DSO (bar) citation - Arnhem:
Lt Col Frost was in command of 2 Battalion The
Parachute Regiment which dropped 6 miles west of
Arnhem on Sunday 17th September 1944. The task
of this battalion was to seize the main bridge over the
Rhine at Arnhem and to hold this bridge until the arrival
of 30 Corps.
During the advance on the bridge Lt Col Frost commanded his
battalion with great initiative and skill and by 2000 hours considerable
enemy forces had been outanked and the northern end of the bridge
captured together with sixty prisoners. All attempts to capture the
southern end of the bridge failed. The bridge itself was covered by
re from the south bank of the river while the railway bridge further
downstream was blown before Lt Col Frost could get a company
across. During the night a few other troops arrived and by the morning
of Monday 18th September Lt Col Frost found himself in command
of a force consisting of one Battalion The Parachute Regiment,
Brigade Headquarters, one troop of Royal Engineers and a small
party of Royal Army Service Corps.
Meanwhile the remainder of the Brigade had met with intense
resistance and, with the enemy constantly reinforcing with infantry
and armour, all attempts to reinforce the defenders of the bridge
proved hopeless. From now until the night of Friday 20th September,
Lt Col Frost’s forces numbering at the outside not more than 550 all
ranks, were subjected to almost continuous attack by all arms.
Despite no re-supply of ammunition and food, this force, under
the commanding ofcer and inspiring leadership continued to ght
magnicently; very heavy casualties were inicted on the enemy,
and many tanks, S.P. guns and half track vehicles were destroyed.
It was only when the enemy, having burned the defenders out of
each house in turn, set re to Brigade Headquarters house, where
there were nearly 300 wounded that had to be surrendered, that