| Servicenumber |
: |
4270139 |
| Rank |
: |
Staff-Sergeant |
| Regiment |
: |
The Glider Pilot Regiment |
| Unit |
: |
No 2 Wing |
| Date of Death |
: |
1990 |
| Age |
: |
72 |
|
|
|
- Bruce MacBenn was born near Newcastle on 14 february 1918. Because
he was registered on the 15th his official date of birth is 15 february.
When he was 16 he lied about his age, saying he was 17, to join the
army. He served with the Northumberland Fusiliers and was posted in the
Middel East when war broke out.
- MacBenn volunteeered for the Glider Pilot Regiment and was posted
at Tarrant Rushton. He served with C Squadron, probably No 7
Flight.
- He married his girlfriend in 1943. They had a daughter, but he
didn't see her before he left for Arnhem.
- On 17 september 1944 MacBenn flew a Horsa glider (Chalknumber 370)
to Arnhem. He landed on Landingzone-Z. His Horsa was loaded with two
jeeps of the Reconnaissance Squadron. After landing C Squadron acted as
a reserve unit for No 2 Wing. They moved to positions on the southern
end of Wolfheze. They stayed there till after the arrival of the 2nd
lift. At about 1900hrs on 18 september they moved to new positions in
the nothern end of Oosterbeek. The next morning at 0900hrs they moved to
the woods between the River Rhine and Hartenstein to protect the
Headquarters of the 1st Airlanding Brigade. In the evening some 30 men
of C Squadron were ordered to hold an area in the northern end of
Oosterbeek.
- During the fighting at Arnhem and Oosterbeek MacBenn and a group of
men had to dive behind a hedge when a German tank came down the road.
The tank stopped right next to the men and they had to hold their breath
and be silent while the Germans got out of the tank an relieved
themselves on the other side of the hedge and smoked cigarettes.
- He escaped across the Rhine in the night of 25/26 september 1944
when the 1st Airborne Division was evacuated from Oosterbeek.
- After the war MacBenn left the army and went living in the
Manchester area. He became a medical representative who sold supplies to
hospitals. Beside the daughter he and his wife also had two sons. He
rarely spoke about his years in the army.
- Bruce MacBenn died of cancer at the age of 72.
|
 |
 |
| MacBenn standing on the left. |
|
| |
 |
| Positions of C Squadron and dates when they
moved to an area |
| |
| Sources: J. Daines
(Granddaughter of Bruce MacBenn) and Glider Pilots at Arnhem |
