M. Richie

7th Armoured Division - Major General G. L. Verney
15th (Scottish) Division - Major General C. M. Barber
53rd (Welsh) Division - Major General R. K. Ross

VIII Corps - Lieutenant General Sir Richard O'Conner

11th Armoured Division - Major General G. P. B. Roberts
3rd Division - Major General L. G. Whistler
4th Armoured Brigade - Brigadier R. M. P. Carver
1st Belgian Brigade - Colonel B. Piron

XXX Corps - Lieutenant General B. G. Horrocks

Royal Netherlands Brigade 'Prinses Irene' - (Comd.) Col. Albert "Steve" de Ruyter van Steveninck, (C.O.S.) Major Jonkheer Jan Beelaerts van Blokland
Guards Armoured Division - Major General Allan H. S. Adair, (C.O.S.) Brigadier Norman Gwatkin

Recce (attached to GAD), 2nd Household Cavalry Regiment - Lieutenant Colonel Abel Smith
Armoured Recce Regiment, 2nd (Armoured Recce) Battalion, Welsh Guards - Lieutenant Colonel J. C. Windsor-Smith
5th Guards Armoured Brigade - Brigadier Norman W. Gwatkin

2nd Armoured Battalion Grenadier Guards - Colonel J. N. R. Moore
1st Armoured Battalion Coldstream Guards - Lieutenant Colonel R. F. S. Gooch
2nd Armoured Battalion Irish Guards - Lieutenant Colonel Giles A. M. Vandeleur
1st Motor Battalion Grenadier Guards - Lieutenant Colonel E. H. Goulburn

32nd Guards Brigade - Brigadier J. C. O. Marriott

5th Battalion Coldstream Guards - Lieutenant Colonel E. R. Hill
3rd Battalion Irish Guards - Lieutenant Colonel J. O. E. 'Joe' Vandeleur (prevented from actual command on September 20 by an acute illness)
1st Battalion Welsh Guards - Lieutenant Colonel J. F. Gresham
1st Independent Machine Gun Company Northumbrian Fusiliers - Major R. M. Pratt

Artillery - Brigadier H.C. Phips

55th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery - Lieutenant Colonel B. Wilson
21st A.T. Regiment, Royal Artillery - Lieutenant Colonel C. Hulberts
94th L.A.A. Regiment, Royal Artillery - Lieutenant Colonel E. I. E. Strong
153rd Field Regiment (Leicstershire Yeomanry), Royal Artillery - Lieutenant Colonel J. S. Atkins

Support - Royal Engineers (Lieutenant Colonel C. P. Jones), RASC, REME, RAMC, RAOC, RMP and divisional signals

43rd Wessex Divison - Major General G. Ivor Thomas

129th Infantry Brigade - Brigadier G. H. L. Mole

4th Somerset Light Infantry - Lt. Col. C.G. Lipscomb
5th Wiltshire - Lieutenant Colonel W. G. Roberts
4th Wiltshire - Lieutenant ColonelE. L. Luce

130th Infantry Brigade - Brigadier B .B. (Joe) Walton

7th Hampshire - Lieutenant Colonel D. E. B. Talbot
4th Dorset - Lieutenant Colonel Gerald Tilley
5th Dorset - Lieutenant Colonel B .A. Coad

214th Infantry Brigade - Brigadier Hubert Essame

7th Somerset Light Infantry - Lieutenant Colonel H. A. Borradaile
1st Worcestershire - Lieutenant Colonel R. E. Osborne-Smith
5th Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry - Lieutenant Colonel George Taylor

Machine Gun Battalion; 8th Middlesex

50th Northumbrian Division - Major General D. A. H. Graham (to VIII Corps 18 September)

return to guided tour