IT NEVER S N O W S IN SEPTEMBER

On the Harskamp training area elementsof Panzer-grenadier Regiment 20, belong-ing to the Hohenstaufen, were waiting tobe transported back to Germany. Althoughordered to 'stand by' following reports ofairlandings, they were in no position toreact as they had given up all their weaponsand field equipment. Nineteen-year-old SS-Corporal Paul Mueller remembers that 'ourluggage had already been assembled in apile to be picked up by a lorry'. They weredue to depart for Siegen by rail at 2000hours.

'Now we immediately receivedweapons. Everyone got a rifle and 90rounds of ammunition which wasstuffed into our pockets or haversacks,because we no longer had ourammunition pouches, steel helmets orentrenching tools.'

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Personal initiative, and the realisatiorthat one must drive into the teeth of thelandings before the parachutists couldassemble was the main force drivingofficers and NCOs. Troops were ordered'Move now, orders an objective.' The hastilyassembled Kampfgruppe von Allwordenthe remnants of SS Panzerjäger Battalion9, reorganised as an infantry alarm com-pany, sped off to Arnhem. It still had oneor two Mark IV tank-destroyers and sometowed 75mm PAK guns left. Alfred Zieglerrecalls receiving the order to move between1430 and 1500 hours:

'We set off elements of theKampfgruppe straight away towardsArnhem. I was at the head of thecolumn, carrying my commander onthe motorcycle combination, with theassault guns clattering down the roadbehind us. Troops who had been onleave in Arnhem were streaming back,and I waved them off the road as wesped past.'

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Their luggage would eventually be broughtup on lorries. They had no food, and also, itappeared, little luck.Influenced by experience and their anti-airborne training, and motivated by theinnate aggressiveness of the Waffen SS,most units were moving, travelling towardthe sound of the guns. SS-Captain WilfriedSchwarz has since recounted the prevailingatmosphere in this hour of crisis:

'These soldiers were thinking abouttheir families, as everything hadvirtually been packed for the move toSiegen. The mood was a resigned -'here we go again!' They wereinevitably disappointed at first, butthe officers and NCOs were able toovercome this and get the soldiersquickly into action.'

Schwarz had already arrived in Siegen. Hewas summoned by a short cryptic signalfrom Harzer: 'Get back, airbornelandings.'

9

There was total confusion. Nobody wascertain what had happened. SS-LieutenantGropp's Hohenstaufen anti-aircraft batteryKampfgruppe rolled into Arnhem, 87 menstrong. It had been called out in the middleof a tactical loading exercise. Only one88mm flak and a 20mm cannon remainedfrom the unit that had so effectively blockedthe American advance on Cambrai 15 daysbefore. They became involved in anexchange of fire along the Ede-Arnhemrailway cutting and took up defensivepositions. Convinced they were engagingDutch terrorists, they had probably hit theleading elements of the 1st British Para-chute battalion (1 PARA).SS-Corporal Wolfgang Dombrowskibullied his section of eight to nine soldierson to one of the lorries that were to takeMoeller's engineer Kampfgruppe intoArnhem. No encouragement was required,

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