The Rhine Drop (1 of 4)

Heroes Remember

The Rhine Drop (1 of 4)

Transcript

He a, he tried to run a tight ship. We weren't allowed out unless we were dressed properly and allowed even out of the barracks. He wasn't liked. Well he was very tough and I was on the patrol that found him after the drop on the Rhine. He didn't move, he was just, just landed in a tree his, one leg tucked up. He didn't even struggle, I don't think. He must have got a schmeisser burst right up through the stomach. The battalion had three separate headquarters on the drop and if the, the leader in any of the headquarters was killed then the next headquarters automatically took over. I was in the second headquarters plane with the intelligence section. Fraser Edie, who became, he, I guess because of him I'm probably, well a lot of us are still alive. He, when we were coming in for the drop, the red light was on and we are all standing up and the green light went on and in place of jumping Fraser leaned back and made a little speech. Well, he said, "These bastards asked for it! Lets give it to them!" And he jumped. Well I'm sure that time took me away from Nickland's circle of island of woods which was dug in around the basement and I landed in some woods further on the dropping zone. So there was nobody underneath me. Of course the air force was suppose to slow down and they didn't. They went barrelling straight across the drop zone. I was waiting for the airplane to slow down for one thing, as promised. So they don't blame the pilots, I guess. Some of them were, were shot down afterwards, we could see them before they could get turned around.

Description

Mr. Kelly recounts the dramatic drop on the Rhine, in which Nickland died and the reason why he owes his life to Mr. Edie.

Jeff Kelly

Mr. Kelly was born in Lindsay, Ontario, December 16, 1923. His father was a medical officer with a field ambulance in the First World War and received a Distinguished Service Order. Mr Kelly wanted to be an infantry man as his father had a great admiration for them. He joined the army on the 22nd of May in 1942. He served overseas with the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion which was part of the British 6th Airborne Division.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:: 02:00
Person Interviewed:: Jeff Kelly
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: Germany
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: British 6th Airborne Division
Occupation:: Intelligence officer

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The Rhine Drop (1 of 4)

Heroes Remember