| Surname: | Callaway |
| Initials: | H L |
| Rank: | Sergeant |
| Army Number: | 992063 |
| Notes: | CMP. 1 Airborne Div Pro Coy. Enlisted in the Royal Artillery (Field, Coast & AA). 1/2/41 transferred to CMP. 19/9/44 Killed in Action. He was born in Portsmouth and resided in London NW. His name is spelt Gallaway in Croziers Roll of Honour. Took part in the Sicily Landings. Casualty List 1578/49, North West Europe, Missing believed POW, CMP, 992063, Callaway, W/Sgt, H L, 1 Airborne Div Pro Coy, 25/9/44. Casualty List 1853/2, Western Europe, Previously reported Missing believed POW 25/9/44, now presumed killed in action, CMP, 992063, Callaway, W/Sgt, H L, 1 Airborne Div Pro Coy, previous list 1578, 19-21/9/44. WO 169/8675 War Diary 1st Airborne Div Pro Coy, C.M.P. The Officer Commanding, Provost Company, 1 Airborne Division. Sir, I have to report the on 11th July 1943 CPL. STRAND, L/CPL'S WATSON, BUTTERY, JAMES, BARLOW and myself were attached to the 3rd PARACHUJTE BN., for and operation, we were given numerous briefings explaining the whole operation also the role we were to play as Military Policemen. We were dropped on the night of the 13th July 1943 during which time the plane was caught in searchlights, also heavy A.A. fire. Whilst jumping tracer bullets came from all directions. On reaching the ground it was obvious that we had been dropped on the wrong D.Z. and were in the middle of a well defended enemy locality. From then on it was obvious to me that the role I was to play as a Military Policeman was finished. I therefore adopted the role of a Parachutist, CPL. STRAND and L/CPL BARLOW were dropped in plane 86, I saw them last when we were getting ready to emplane as LCPL's WATRSON,M JAMES, BUTTERY and myself were in plane 87. On the D.Z. I made way to where the container should have been and I picked up my remaining N.C.O's. We crossed a river of which we had been dropped either side and there contacted CPL. BUITS, L/CPL SMALLMAN, COTTON, EASTON, STANSBURY, BIDDLECOMBE and CUTIR. We found the container but there was no trace of LIEUT. MANSFIELD or the Section Sgt. Fires were raging all around us, machine gun fire and shots were coming from all directions,. Several screams were heard coming from the direction of the fires. What appeared to be minutes later a terrific barrage went up A.A. and tracer bullets, we saw a plane C47 caught, burst into flames and lose height rapidly. Two parachutes opened and appeared to come down with the plane. Realising there was nothing we could do I made a mental note of the whereabouts of the plane for future identifications and then we made our way stealthily across country until we came t a shell hole. We had no sooner cover when in the distance we saw a plane and glider crash. I asked for three volunteers for a patrol to get the lay of the ground, also to do anything possible for the occupants of the Glider and Plane. I told this patrol which consisted of L/CPL's WATSON, BUTTERY and PTE. EASTON that we should remain in our present position until the moon went down and then we should move. Later we heard shots coming from the direction they had taken and after waiting until the time stated moved our position. Realising that we would have to lay up we made for the river where we found excellent cover, there we rested. late I was called by one of the sentries who pointed out an enemy patrol with two AIRBORNE prisoners. A little later T.C.V.'s carrying German Infantry, also tanks, presumably Herman Goring P.VI's advancing EAST along the road approximately 200 yds to our front. Later we tried to make out way to the bridge which we found an impossibility. We stuck this for two days, After this we held a conference and decided to split up into three's and pairs doing damage wherever possible. L/CPL JAMES and CURIT (Pte.) were the first two to leave us. I gave them a good start then STANSBURY, SMALLMAN and myself agreed to go leaving the remainder to pair off as they wished and follow us later. We contacted the first two to go L/CPL JAMES and PTE CUTIR who were resting, they told us that to our front they had seen an enemy patrol. I decided to go on and leaving the above mentioned made out way towards the direction of the patrol but never contacted them at all. Time elapsed, we were getting very tired and hungry all out rations having been consumed, in the distance we saw a farm and decided to attack as our hunger was getting the better of us also, we were getting weaker. We rushed the farm house but were amazed to find 6 Sicilians who welcomed us with open arms. There we ate and slept in turns and during this time planes were passing frequently and bombing about 600 yds West of the Farm. We learnt from the Sicilians that it was an Italian Airfield. For a while we lay low and watched. We told the Sicilians that Catania and many more places were in English hands. We decided to leave that night and make for the Aerodrome, do what damage possible and away. We fired two planes then got out as quickly as possible we had no opposition at all but we made it a very short stay because we had seen German patrols in the vicinity during the day. For two days we carried on hiding, crawling, infiltrating, when in the distance I saw a plane which seemed similar to a C47, after we got to it and found that the occupants were burnt beyond recognition, legs, arms and heads were in a heap we could not get any identity discs as it would have meant digging and shifting the whole lot which was unsafe as we were not far from a main road. One appeared to be the Pilot we found approx. 20 yards from the plane, he was also burnt, we saw a small container with6 black strips also No12 on it, that was the only means of identification we could get. I should say there were approx. 10 bodies in the plane. The day after we met up with an R. E's Works Company 15th Air Construction Group of the 8th Army to whom I gave all information possible regarding aerodromes. We ate and slept and were made very welcome. Next morning we started to Syracuse which was approx. 40 miles away. We were then taken to MALTA where we were re clothed and awaited a ship to convoy us to SUEZ. Field. signed 992063 CALLAWAY, Y. H. SGT 27th July 1943 1ST AIRBORNE DIVISIONAL PROVOST COMPANY. He was killed in Arnhem Police Station. (See Pegasus Patrol, page 82). Inscription on gravestone: Everlasting remembrance of a dearly loved husband and daddy, rest in peace beloved. See report in Unit War Diary 1 Airborne Division Pro Coy, WO 169/8675 from Sgt Callaway (name spelt Calloway) regarding landings in Sicily. Casualty report 1222, Sicily missing, 24/7/1943. Casualty List 1235, now not missing, 1222, 24/7/1943. Casualty List 1578, North West Europe, missing believed POW, 25/9/1944, 1 Airborne Div Pro Coy. 19-21/9/944. Casualty Lists 1853, Western Europe, Previously reported missing believed prisoner of war 25/9/1944 now presumed killed in action. 19/9/1944 Killed in Action. Henry Louis Callaway. |
Casualty Record: | |
| Date of Death: | Sept. 19, 1944 |
| Company: | 1 AIRBORNE DIV PRO |
| CWGC Link: | 2644399 |
| Cemetery: | ARNHEM OOSTERBEEK WAR CEMETERY, NETHERLANDS 🇳🇱 |
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