I am wondering the exact number of survivors from 1st Airborne Division after it was withdrawn from its landing site around Arnhem during Market Garden. Does anybody have an exact figure ? Cornellius Ryan writer of A Bridge Too Far mentions 2.163 remaining British airborne troops and 150 Poles and 75 Dorsets from 43rd Infantry crossed Rhine back by boat in 26 September therefore concluding Operation Market Garden. In coming weeks some remaining airborne troops trapped around Arnhem and Ooesterbeek evaded capture and crossed Rhine and managed to return Allied lines. Does anybody have exact figure how many personel from 1st Airborne survived and returned back to Allied lines ?
While I have no complete number, check this website, which seems pretty comprehensive. http://www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/depth_aftermath.htm
Nobody knows the exact number and I don't think that we ever will. Major Tucker, the OC of the 23rd Field Coy. RCE, started to record the number of men that they were evacuating but the rain turned his papers into pulp. I think that there is a pretty accurate number for the division, but mixed in with them were downed airmen, Dorsets and other non-divisional personal. Then you have the evaders who added to the numbers.