2nd Forward Observer Unit R.A. (Airborne)
In 6th Airborne Division the same start was made, with volunteer O.P. parties from supporting regiments, and in Normandy, in June 1944, twelve such parties were to drop under command of 53rd (Worcestershire Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment. Only five parties arrived, the others landing wide or in the sea. Those that arrived helped to hold the Airborne bridgeheads and while they were still fighting 2nd F.O.U. was formed in England on 7th August 1944, under Major H.J.B. Rice.
6th Airborne Division was partly British and partly Canadian, and 2 F.O.U. became one of the two British Gunner units with mixed R.A. and R.C.A. personnel. Its Headquarter personnel were mixed: 3 Section was British in support of 3 Para Bde (having been formed from the O.P. parties in Normandy, who returned to England in September); 5 and 6 Sections were Canadian in support of 5 Parachute and 6 Airlanding Brigades.
Three months of training produced the same high standard of signalling and shooting, and the blend of R.A. and R.C.A. personnel produced (if possible) an even happier variety of madness. Their preparations for Christmas at home however were frustrated by the German offensive in the Ardennes. They landed at Ostend on Christmas Day 1944, and were busily and effectively engaged in the Ardennes for the whole of January. They spent a further month along the River Maas between Venlo and Roermond, occasionally leaving O.P. parties concealed on the enemy bank and on one occasion in particular producing a long range patrol which on several occasions became a fighting patrol before returning to the West bank.
At the end of February they were withdrawn to Winterbourne Gunner to receive two sound-ranging sections and organise them on a jeep basis. Two days later these Sections left again for Germany. Meanwhile the rest of the F.O.U. had a quick leave, and then prepared for the Airborne Assault across the Rhine, arriving at their transit camps on 19th March with wireless sets netted and sealed. It is worth mentioning that as part of the deception plan they began a long signals exercise which was gradually and quietly taken over by 1st F.O.U. who were still running it when 2 F.O.U. landed on the far side of the Rhine on 24th March. The first parachute O.P. party was in touch with its supporting L.O’s within 20 minutes after jumping from its Dakota. The next day Captain K. Boss R.A, when 1 Canadian Parachute Battalion were being heavily attacked, called for D.F. and, the better to observe it, stood on top of his slit trench. According to the Canadians his fire spared them from a dangerous counter-attack, but he was seriously wounded and died some months later. He received the M.C.
From then on, the O.P’s with their battalions enjoyed the fighting race of 6th Airborne Division across Germany until on 5th May, V.E. Day, found them at Wismar on the Baltic coast. During this campaign they had only lost 6 killed and 14 wounded. Two M.Cs were awarded, one to Captain Boss and the other to Captain S.Mooney R.C.A. for his part in the assault crossing of the Weser north of Minden. A week later they were back at Winterbourne Gunner, losing their R.C.A. personnel, and beginning to exchange their older British members for younger ones from 1st F.O.U., for although demobilization was beginning, 6th Airborne Division’s task was to drop first on Singapore and then on Japan.
In 6th Airborne Division the same start was made, with volunteer O.P. parties from supporting regiments, and in Normandy, in June 1944, twelve such parties were to drop under command of 53rd (Worcestershire Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment. Only five parties arrived, the others landing wide or in the sea. Those that arrived helped to hold the Airborne bridgeheads and while they were still fighting 2nd F.O.U. was formed in England on 7th August 1944, under Major H.J.B. Rice.
6th Airborne Division was partly British and partly Canadian, and 2 F.O.U. became one of the two British Gunner units with mixed R.A. and R.C.A. personnel. Its Headquarter personnel were mixed: 3 Section was British in support of 3 Para Bde (having been formed from the O.P. parties in Normandy, who returned to England in September); 5 and 6 Sections were Canadian in support of 5 Parachute and 6 Airlanding Brigades.
Three months of training produced the same high standard of signalling and shooting, and the blend of R.A. and R.C.A. personnel produced (if possible) an even happier variety of madness. Their preparations for Christmas at home however were frustrated by the German offensive in the Ardennes. They landed at Ostend on Christmas Day 1944, and were busily and effectively engaged in the Ardennes for the whole of January. They spent a further month along the River Maas between Venlo and Roermond, occasionally leaving O.P. parties concealed on the enemy bank and on one occasion in particular producing a long range patrol which on several occasions became a fighting patrol before returning to the West bank.
At the end of February they were withdrawn to Winterbourne Gunner to receive two sound-ranging sections and organise them on a jeep basis. Two days later these Sections left again for Germany. Meanwhile the rest of the F.O.U. had a quick leave, and then prepared for the Airborne Assault across the Rhine, arriving at their transit camps on 19th March with wireless sets netted and sealed. It is worth mentioning that as part of the deception plan they began a long signals exercise which was gradually and quietly taken over by 1st F.O.U. who were still running it when 2 F.O.U. landed on the far side of the Rhine on 24th March. The first parachute O.P. party was in touch with its supporting L.O’s within 20 minutes after jumping from its Dakota. The next day Captain K. Boss R.A, when 1 Canadian Parachute Battalion were being heavily attacked, called for D.F. and, the better to observe it, stood on top of his slit trench. According to the Canadians his fire spared them from a dangerous counter-attack, but he was seriously wounded and died some months later. He received the M.C.
From then on, the O.P’s with their battalions enjoyed the fighting race of 6th Airborne Division across Germany until on 5th May, V.E. Day, found them at Wismar on the Baltic coast. During this campaign they had only lost 6 killed and 14 wounded. Two M.Cs were awarded, one to Captain Boss and the other to Captain S.Mooney R.C.A. for his part in the assault crossing of the Weser north of Minden. A week later they were back at Winterbourne Gunner, losing their R.C.A. personnel, and beginning to exchange their older British members for younger ones from 1st F.O.U., for although demobilization was beginning, 6th Airborne Division’s task was to drop first on Singapore and then on Japan.