Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry

The exceptional ‘Battle of Arnhem’ M.C. group of ten awarded to Colonel B. W. Briggs, 1st Parachute Brigade and Leicestershire Regiment, who, having served with the Paras in North Africa, Sicily and Italy, was among those who secured the northern end of Arnhem Bridge with Lieutenant-Colonel J. Frost’s 2nd Battalion on the first night of Operation Market Garden, proceeding to command a composite force occupying buildings on the eastern perimeter. Only after nearly three days of close-quarter fighting, faced with continuous attacks by enemy artillery and armour and when ‘every house was burnt down’, did he begin to fall back - his wireless conversation with Frost exemplifying the spirit of the defence:

Captain Briggs: The position is untenable. Can I have your permission to withdraw?

Lieutenant-Colonel Frost: If it is untenable you may withdraw to your original position.

Captain Briggs: Everything is comfortable. I am now going in with bayonets and grenades.

Fighting to the very end among a dwindling core of defenders, Briggs was finally taken prisoner and, while being transported east, was witness to, and a survivor of, the massacre at Brummen

Military Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1945’; 1939-45 Star; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Korea 1950-53, 1st issue, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Major B. W. Briggs. M.C. R. Leicesters.); U.N. Korea 1950-54, unnamed as issued; Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Kenya (Major B. W. Briggs. M.C. R. Leicesters.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Arabian Peninsula (Lt. Col. B. W. Briggs. M.C. R. Leicesters.) mounted as worn, generally very fine (10) £36,000-£44,000

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M.C. London Gazette 20 September 1945:
‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services at Arnhem.’

The original recommendation states: ‘Early on the night of D Day (September 17) Captain Briggs was given command of a mixed force of Brigade HQ, Signals, RE and Ordnance personnel, and ordered to hold an important sector East of Arnhem Bridge. The position was difficult to hold as fruit trees and shrubs gave the enemy a covered line of approach.
During the following two days the enemy repeatedly attacked this position with tanks and infantry in greatly superior numbers. They were driven back each time with heavy losses. The position was under continuous mortar fire. During the afternoon of D + 2 and morning of D + 3 the situation was made more difficult by the enemy setting fire to the houses Capt Briggs' party was occupying. In spite of this and resulting enemy infiltration he continued to hold the position until every house was burnt down. He then skilfully withdrew the remnants of his force to "A" Company’s position and continued to fight with them.
Captain Briggs’ skilful and inspiring leadership was an example to all and it was undoubtedly largely due to his efforts that the most important and difficult position was held for so long.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 10 October 1952:
‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Korea, during the period 1st January to 30th June, 1952.’

Bernard Walter Briggs was born in 1914 and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 27 April 1940. He was promoted War Substantive Lieutenant on 27 October 1941 and Temporary Captain on 12 March 1942. A founder member of the Parachute Regiment, he served with them in North Africa, Sicily and Italy before joining 1st Parachute Brigade H.Q. as Staff Captain prior to Operation Market Garden.

1st Parachute Brigade at Arnhem
The 1st Parachute Brigade’s objectives during Operation Market Garden were to seize the crossings over the Lower Rhine at Arnhem and hold them for 48 hours until relieved by XXX Corps, coming 60 miles from the south. Commanded by Brigadier G. W. Lathbury, the Brigade was part of the the British 1st Airborne Division (Major-General R. E. Urquhart) and consisted of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Parachute Battalions, together with Brigade Headquarters (of which Briggs was Staff Captain) and their Defence Platoon and 1st Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery, R.A., 1st Parachute Squadron, R.E., and 16 Parachute Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C. A total force of 9000 airborne troops were scheduled to arrive at Arnhem over 3 days with the 1st Parachute Brigade among those arriving on day one. Having encountered light flak but suffering no casualties en-route, 145 Dakotas of the USAAF took just ten minutes to drop 2700 men of the 1st Parachute Brigade Group on Drop Zone ‘X’, seven miles west of Arnhem Bridge. Briggs recording in his diary ‘dropped Arnhem 1407hrs 17 Sep 44’.

Falling in with his unit, 1st Brigade HQ, under Major Tony Hibbert, Briggs immediately set off for Arnhem:
‘John Frost, commanding 2nd Para Battalion, got off at good speed along the Southerly route next to the river, followed by 1st Brigade HQ. Moderate fire opened up early on 1st and 3rd Battalion fronts. After we'd been marching for two hours up roared General Urquhart. He was a reserved, gentle person but now he was really angry and asked me what the hell we were doing. I said we were advancing on the bridge, and he said, “I can see you're doing that but you're moving too bloody slowly, get your Brigade moving, Hibbert. Where's your Brigade Commander?” I told him he was back with the 3rd Battalion trying to push them forward faster, and off Urquhart went in a cloud of steam to find him. His parting words were, “Unless we can get to the bridge before those bloody tanks this is going to be a cock-up.” I passed on the gist of the message to John Frost who was advancing along an unreconnoitred route and was up against more vigourous opposition than we'd been led to expect. We continued to advance behind the 2nd Battalion, and by now it was getting dark. We were in single file and strung out; it was our task to slip through to the bridge without getting involved in street fighting and it was important we kept quiet as the Germans were only two streets away.’ (Major T. Hibbert’s personal account refers).

Defence of the Perimeter
Brigade HQ arrived at Arnhem Bridge at 20:45 just as the first men of 2nd Battalion were moving into buildings on the waterfront and each side of the ramp, establishing a firm hold on the northern approaches to the bridge. After conferring with Lieutenant-Colonel Frost it was decided that Brigade Headquarters would be established in the large three storey office building neighbouring Frost's own headquarters. This building had at one time been a hospital, but was now the headquarters of the Provincial Roads and Waterways Department. As only a portion of the 2nd Battalion had reached the Bridge at this time, and the arrival of Brigade Headquarters had more than doubled their strength, Hibbert in consultation with Major Digby Tatham-Warter, A Company, split his men into groups and posted them to a number of buildings which extended the perimeter as far as possible and increased the effectiveness of the defensive positions. Ca...