Memorial Glider of 101st Airborne Division

On Sunday September 17, 1944, a Waco glider number 43-39713 crashed here at the start of Operation "Market Garden".

This Waco glider was towed by a C-47B Skytrain and had taken off that morning in Ramsbury, United Kingdom. The landing was planned near Son in the Netherlands, but the cable between the two aircraft broke just after they flew over Geel.
The glider quickly lost altitude. Fortunately, the pilot found a suitable field in the Royal Domain in Retie. Although some treetops were hit during the descent, all seven occupants survived the crash-landing.
At the beginning of September 1944, the Prinsenpark was right in the German front line, so that the aircraft was quickly surrounded. However, there was no question of surrender as they had a special passenger on board: Corporal Harold Spence. This British soldier had secret documents and a cipher machine, which was absolutely not allowed to fall into the hands of the enemy.

When leaving the glider, a fierce firefight immediately ensued, in which several German soldiers were killed. Two passengers, American soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division, were also fatally wounded. A third could be captured. Miraculously, the remaining four soldiers managed to escape.
British Corporal Harold Spence also managed to hide the cipher with secret documents in the park. But their ordeal was all but over. They had to hide for seven days.
Exhausted and starving, they were finally able to reach the British troops in Geel-Ten Aard.

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Gil Geerings
• Photos: Gil Geerings

< >