Battle of Heelsum and Wolfheze

DATE: 06/09/2026

TIME (GMT): 18:00

ERA: WW2

MAP(S): Heelsum

TYPE: COOP

TEAMSPEAK: ts1.biaarma.com

GAME: Arma 3

EVENT: Official

AUTHOR(S): Aris and Lord for Brothers in Arms

SLOTS: 76 / 90

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RATING: (28)

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With the British 6th Airborne Division still refitting after Operation Tonga and the fighting in Normandy, the task of securing the Rhine bridgehead fell to the 1st Airborne Division under the command of Major-General Roy Urquhart. The division was made up of three brigades of infantry (two parachute, one glider-borne), supporting artillery of the 1st Airlanding Light Regiment and anti-tank batteries and Royal Engineer units, as well as supporting elements such as the Royal Army Service Corps and Royal Army Medical Corps.

Most of the division had seen action in North Africa and Sicily, particularly the 1st Parachute Brigade and 1st Airlanding Brigade.This was the first time the division had fought as a complete formation.Urquhart also had the 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade under his command.His force was also substantially reinforced by some 1,200 men of the Glider Pilot Regiment, who would fly the glider-borne infantry and vehicles into Arnhem, providing the equivalent of two battalions of infantry for the operation.Smaller additions included a Dutch commando unit and American communications teams.

The division was required to secure the road, rail and  bridges over the Nederrijn at Arnhem and hold them for two to three days until relieved by XXX Corps.From the beginning Urquhart was severely constrained in his planning for the operation. The US Troop Carrier Command (Major General Williams) could not land all the airborne troops in one go. Williams decided that it would only be possible to fly one air lift per day, meaning it would take three days to deliver the division and Polish Brigade.Few areas were suitable for glider landings and Williams was reluctant to send his aircraft too close to Arnhem and into the flak from Deelen airfield after the drop.Urquhart was forced to pick drop zones (DZ) and landing zones (LZ) up to13 km from Arnhem, on the north side of the river. With the need to secure the bridges, towns and drop zones for subsequent supply drops, the 1st Airborne would need to defend a perimeter29 km long whilst waiting for XXX Corps.

Urquhart decided to land the 1st Parachute Brigade and the 1st Airlanding Brigade on the first day of the operation, along with Divisional HQ, the 1st Airlanding Light Regiment, Royal Artillery and attached Royal Engineer and medical units.The Airlanding Brigade would land on Lzs X and Z and move to secure the drop zones and landing zones for the following days drops, whilst the three battalions of the parachute brigade would arrive at DZ X and follow separate routes to the Arnhem bridges.The 2nd Battalion  would follow the riverside roads to the centre of Arnhem (Lion route) and secure the main road and railway bridges, as well as a pontoon bridge between them. The 3rd Battalion would head through Oosterbeek to Arnhem (Tiger route), assist in the capture of the road bridge and take up positions in the east of the town.The 1st Battalion  would follow Leopard route north of the railway line to occupy high ground north and north west of Arnhem.

The advance into Arnhem would be led by a troop of jeeps from the 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron on Leopard route, who would attempt a coup de main on the road bridge.On the second day, the 4th Parachute Brigade would arrive at DZ Y accompanied by extra artillery units and the rest of the Airlanding Brigade on LZ X. Hackett s three battalions would then reinforce the positions north and north west of Arnhem.On the third day, the 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade would be dropped south of the river at DZ K Using the road bridge, they would reinforce the perimeter east of Arnhem, linking with their artillery which would be flown in by glider to LZ-L. The 1st Airlanding Brigade would fall back to cover Oosterbeek on the western side of the perimeter and 1st Parachute Brigade would fall back to cover the southern side of the bridges.The remaining units of the division would follow XXX Corps on land in what was known as the sea tail.Once XXX Corps had arrived and advanced beyond the bridgehead, the 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division would land at Deelen airfield to support the ground forces north of the Rhine.The operation would be supplied by daily flights by 38 Group and 46 Group RAF who would make the first drop.

The first lift was preceded by intense bombing and strafing by the British Second Tactical Air Force and the American 8th and 9th Air Forces. These targeted the known flak guns and German garrisons and barracks in the area. The first lift suffered only light losses as the aircraft and gliders flew from British bases to the target area. The first arrivals were the 21st Independent Parachute Company, who landed at 12:40 to mark the landing zones for the gliders and parachutists of the main force.The landings were largely unopposed and the battalions were formed up in good order and ready to carry out their tasks by 14.45

The Airlanding Brigade moved quickly to secure the landing zones. The 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment moved into Wolfheze, the 1st Battalion, Border Regiment secured DZ X, deploying its companies around the DZ and in Renkum and the 7th Battalion, moved to secure DZ Y.Here, they ambushed the Dutch SS Wach Battalion as it headed toward Arnhem from Ede. Units of the Airlanding Artillery and Divisional HQ headed into Wolfheze and Oosterbeek where medical officers set up a Regimental Aid Post at the home of Kate ter Horst.

The British 1st Airborn Division will land with the Gliders and parachutes at various points west of the City of Arnhem near the Towns of Heelsum and Wolfheze. While the rest of the Division will move quickly to capture the Arnhem and Oosterbeek Bridges, our Battalion must clear the entire area around Dzs and these Towns so that the next waves of the Division can land safely.