Royal Navy cruisers. Their mission was to seize the Italian ports of
Taranto, Bari, and Brindisi, which were offered to the Allies as part
of the Italian armistice. The landing at Taranto was unopposed, but
as the British troops advanced inland, they encountered resistance
from German paratroopers of the 1st German Parachute Division.
The 10th Battalion’s rst major action was at a roadblock near
Castellaneta, where their divisional commander, Major-General
George F. Hopkinson, was killed while observing the assault. Despite
this setback and minor skirmishes, the battalion successfully secured
its objectives and by the end of September had advanced to Foggia.
The 10th Battalion, along with the rest of the 1st Airborne Division, was
then withdrawn to the United Kingdom in November 1943 to prepare
for future operations, most notably Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
In September 1944, Lionel and his battalion took part in Operation
Market Garden, Field Marshal Montgomery’s bold plan to seize key
bridges across the Netherlands and open the road into Germany.
The 10th Battalion was dropped near Wolfheze, west of Arnhem, as
part of the 1st Airborne Division. Their task: advance on the Arnhem
road bridge and hold it until relieved by ground forces moving up from
Belgium.
From the outset, however, things went wrong. Poorly scattered drops,
delays, and unexpectedly erce German opposition — including tanks,
artillery, and battle-hardened SS troops — slowed the advance.
By 19 September, the ghting had become
desperate along the Utrechtseweg road and
railway embankments near Arnhem.
The Tenth was heavily engaged, suffering
appalling casualties. When the company
commander was killed, Captain Lionel Queripel
assumed command of a composite company,
made up of exhausted survivors from several
parachute battalions.
Battle marker to show the last ghting
spot for the Tenth before the order to
withdraw, 15m from the Sportlaan
near Oosterbeek.