Sgt Donald Wyatt Pilot – The Glider Pilot Regiment Regimental number 5393017 9 Flight G Sqn 1st wing Attested into No. 16 Infantry Training Centre, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry

Born 6 April 1923, Address 5 St.Julians Farm Road, London SE27, Religious Denomination – non conformist, Height 5ft 11.5 in / Weight 184 lb, Medical A1 (small depressed scar left forehead)

Service

12 Feb 1942 private Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry

12 May 1942 Acting Unpaid Lance Corporal A/U/L/Cpl

08 Aug 1942 Classified: Carrier, Driver and Motorman; posted to war establishment.

30 Sep 1943 posted off war establishment, relinquish Lance appt. (now private class I)

30 Oct 1943 private Army Air Corps (2nd Battalion Glider Pilot Regiment (GPR) No.2 wing) probationary period of 21 days as trainee, prior to transfer, U/A/Cpl & P/A/Cpl

15 Jan 1944 U/A/Sgt & P/A/Sgt

28 Jan 1944 War substantive/Cpl

16 Feb 1944 posted to glider Pilot Depot and Struck of Strength of this unit

17 Feb 1944 Struck of Strength No. 1 wing GPR

06 Mar 1944 posted No.2 wing GPR and Struck of Strength of this unit

25 Apr 1944 posted No.1 wing GPR

13 Jul 1944 granted War substantive / Sgt

17 Sep 1944 Enplaned

25 Sep 1944 W/Sgt No1 wing GPR, missing North West Europe, believed POW

12 Oct 1944 Next of Kin informed

13 Sep 1945 W/Sgt now killed in action

15 Sep 1945 Next of Kin informed

Details

Sunday 17 September 1944

He flew a Horsa glider, towed from RAF Fairford, by a Stirling of 620 Sdn RAF. On board were members of F Troop, No. 3 Battery, 1st Air landing Anti-Tank Light Regiment Royal Artillery and their gun and jeep. (Steve Wright Glider Pilot Association) G Squadron were assigned to land at Landing Zone (LZ) ‘Z’, South West of Wolfheze, close to the lunatic asylum (which was bombed by the RAF thinking it was a barracks!). From “Arnhem The Landing Grounds & Oosterbeek” by Frank Steer. The 1st Airlanding Light Regiment occupied the land South and East of Oosterbeek old church down to the Lower Rhine (Neder Rhine). 3 Battery were sited i) below old church ii) North of Benedendorpsweg [by car park in 2002] iii) North still along the line of Weverstraat.

Tuesday 19 September 1944

From “Arnhem The Landing Grounds & Oosterbeek” by Frank Steer, the book contains detailed maps and lots of photographs. Remnants of 1st, 3rd and 11th Parachute Battalions fight their way back to the Oosterbeek perimeter, having failed to get to Arnhem bridge. Initially known as the Thompson force, until wounded, then latterly the Lonsdale force.

Wednesday 20 September 1944

From “History of the Glider Pilot Regiment” by Claude Smith, recollections by Lt. MDK Dauncey (now Brigadier DSO retired)[Indexed as Sgt Wyatt] In a house on the left side of Weverstraat, Claude Smith, Sgt Wyatt, Staff Sgt Halliday, soldiers of South Staffs and paratrooper.

From “Glider Pilots at Arnhem” by Mike Peters & Luuk Buist, memories from Lieutenant Michael Donald Keen Dauncey (now Brigadier DSO retired) interviewed in 2008. [Indexed as Sgt D Wyatt] We moved into a new position on Weverstraat, roughly a thousand metres from the scene of John Baskeyfield’s action. That evening we spent digging in, I had Staff Sergeant Halliday and Sergeant Wyatt, both of whom were invaluable. There was no doubt that the others looked to the Glider Pilots to lead, which we did. Lance-Sergeant John Daniel Baskeyfield was posthumously awarded the VC. He was killed in action on 20th September 1944 at Oosterbeek. The action was somewhere on the crossing of the "Benedendorpseweg" and "Acacialaan”, with the “Lonsdale Force”.

Thursday 21 September 1944

Today Frost lost the battle for the Arnhem Bridge.

CWGC and Arnhem Roll of Honour records today as date Sgt D Wyatt was killed. Note in Oosterbeek Cemetery there are two Sgt Wyatt’s. Both died on the same day in Oosterbeek environs, which makes being cautious with any mention of Sgt Wyatt in official accounts of the battle. 

War diary 1st Airlanding Light Regiment RA states a Sgt Wyatt at RAP – Regimental Aid Post

Friday 22 September 1944

From “History of the Glider Pilot Regiment” by Claude Smith, recollections by Lt. MDK Dauncey (now Brigadier DSO retired) [Indexed as Sgt Wyatt] 2 Attacks on our position today. A self-propelled gun scored a direct hit on us from 50-80 yards. Sgt Wyatt was killed instantly and 8 other wounded. Major Croot was with us at the time.

From “Glider Pilots at Arnhem” by Mike Peters & Luuk Buist, memories from Lt. MDK Dauncey (now Brigadier DSO retired) interviewed in 2008. [Indexed as Sgt D Wyatt] Holding Weverstraat. A self-propelled gun was back again, unfortunately he got us this time. Sgt Wyatt was killed and 8 other wounded. Major Croot was with us at the time. Self-propelled gun - possibly a STUG III Weverstraat runs beside the Zuiderbeek (brook) which would be a natural boundary to defend against the Germans attacking from the East. It was also the Eastern boundary of the Oosterbeek perimeter. North West of this position is the Schoonoord Hotel used as a field hospital (by both sides, rebuilt and still a restaurant/cafe) and eventually the Hartenstein Hotel used as HQ by the Airborne.

Donald Wyatt was initially buried in a battlefield grave, in a field near the Van Hofwegen Laundry (demolished 2001), located close to the old church in Oosterbeek. Maps show the location to be between Weverstraat and Ploegseweg.