Operation Varsity
(The Rhine Drop)
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At approximately 07:30 hours we emplaned in England and after circling to gather other units that made up the 1st Airborne Army, we headed for the Rhine. At approximately 10:00 hrs we parachuted under intense fire over the Drop Zone (DZ) near a town called Wesel. My plane "The Red Dog" was hit on the port side causing the engine to burst into flame making it quite "iffy" as we had to jump through the flames of a plane out of control, and as I was second to last in the stick I became quite anxious about egressing in time. The Red Dog sadly crashed with its valiant crew.
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Me in front of Red Dog prior to the Rhine drop.
(24 March 1945)
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Boarding Red Dog (USAF). Hit approaching the DZ and on fire as we jumped. It crashed with the crew. (24 March 1945)
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The outcome of this engagement was the defeat of Germany's famous 2nd Parachute Corps of the 1st German Parachute Army in a day and a half. In the following 37 days, we pushed 285 miles, driving the German Army into the Baltic Sea and taking Churchill's prize, the city of Wismar. It was here the Battalion met the Russians and stopped their advance into Denmark.
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Wesel to Wismar 24 March – 02 May 45
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After linking up with the Russian Army and a day or two celebrating Armistice, we were whisked away by trucks from Wismar on the Baltic Sea, to Lubeck where we emplaned for Brussels. Here we immediately transferred to waiting aircraft for the quick journey home to England, landing at any available airfield.
This ended the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion's contribution to the war effort of World War II in Northwest Europe.
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A wonderful tribute to the Airborne Forces
 This is one of three bronze statues on a memorial in the West Cloister of Westminster Abbey dedicated to the Combined Services ie: the British Commandos, the Special Air Service and Airborne Services, and the Submarine Service of the Royal Navy.
It was designed by Gilbert Ledward and unveiled in l948 by Winston Churchill. The figures are all taken from life. The paratrooper statue is modeled on Corporal Howard Elliott of the Parachute Regiment.
(Photographed by a friend during a visit to the Abby.)
The inscription at the base reads:
"To the glory of God and in memory of all ranks of the Airborne Forces and Special Air Service who fell in the Second World War 1939-1945. Mighty was their Valor".
And following is a photograph of Corporal Howard Elliott posing for the statue with Gilbert Ledward, kindly sent by his grandson, James Elliott.
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The significance of this coin issued to each member of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion and inscribed with their name is as follows: "If confronted by another member of the Battalion to present your coin, and you fail to do so, you are stuck for the drinks."
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