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Operation Howard
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Operation Howard
Operation Howard was a British special forces operation by B and C Squadrons, 1st Special Air Service led by Paddy Mayne that took place from 6 to 29 April 1945. It was to provide reconnaissance for the Canadian 4th Armoured Division in its advance towards Oldenburg in north-western Germany. The operation was hampered by German ambushes and boggy ground in which the Jeeps found hard going. The operation succeeded in its objective but suffered a number of casualties.
The operation was notable for an action where many felt that Paddy Mayne should have won the Victoria Cross.
The 1st and 2nd Special Air Service had achieved considerable success with their behind the lines raiding during and after Operation Overlord – notably Operation Bulbasket, Operation Houndsworth, Operation Loyton and Operation Wallace. Following these operations both of the Special Air Service regiments were recalled to the United Kingdom. They were to regroup and refit, for the final push into Germany the following year.
As they would no longer be behind German lines, their role had changed as they would accompany the leading reconnaissance forces, in fast moving jeep columns. They were to probe and breakthrough the forward German Units to enable a rapid advance for the main party of the Army.
On the night of 23 March Operation Plunder saw the British 21st Army Group penetrate into Germany by crossing the Rhine. Three days later the SAS also crossed the river with Operation Archway supporting the airborne element of the crossing, Operation Varsity.
Another operation was planned for the SAS to provide reconnaissance for Major General Christopher Vokes's Canadian 4th Armoured Division in its advance toward Oldenburg in north-western Germany. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Robert 'Paddy' B. Mayne, B and C Squadrons, 1st SAS with their jeep-mounted party departed from Tilbury on 6 April and reached Nijmegen in the Netherlands the following day. Brigadier Mike Calvert commander of the SAS was at 4th Canadian Division's headquarters to meet with Mayne and discuss the operation.
The forty Jeeps with 180 men in total travelled in two columns, and entered German held territory. The terrain was far from ideal as it was crisscrossed by dykes and waterways. Nevertheless the SAS troopers advanced 37 miles (60 km) in three days, sometimes going too far ahead of the supporting Canadian armour. The SAS troopers soon discovered that their Jeeps had to deal with German ambush parties, from elements of Wolfgang Erdmann's 7th Parachute Division armed with Panzerfausts, in positions facing the 4th Canadian armoured division.
B Squadron led by Major Dick Bond was caught in an ambush in woodland as it approached the village of Börger. Bond was killed along with his driver Trooper Lewis – several of his men were pinned under heavy fire outside the village from a series of farm buildings. The leading patrols were thus held up, but after hearing the reports on the radio, Mayne arrived and took over a jeep, while another officer Lieutenant John Scott volunteered as rear gunner. Another trooper Billy Hull managed to find a way into one of the farm buildings opening up distracting fire which revealed the ambushers positions. Mayne meanwhile drove flat out down the road, with Scott firing the Browning and Vickers machine gun from the jeep suppressing the attackers. Mayne turned around and repeated the attack on the way back, turning again to collect the wounded from the dyke and brought them to safety. German fire began to wane so Mayne and Hull then went from house to house clearing away any opposition. By this time the Germans had withdrawn leaving the wood and farm buildings in SAS hands.
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Operation Howard
Operation Howard was a British special forces operation by B and C Squadrons, 1st Special Air Service led by Paddy Mayne that took place from 6 to 29 April 1945. It was to provide reconnaissance for the Canadian 4th Armoured Division in its advance towards Oldenburg in north-western Germany. The operation was hampered by German ambushes and boggy ground in which the Jeeps found hard going. The operation succeeded in its objective but suffered a number of casualties.
The operation was notable for an action where many felt that Paddy Mayne should have won the Victoria Cross.
The 1st and 2nd Special Air Service had achieved considerable success with their behind the lines raiding during and after Operation Overlord – notably Operation Bulbasket, Operation Houndsworth, Operation Loyton and Operation Wallace. Following these operations both of the Special Air Service regiments were recalled to the United Kingdom. They were to regroup and refit, for the final push into Germany the following year.
As they would no longer be behind German lines, their role had changed as they would accompany the leading reconnaissance forces, in fast moving jeep columns. They were to probe and breakthrough the forward German Units to enable a rapid advance for the main party of the Army.
On the night of 23 March Operation Plunder saw the British 21st Army Group penetrate into Germany by crossing the Rhine. Three days later the SAS also crossed the river with Operation Archway supporting the airborne element of the crossing, Operation Varsity.
Another operation was planned for the SAS to provide reconnaissance for Major General Christopher Vokes's Canadian 4th Armoured Division in its advance toward Oldenburg in north-western Germany. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Robert 'Paddy' B. Mayne, B and C Squadrons, 1st SAS with their jeep-mounted party departed from Tilbury on 6 April and reached Nijmegen in the Netherlands the following day. Brigadier Mike Calvert commander of the SAS was at 4th Canadian Division's headquarters to meet with Mayne and discuss the operation.
The forty Jeeps with 180 men in total travelled in two columns, and entered German held territory. The terrain was far from ideal as it was crisscrossed by dykes and waterways. Nevertheless the SAS troopers advanced 37 miles (60 km) in three days, sometimes going too far ahead of the supporting Canadian armour. The SAS troopers soon discovered that their Jeeps had to deal with German ambush parties, from elements of Wolfgang Erdmann's 7th Parachute Division armed with Panzerfausts, in positions facing the 4th Canadian armoured division.
B Squadron led by Major Dick Bond was caught in an ambush in woodland as it approached the village of Börger. Bond was killed along with his driver Trooper Lewis – several of his men were pinned under heavy fire outside the village from a series of farm buildings. The leading patrols were thus held up, but after hearing the reports on the radio, Mayne arrived and took over a jeep, while another officer Lieutenant John Scott volunteered as rear gunner. Another trooper Billy Hull managed to find a way into one of the farm buildings opening up distracting fire which revealed the ambushers positions. Mayne meanwhile drove flat out down the road, with Scott firing the Browning and Vickers machine gun from the jeep suppressing the attackers. Mayne turned around and repeated the attack on the way back, turning again to collect the wounded from the dyke and brought them to safety. German fire began to wane so Mayne and Hull then went from house to house clearing away any opposition. By this time the Germans had withdrawn leaving the wood and farm buildings in SAS hands.