Operation Pegasus facts for kids

Operation Pegasus was a secret military mission during World War II. It took place on the Lower Rhine river, near the village of Renkum in the Netherlands. On the night of October 22-23, 1944, Allied forces worked with the Dutch Resistance. They helped 138 soldiers escape from behind German lines. These soldiers had been hiding since the Battle of Arnhem a month earlier.

After the Battle of Arnhem, many British soldiers were left behind. Several hundred avoided being captured by the Germans. The Dutch Resistance helped them hide. At first, the soldiers hoped the British 2nd Army would rescue them soon. But when it became clear the Allies would not cross the Rhine that year, they decided to escape.

The first escape mission, called Pegasus I, was a big success. A second mission, Pegasus II, ran into trouble and failed. Even so, the Dutch Resistance kept helping. Many more soldiers escaped in small groups during the winter.

Why the Escape Was Needed

The Battle of Arnhem

In September 1944, the Allies launched a big plan called Operation Market Garden. The goal was for the British 2nd Army to push into Germany. They needed to cross rivers and canals in the Netherlands. The plan was to capture bridges, especially the one at Arnhem.

The 1st British Airborne Division parachuted into Arnhem on September 17. They faced much stronger German forces than expected. Only a small group reached the Arnhem road bridge. The main ground forces were delayed. Without help, this small group was defeated. The rest of the division got trapped in Oosterbeek. They had to pull back on the night of September 25-26 in Operation Berlin.

More than 10,400 British and Polish paratroopers fought at Arnhem. In Operation Berlin, about 2,400 to 2,500 men safely crossed back to Allied lines. This left about 7,900 men behind. Nearly 1,500 were killed. More than 6,000 were captured by the Germans. About 500 paratroopers were still hiding in villages north of the Nederrijn (Lower Rhine River).

Planning the Escape Missions

Getting Organized

MI9 was a British intelligence group that helped soldiers escape. They sent an agent named Dick Kragt to the Netherlands in 1943. Before the Battle of Arnhem, Kragt and his team helped over 100 Allied airmen escape. These airmen had been shot down over the Netherlands. So, MI9 already had experienced people in the area.

Airey Neave from MI9 arrived in Nijmegen in October 1944. He came to help rescue the British soldiers hiding near Arnhem. Major Hugh Fraser of the Special Air Service (SAS) joined him. Nijmegen was about 16 kilometers (10 miles) south of Arnhem. Two large rivers, the Waal and the Lower Rhine, were between the cities.

Neave and Fraser found a way to talk by phone to the Dutch Resistance in Ede. Many British soldiers were hiding there. They got daily updates on the hidden soldiers. This phone link was very important for planning Operation Pegasus I.

Dangers for Helpers

The Germans knew many British soldiers were hiding near Arnhem. They were actively searching for them. Dutch civilians who helped the soldiers faced great danger. Captured soldiers were sent to prisoner of war camps. But Dutch civilians who helped were often executed.

Inside German territory, Major Digby Tatham-Warter had escaped a German hospital. He got in touch with the Dutch Resistance in Ede. Soon, other officers joined him. They even set up a secret 'Brigade HQ in hiding'. Tatham-Warter contacted Gilbert Sadi Kirschen [nl] of the Belgian SAS. Kirschen arranged for supplies like weapons and uniforms to be dropped by air.

Piet Kruijff, a local Resistance leader, found safe houses for the soldiers in Ede. Soon, over 80 men were in the town. It became too crowded, so he started housing men in Oud-Reemst [nl] too. By the time of the escape, 40 more men were there.

At first, everyone hoped the Allies would attack again soon. But in October, Kirschen told the Resistance that no new attacks were planned north of the Lower Rhine. Having so many Allied soldiers hiding was risky for the Resistance and the civilians. So, they decided to evacuate the men as soon as possible.

Making the Plan

The secret 'HQ in hiding' near Arnhem talked with MI9 and the British 2nd Army in Nijmegen. Lt Colonel David Dobie was rowed across the Rhine on October 16. He reached Allied lines. Dobie contacted the XXX Corps and the 101st Airborne Division. They approved the escape plan.

Dobie was chosen to lead the evacuation. Neave and Fraser were his intelligence officers. They called Tatham-Warter and made a plan to help all the hidden men escape.

Dobie picked a spot on the river near Renkum for the crossing. The Rhine was about 150 to 200 meters (about 500-650 feet) wide there. They planned a route from the north side to the river. Royal Canadian Engineers and British Royal Engineers would meet the men on the north bank. They would be protected by soldiers from the 506 PIR, 101st Airborne Division.

To guide the escaping soldiers, the crossing point would be marked. A Bofors gun would fire tracer rounds. American forces fired tracers over the river for several nights. This was to hide the real purpose of the operation. The escape date was set for the night of October 23-24.

Operation Pegasus I

On October 20, the Germans ordered people near Arnhem to leave their homes. The Allies decided to use this confusion. They moved the escape date forward to the night of October 22-23.

Operation Pegasus needed MI9, the Dutch Resistance, and British and American soldiers to work together. The Dutch Resistance gathered the hidden soldiers. They took them to a spot near Renkum. This was about 5 kilometers (3 miles) west of Arnhem, on the German-controlled side of the Lower Rhine.

From the south bank, which the Allies controlled, British Royal Engineers crossed the river in rowboats. American paratroopers came along to help if there was fighting. Neave and Fraser from MI9 set up a command center. It was in a farmhouse near Randwijk, ready to greet the escaping soldiers.

The German presence in this area was very strong. The soldiers gathered only 500 meters (about 1,600 feet) from German machine gun nests. By dark, 139 men had gathered. Most were from the 1st Airborne Division. But there was also a US 82nd Airborne Division soldier, some aircrew, Dutch civilians, and even some Russians.

The men were put into groups. At 9 PM, they started moving south towards the river. Tatham-Warter noted that the Germans likely knew they were there. But perhaps unsure of their numbers, the Germans kept their distance. There was one brief exchange of gunfire with a German patrol, but no one was hurt.

At midnight, the group reached the riverbank. They moved to the crossing point, marked by the tracer fire. They flashed a V for Victory signal with their flashlights. They waited anxiously for twenty minutes for the boats.

On the south bank, Dobie, the engineers, and a patrol from E Company, 506 PIR saw the signal. They launched their boats right away. The British were about 500-800 meters (1,600-2,600 feet) upriver from the crossing point. When they reached the north bank, E Company set up a small defense. Men then headed east to find the escaping soldiers.

The soldiers quickly moved downstream. In the next 90 minutes, all of them were evacuated. Only one Russian was caught by the Germans. The Germans fired occasionally, and some mortar rounds fell nearby. But their aim was not good. Once on the other side, the escapees went to a farmhouse for food and drinks. Then they were driven to Nijmegen, where Dobie had a party ready for them. Later, the men were flown back to the UK.

Operation Pegasus II

The success of Pegasus I led the Allies to plan Operation Pegasus II. This was to evacuate more soldiers trapped near Arnhem. Sadly, the plan for this mission was leaked early. A reporter pretended to be an intelligence officer. He interviewed several soldiers who had escaped in Pegasus I. The news story alerted the Germans. They increased their patrols along the river.

Major Hugh Maguire was in charge of Pegasus II. The mission was similar to the first one. But it was planned for November 18, about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) further east. Between 130 and 160 men were supposed to cross the river. This group included more civilians and aircrew, who were not used to such missions.

The walk from Ede to the crossing point was about 23 kilometers (14 miles). This was much longer than Pegasus I's 5 kilometers (3 miles). The group also had to avoid a German 'no man's zone'. The march would take two days. On the second night, the main group split up. One group, led by Major John Coke, stumbled into a German patrol. Several men were killed in the fight. The escaping soldiers had to scatter. No one was able to cross that night. However, seven men did cross over the next two days. The Germans searched the area very carefully. They used patrols and spotter planes. This led to more escapees being captured. Most of the Dutch guides from the Resistance were killed or captured.

Later Escapes

Colonel Graeme Warrack and Captain Alexander Lipmann Kessel were part of the failed Pegasus II. But they managed to escape capture. Like many others, they continued to hide in German-occupied territory for months. In February 1945, they joined Brigadier John Hackett. Hackett had recovered from his injuries from Arnhem. Kessel had saved Hackett's life during the battle. He even performed small operations while they were hiding.

They eventually escaped across the Waal river at Groot-Ammers. This was about 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of Arnhem. This route was later used by 37 more men, including Gilbert Kirschen.

Famous Escapees

Many soldiers failed to return after the Battle of Arnhem. But many were able to escape in Operation Pegasus or with the help of the Resistance. These included high-ranking officers:

• Brigadier Gerald Lathbury, commander of the 1st Parachute Brigade (Operation Pegasus).
• Brigadier John Hackett, commander of the 4th Parachute Brigade (February 1945).
• Colonel Graeme Warrack, senior medical officer, 1st Airborne Division (February 1945).
• Lieutenant Colonel David Dobie, commander of 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment (before Operation Pegasus).
• Lieutenant Colonel Martin Herford, 163 RAMC (October 1944).
• Major Allison Digby Tatham-Warter, commander of A Company, 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment (Operation Pegasus).
• Major Anthony Deane-Drummond, second-in-command of Divisional Signals (Operation Pegasus).
• Major Tony Hibbert, Brigade Major 1st Parachute Brigade (Operation Pegasus).
• Captain Alexander Lipmann Kessel, 16th (Parachute) Field Ambulance (February 1945).