1. Planning and Mounting

OPERATION - PISTOL

Planning and Mounting.

This operation was planned with the intention of harassing the

enemy's road and rail communications running Eastwards from the front

between Metz and Nancy and on the approaches to the Rhine Plain. At the

time an advance by the American forces appeared probable.

It was decided to drop four parties, each of which should divide

into two on landing.

For party areas see map opposite, and table below.

A1 South-West of St. Avold. B1 West of Ingwiller. C1 Zabern Gap.

A2 Benestroff Area. B2 Saargemuend area. C2 South-West of

Saarburg.

D1 and D2 were intended to work on the roads Gerardmer - Colmar and

Bussang - Thann respectively.

Parties selected were as follows:-

A1 A2

Lieut. G.N.M. Darwall (67113) 777958 Sjt. Williams E.

13301840 Cpl. Bovio C. 13301482 Pct. Haeberle E.

13301332 Cpl. Fedosseff M. 5192023 Pct. Mace D.

161025 Cpl. Melvin T. 319435 Pct. Sheville A.

3052952 Pct. Frost P. 10560631 Pct. Williams W.

-- Pct. Malicki S. 14624570 Pct. Keeble J.

B1 B2

Lieut. R.J. Birnie (237921) Lieut. G.C. Castellain (77329)

5959049 L/Cpl. Davison W. 4644621 Cpl. Laybourne J.

5123699 L/Cpl. Birkenshaw D. 1799461 Pct. Arnold H.

41177 Cpl. Voisin G. 4127874 Pct. Stainton J.

14296405 Pct. Clowes A. 847426 Pct. Ashe C.

4983016 Pct. Goodfellow A. 13301930 Pct. Wrobel S.

2766481 Pct. Nicols A.

13809492 Pct. Wertheim J.

C1 C2

Capt. M.W. Scott (98803) 2657449 SQMS Alcock J.

Lieut. L. Grumbach (77) 7904401 Cpl. Hannah W.

815148 Cpl. Hill G. 1930804 L/Cpl. Holden D.

7883439 Pct. Cockburn J. 1900376 Pct. Wheeler C.

4866586 Pct. Fawthorpe E. 1882792 Pct. Bancroft K.

200085 Pct. Edwards A. 7421105 Pct. Marczak S.

17435206 Pct. Lyczak J.

D1 D2

Capt. R.J. Holland (47554) Lieut. Denison

Lieut. F. Cooper 872455 Sjt. Keyte

1524179 SMI Ellis W. 838602 Pct. Campbell A.

1461384 Pct. Searle N. 3187755 Pct. Frazer T.

13301363 Pct. Gustas J. 42051352 Pct. Duncan D.

5338860 Pct. Hawe M. 13809465 Pct. Pendli J.