Richard Lonsdale
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Colonel Richard "Dickie" Thomas Henry Lonsdale DSO
& Bar
, MC
(27 December 1913 – 23 November 1988) was a British Army officer who served with the Parachute Regiment throughout much of the Second World War.
Born in 1913, Lonsdale initially entered the army as a private before attending Military College Sandhurst and being commissioned as an officer in the Royal Leicestershire Regiment
. In 1938, while serving with this regiment in Waziristan
, he was awarded the Military Cross
. After the outbreak of the Second World War he was a founding member of the 151 Battalion of The Parachute Regiment in India. By 1943 he had been promoted to lead A Company of the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
and served with distinction in the Allied invasion of Sicily
. After returning to England he was made second in command of the 11th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment in 1944, shortly before flying to Arnhem
with the 1st Airborne Division. Here he again served with distinction during the battle
, and despite being wounded he took command of a mixed force that successfully defended the Allied perimeter against repeated German attacks. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
twice, for his actions in Sicily and Arnhem.
After the war Lonsdale remained with the army and took command of 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
. He later served with the King's African Rifles
in Uganda before he retired from the army in 1951. He died in 1988.
in East Sussex
. He initially enlisted in the British Army
as a private, but in 1936 he was commissioned into the Royal Leicestershire Regiment
after attending the Royal Military College Sandhurst. He served with the regiment in Jubbulpore, India
in 1937, and in Waziristan
in 1938. In Waziristan he took part in a successful operation to recapture an enemy held picket
and was subsequently awarded the Military Cross
.
he was a founding member of 151st Parachute Battalion, The Parachute Regiment in India, and remained with the battalion when it transferred to Africa. In July 1943 he was transferred and made the commanding officer of A Company, 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, part of the 1st Parachute Brigade.
. Each assault would be conducted by one of the division's brigades. The Ponte Grande road bridge south of Syracuse was to be captured by 1st Airlanding Brigade, the port of Augusta was to be seized by 2nd Parachute Brigade, and finally the Primasole Bridge over the River Simeto was to be taken and secured by 1st Parachute Brigade. 1st Parachute Brigade's plan for the capture of Primasole Bridge, code-named Operation Fustian
, was quite simple: 1st Parachute Battalion would capture the bridge itself, 2nd Parachute Battalion would drop to the south of the bridge and prevent Axis forces from counter-attacking, and 3rd Parachute Battalion would do the same to the north.
2nd Parachute Battalion was charged with securing three areas of high ground to the south of Primosole Bridge, codenamed Johnny I, II, and III. When the brigade was dropped around its objectives on the night of 13 July, Lonsdale and the majority of his company were amongst the few to be accurately dropped onto their zones, while the rest of the brigade were scattered over a large area. He was able to join Lieutenant-Colonel John Frost
and was confident that he could secure Johnny I with his own company. Frost led a mixed force of about 100 men to "Johnny I" but on arrival there they discovered that a small force under Lieutenant Tony Frank, of A Company had not only captured the hill, but also taken 130 Italian prisoners. Lonsdale deployed his men on "Johnny I" and Frost, who had injured his knee in the drop, passed command of the objective to him.
Lonsdale later led a small group of paratroopers towards "Johnny II" but came under fire from German troops and withdrew. For the next few hours the men on "Johnny I" were able to see German forces preparing to assault the battalion, but without any machine guns or mortars, they were unable to disrupt their preparations, or respond to the German's own mortar fire. Several attacks were launched, but all came from the same direction, and Lonsdale and his company were able to repel them. The grass on the top of "Johnny I" was soon set alight by German fire, and the battalion was forced to shrink its perimeter, although it was able to stop German attacks by mid-morning thanks to heavy naval fire from a British cruiser off the shore of Sicily. By dusk 3rd Parachute Battalion to the north had been forced to retreat after suffering heavy casualties and facing repeated German assaults, and the surviving paratroopers began moving towards 2nd Parachute Battalion's positions; at the same time, Lonsdale managed to make contact with M4 Sherman
tanks from 44th Royal Tank Regiment, part of the British 4th Armoured Brigade, who had advanced from the British beachheads. As the 3rd Parachute Battalion troops reached his company's positions, Lonsdale was instrumental in gathering them together and ensuring they did not retreat any further. The brigade was withdrawn from Primasole Bridge to Syracuse on the morning of 14 July, and from there back to North Africa.
For his conduct during this operation, Lonsdale was awarded the DSO. His citation read:
. In September Lonsdale was made second in command of 11th Parachute Battalion and in the same month the division was deployed in Operation Market Garden
. The Allies
planned to use airborne forces to secure key bridges over a number of rivers and canals in the Netherlands
, opening a route around the Seigfried Line and into the heart of Germany
. 1st Airborne Division was tasked with securing bridges across the Lower Rhine
at Arnhem
, with the 4th Parachute Brigade planned to drop on the second day of the operation.
Major General
Roy Urquhart
's original plan envisaged the 4th Parachute Brigade advancing to the north of Arnhem, but by the end of day one the allied advance into Arnhem had stalled. Only a small group of the 1st Parachute Brigade, mainly elements of Lieutenant Colonel John Frost's
2nd Battalion
, were able to reach the bridge. The 1st
and 3rd
Battalions were unable to penetrate the outer suburbs of the city and their advance stalled, so in order to support them elements of the 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment
, were sent forward on the morning of 18 September. When the second lift arrived later that day the remaining companies of the South Staffords and the 11th Battalion were sent forward and arrived at the outskirts of Arnhem that night.
Lonsdale did not advance with the battalion however. The C-47 Dakota
in which Lonsdale was travelling was hit by German anti-aircraft fire, damaging it and also wounding Londsdale in his right hand; he was delayed in exiting the aircraft when the two men either side of him refused to jump, which meant they had to be unhooked before he and the rest of his stick could jump out of the aircraft. Upon landing, Lonsdale found that his wound was bleeding considerably, and his orderly had to bandage up his hand.
ed. The remnants of the four battalions fell back in disarray to the main divisional positions at Oosterbeek. Here they were met by Lieutenant Colonel Sheriff Thompson, CO 1st Airlanding Light Artillery Regiment, who drove a little over half a mile forward of his own 75 Millimetre Howitzers
positions at Oosterbeek Church, and ordered Major Robert Cain
to gather the men into defensive units. Thompson asked Brigadier Philip Hicks for more men and officers, and was sent Lonsdale and Major Simmons. While Simmons organised defences at the church, Thompson sent Lonsdale forward to take charge of the outlying force. This sector was officially designated Thompson Force in a divisional meeting the following day.
On 20 September, the Germans launched a series of increasingly heavy attacks against Lonsdale’s men. Although in an isolated position they held their ground throughout the day and Lance Sergeant
John Baskeyfield
was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross
for his actions on the main road into Oosterbeek. By the afternoon the mixed force was so weakened that Hicks gave Thompson permission to pull them back to the main divisional defence line at the church. German flamethrowers and tank fire had set fire to buildings and the surrounding woodland and the British withdrew under intense fire. Lonsdale ordered the men who had fallen back to gather and rest in the church, and it was here that he gave a speech to rouse his exhausted and dispirited men. Standing with a sling around his injured arm, a blood-stained bandage covering his three head wounds and a bandage on his leg, Lonsdale climbed into the pulpit:
Although many of the men were asleep, the speech put new strength and hope into the men who heard it. Lonsdale took command of the parachute regiment battalions in the sector, while Thompson took charge of the artillery, South Staffords and Glider Pilots. However, on the 21 September Thompson was injured by mortar fire and Lonsdale took overall command of the sector, which was renamed Lonsdale Force. For several days they fought off determined German attacks in their sector, usually minor infantry encounters. On many mornings Royal Artillery units from XXX Corps, south of the river, laid barrages just forward of the force's positions to disrupt any enemy buildups, on one occasion accidentally shelling their own men. On the morning of Monday 25 September, Urquhart agreed to withdraw his division
south of the river, but he would have to wait until nightfall. It was on this day that the Germans made their most significant gains, breaking through the British perimeter at the northern end of Lonsdale Force's sector and sweeping south to the South Staffords positions. The German forces succeeded in overrunning several artillery positions before being forced back. The division withdrew that night, although Lonsdale force were amongst the last to fall back to the river after waiting for the units further north to fall back past them. Nevertheless they were at the back of the queues to cross the river and many men were left behind. Lonsdale saw as many men over as possible before he left. No boats were running by the time he came to leave and so he swam the river, a task made more difficult by his injuries.
For his conduct during the battle, Lonsdale was awarded a Bar to the DSO on 9 November 1944. His citation read:
In 1945 several hundred survivors from the battle had the opportunity to take part in the film Theirs is the Glory
, recounting the events at Arnhem. Lonsdale portrayed himself in the film, and once again delivered his rousing speech in the church.
, being promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. In 1946 he transferred from the Parachute Regiment and served with the King's African Rifles
for a time in Uganda, and then left the Army. He remained in Africa for several years, entering the wine trade, and then returned to the United Kingdom, living in both the Isle of Man
and Bath. He died on 23 November 1988.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(27 December 1913 – 23 November 1988) was a British Army officer who served with the Parachute Regiment throughout much of the Second World War.
Born in 1913, Lonsdale initially entered the army as a private before attending Military College Sandhurst and being commissioned as an officer in the Royal Leicestershire Regiment
Royal Leicestershire Regiment
The Royal Leicestershire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, with a history going back to 1688. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Royal Anglian Regiment in 1964.-1688 - 1881:...
. In 1938, while serving with this regiment in Waziristan
Waziristan
Waziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
, he was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
. After the outbreak of the Second World War he was a founding member of the 151 Battalion of The Parachute Regiment in India. By 1943 he had been promoted to lead A Company of the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
The Second Battalion, The Parachute Regiment is a battalion-sized formation of the British Army's Parachute Regiment and subordinate unit within 16th Air Assault Brigade whose Commanding Officer was Lieutenant Colonel Joseph O'Sullivan....
and served with distinction in the Allied invasion of Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
. After returning to England he was made second in command of the 11th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment in 1944, shortly before flying to Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
with the 1st Airborne Division. Here he again served with distinction during the battle
Battle of Arnhem
The Battle of Arnhem was a famous Second World War military engagement fought in and around the Dutch towns of Arnhem, Oosterbeek, Wolfheze, Driel and the surrounding countryside from 17–26 September 1944....
, and despite being wounded he took command of a mixed force that successfully defended the Allied perimeter against repeated German attacks. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
twice, for his actions in Sicily and Arnhem.
After the war Lonsdale remained with the army and took command of 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
The 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment is a battalion sized formation of the British Army's Parachute Regiment and subordinate unit within 16 Air Assault Brigade....
. He later served with the King's African Rifles
King's African Rifles
The King's African Rifles was a multi-battalion British colonial regiment raised from the various British possessions in East Africa from 1902 until independence in the 1960s. It performed both military and internal security functions within the East African colonies as well as external service as...
in Uganda before he retired from the army in 1951. He died in 1988.
Early life
Richard Lonsdale was born on 27 December 1913 and educated at Eastbourne CollegeEastbourne College
Eastbourne College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils aged 13–18, situated on the south coast of England, included in the Tatler list of top public schools. The College's current headmaster is Simon Davies. The College was founded by the Duke of Devonshire...
in East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
. He initially enlisted in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
as a private, but in 1936 he was commissioned into the Royal Leicestershire Regiment
Royal Leicestershire Regiment
The Royal Leicestershire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, with a history going back to 1688. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Royal Anglian Regiment in 1964.-1688 - 1881:...
after attending the Royal Military College Sandhurst. He served with the regiment in Jubbulpore, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1937, and in Waziristan
Waziristan
Waziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
in 1938. In Waziristan he took part in a successful operation to recapture an enemy held picket
Picket (military)
In military terminology, a picket refers to soldiers or troops placed on a line forward of a position to warn against an enemy advance. It can also refer to any unit performing a similar function...
and was subsequently awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
.
Second World War
Lonsdale was promoted to the rank of lieutenant only a month before the outbreak of war. He occasionally held the rank of acting or temporary captain over the next few years before he volunteered for the Parachute Regiment in 1941. Like John WaddyJohn Waddy (British Army officer)
Colonel John Llewellyn Waddy OBE is a former member of the British Army who served in the Second World War, Palestine and the Malayan Emergency before becoming director of the SAS....
he was a founding member of 151st Parachute Battalion, The Parachute Regiment in India, and remained with the battalion when it transferred to Africa. In July 1943 he was transferred and made the commanding officer of A Company, 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, part of the 1st Parachute Brigade.
Sicily
In mid-1943, the 1st Airborne Division, to which 1st Parachute Brigade was attached, was given the task of conducting three airborne assaults as part of Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of SicilySicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. Each assault would be conducted by one of the division's brigades. The Ponte Grande road bridge south of Syracuse was to be captured by 1st Airlanding Brigade, the port of Augusta was to be seized by 2nd Parachute Brigade, and finally the Primasole Bridge over the River Simeto was to be taken and secured by 1st Parachute Brigade. 1st Parachute Brigade's plan for the capture of Primasole Bridge, code-named Operation Fustian
Operation Fustian
Operation Fustian was a British airborne forces mission during the Allied invasion of Sicily in the Second World War. The operation was carried out by the 1st Parachute Brigade, part of the 1st Airborne Division. Their objective was the Primosole Bridge across the Simeto River. The intention was...
, was quite simple: 1st Parachute Battalion would capture the bridge itself, 2nd Parachute Battalion would drop to the south of the bridge and prevent Axis forces from counter-attacking, and 3rd Parachute Battalion would do the same to the north.
2nd Parachute Battalion was charged with securing three areas of high ground to the south of Primosole Bridge, codenamed Johnny I, II, and III. When the brigade was dropped around its objectives on the night of 13 July, Lonsdale and the majority of his company were amongst the few to be accurately dropped onto their zones, while the rest of the brigade were scattered over a large area. He was able to join Lieutenant-Colonel John Frost
John Dutton Frost
Major General John Dutton Frost CB, DSO & Bar, MC, DL was a British airborne officer best known for being the leader of the small group of airborne forces that actually got to Arnhem bridge during the Battle of Arnhem...
and was confident that he could secure Johnny I with his own company. Frost led a mixed force of about 100 men to "Johnny I" but on arrival there they discovered that a small force under Lieutenant Tony Frank, of A Company had not only captured the hill, but also taken 130 Italian prisoners. Lonsdale deployed his men on "Johnny I" and Frost, who had injured his knee in the drop, passed command of the objective to him.
Lonsdale later led a small group of paratroopers towards "Johnny II" but came under fire from German troops and withdrew. For the next few hours the men on "Johnny I" were able to see German forces preparing to assault the battalion, but without any machine guns or mortars, they were unable to disrupt their preparations, or respond to the German's own mortar fire. Several attacks were launched, but all came from the same direction, and Lonsdale and his company were able to repel them. The grass on the top of "Johnny I" was soon set alight by German fire, and the battalion was forced to shrink its perimeter, although it was able to stop German attacks by mid-morning thanks to heavy naval fire from a British cruiser off the shore of Sicily. By dusk 3rd Parachute Battalion to the north had been forced to retreat after suffering heavy casualties and facing repeated German assaults, and the surviving paratroopers began moving towards 2nd Parachute Battalion's positions; at the same time, Lonsdale managed to make contact with M4 Sherman
M4 Sherman
The M4 Sherman, formally Medium Tank, M4, was the primary tank used by the United States during World War II. Thousands were also distributed to the Allies, including the British Commonwealth and Soviet armies, via lend-lease...
tanks from 44th Royal Tank Regiment, part of the British 4th Armoured Brigade, who had advanced from the British beachheads. As the 3rd Parachute Battalion troops reached his company's positions, Lonsdale was instrumental in gathering them together and ensuring they did not retreat any further. The brigade was withdrawn from Primasole Bridge to Syracuse on the morning of 14 July, and from there back to North Africa.
For his conduct during this operation, Lonsdale was awarded the DSO. His citation read:
Battle of Arnhem
The 1st Airborne Division returned to the UK in November 1943 and were kept in reserve during Operation OverlordOperation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
. In September Lonsdale was made second in command of 11th Parachute Battalion and in the same month the division was deployed in Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
. The Allies
Western Allies
The Western Allies were a political and geographic grouping among the Allied Powers of the Second World War. It generally includes the United Kingdom and British Commonwealth, the United States, France and various other European and Latin American countries, but excludes China, the Soviet Union,...
planned to use airborne forces to secure key bridges over a number of rivers and canals in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, opening a route around the Seigfried Line and into the heart of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. 1st Airborne Division was tasked with securing bridges across the Lower Rhine
Lower Rhine
The Lower Rhine flows from Bonn, Germany, to the North Sea at Hoek van Holland, Netherlands.Almost immediately after entering the Netherlands, the Rhine splits into many branches. The main branch is called the Waal which flows from Nijmegen to meet the river Meuse; after which it is called Merwede...
at Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
, with the 4th Parachute Brigade planned to drop on the second day of the operation.
Major General
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
Roy Urquhart
Roy Urquhart
Major General Robert "Roy" Elliott Urquhart, CB, DSO was a British military officer. He became prominent for his role commanding the British 1st Airborne Division during Operation Market Garden.-Early career:...
's original plan envisaged the 4th Parachute Brigade advancing to the north of Arnhem, but by the end of day one the allied advance into Arnhem had stalled. Only a small group of the 1st Parachute Brigade, mainly elements of Lieutenant Colonel John Frost's
John Dutton Frost
Major General John Dutton Frost CB, DSO & Bar, MC, DL was a British airborne officer best known for being the leader of the small group of airborne forces that actually got to Arnhem bridge during the Battle of Arnhem...
2nd Battalion
2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
The Second Battalion, The Parachute Regiment is a battalion-sized formation of the British Army's Parachute Regiment and subordinate unit within 16th Air Assault Brigade whose Commanding Officer was Lieutenant Colonel Joseph O'Sullivan....
, were able to reach the bridge. The 1st
1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
The First Battalion, The Parachute Regiment is a battalion sized formation of the British Army's Parachute Regiment and subordinate unit within 16th Air Assault Brigade, but is permanently attached to the Special Forces Support Group....
and 3rd
3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
The 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment is a battalion sized formation of the British Army's Parachute Regiment and subordinate unit within 16 Air Assault Brigade....
Battalions were unable to penetrate the outer suburbs of the city and their advance stalled, so in order to support them elements of the 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment
South Staffordshire Regiment
The South Staffordshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 38th Regiment of Foot and the 80th Regiment of Foot. In 1959 the regiment was amlagamated with the North Staffordshire Regiment to form the Staffordshire Regiment...
, were sent forward on the morning of 18 September. When the second lift arrived later that day the remaining companies of the South Staffords and the 11th Battalion were sent forward and arrived at the outskirts of Arnhem that night.
Lonsdale did not advance with the battalion however. The C-47 Dakota
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
in which Lonsdale was travelling was hit by German anti-aircraft fire, damaging it and also wounding Londsdale in his right hand; he was delayed in exiting the aircraft when the two men either side of him refused to jump, which meant they had to be unhooked before he and the rest of his stick could jump out of the aircraft. Upon landing, Lonsdale found that his wound was bleeding considerably, and his orderly had to bandage up his hand.
Lonsdale Force
In the early hours of the morning of 19 September, an attack was launched on a narrow front between the river and the railway line, in order to force a passage through to the bridge. However, in the face of strong enemy positions and armour, the attack faltered and the British routRout
A rout is commonly defined as a chaotic and disorderly retreat or withdrawal of troops from a battlefield, resulting in the victory of the opposing party, or following defeat, a collapse of discipline, or poor morale. A routed army often degenerates into a sense of "every man for himself" as the...
ed. The remnants of the four battalions fell back in disarray to the main divisional positions at Oosterbeek. Here they were met by Lieutenant Colonel Sheriff Thompson, CO 1st Airlanding Light Artillery Regiment, who drove a little over half a mile forward of his own 75 Millimetre Howitzers
M116 howitzer
The 75mm Pack Howitzer M1 was designed in the United States in 1920s to meet a need for an artillery piece that could be moved across difficult terrain. The gun and carriage was designed so that it could be broken down into several pieces to be carried by pack animals...
positions at Oosterbeek Church, and ordered Major Robert Cain
Robert Henry Cain
Major Robert Henry Cain VC was a Manx recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
to gather the men into defensive units. Thompson asked Brigadier Philip Hicks for more men and officers, and was sent Lonsdale and Major Simmons. While Simmons organised defences at the church, Thompson sent Lonsdale forward to take charge of the outlying force. This sector was officially designated Thompson Force in a divisional meeting the following day.
On 20 September, the Germans launched a series of increasingly heavy attacks against Lonsdale’s men. Although in an isolated position they held their ground throughout the day and Lance Sergeant
Lance Sergeant
A lance sergeant in the armies of the Commonwealth was a corporal acting in the rank of sergeant. The appointment is retained now only in the Foot Guards and Honourable Artillery Company...
John Baskeyfield
John Baskeyfield
John "Jack" Daniel Baskeyfield VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces....
was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for his actions on the main road into Oosterbeek. By the afternoon the mixed force was so weakened that Hicks gave Thompson permission to pull them back to the main divisional defence line at the church. German flamethrowers and tank fire had set fire to buildings and the surrounding woodland and the British withdrew under intense fire. Lonsdale ordered the men who had fallen back to gather and rest in the church, and it was here that he gave a speech to rouse his exhausted and dispirited men. Standing with a sling around his injured arm, a blood-stained bandage covering his three head wounds and a bandage on his leg, Lonsdale climbed into the pulpit:
Although many of the men were asleep, the speech put new strength and hope into the men who heard it. Lonsdale took command of the parachute regiment battalions in the sector, while Thompson took charge of the artillery, South Staffords and Glider Pilots. However, on the 21 September Thompson was injured by mortar fire and Lonsdale took overall command of the sector, which was renamed Lonsdale Force. For several days they fought off determined German attacks in their sector, usually minor infantry encounters. On many mornings Royal Artillery units from XXX Corps, south of the river, laid barrages just forward of the force's positions to disrupt any enemy buildups, on one occasion accidentally shelling their own men. On the morning of Monday 25 September, Urquhart agreed to withdraw his division
Operation Berlin (Arnhem rescue)
Operation Berlin was a night-time evacuation of paratroopers of the British 1st Airborne Division trapped in German occupied territory north of the Lower Rhine in the Netherlands. The aim of the operation was to safely withdraw the remnants of the division who were surrounded on three sides by...
south of the river, but he would have to wait until nightfall. It was on this day that the Germans made their most significant gains, breaking through the British perimeter at the northern end of Lonsdale Force's sector and sweeping south to the South Staffords positions. The German forces succeeded in overrunning several artillery positions before being forced back. The division withdrew that night, although Lonsdale force were amongst the last to fall back to the river after waiting for the units further north to fall back past them. Nevertheless they were at the back of the queues to cross the river and many men were left behind. Lonsdale saw as many men over as possible before he left. No boats were running by the time he came to leave and so he swam the river, a task made more difficult by his injuries.
For his conduct during the battle, Lonsdale was awarded a Bar to the DSO on 9 November 1944. His citation read:
In 1945 several hundred survivors from the battle had the opportunity to take part in the film Theirs is the Glory
Theirs is the Glory
Theirs Is the Glory , a Rank production, is a 1946 British film about the British Airborne element of the World War II Operation Market Garden, and specifically the Battle of Arnhem. It was the first film to be made about this battle, and the biggest grossing war movie for nearly a decade...
, recounting the events at Arnhem. Lonsdale portrayed himself in the film, and once again delivered his rousing speech in the church.
Later life
Lonsdale later commanded an almagated force of the 3rd and 11th Parachute Battalions and saw service in PalestinePalestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, being promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. In 1946 he transferred from the Parachute Regiment and served with the King's African Rifles
King's African Rifles
The King's African Rifles was a multi-battalion British colonial regiment raised from the various British possessions in East Africa from 1902 until independence in the 1960s. It performed both military and internal security functions within the East African colonies as well as external service as...
for a time in Uganda, and then left the Army. He remained in Africa for several years, entering the wine trade, and then returned to the United Kingdom, living in both the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
and Bath. He died on 23 November 1988.