[Larry]

Actham Tower,

PSP or SMT (I do not no which but probably rolls of SMT) were certainly to be flown in to Arnhem as the RAF sent two portable AMES Type 6 Light Warning sets with Nos 6080 and 6341 LWU (Light Warning Unit) on the second day of the battle. The kit for two Ground Control Interception radar sets was split in to parts (a separate transmitter or receiver in each of the four Horsas). Sadly one glider was shot down and a tug of another was shot down, releasing the glider too early - so a complete set never reached the LZ.

As for Beaufighters some times stories are retold so much that it is hard to establish the truth or know which unit to research. I always thought it was Beaufighters NFs as they might have been better suited to rough landing strips but I am sure Mosquitos would have done so. Whatever they were to be it was proposed to base Nightfighters there as it was thought that it the Airborne Forces had been successful and caputered the town & the bridge that the Luftwaffe bomber force would have atttacked by night.

Sadly the LWUs should have gone on the first lift but General Browning pinched some 40 gliders to fly his HQ to Nijmegen (some say he jeopardized the op by doing so) so the LWUs faced all the flak and failed to set up. Who can say what use these units would have played but one thing is for sure- as a Ground Control Interception Radar station they would have had the ability to speak to Allied aircraft without the same problems that the Army had.