Operation Pegasus - Operation Pegasus II

The success of the first evacuation prompted the Allies to arrange a second attempt. Unfortunately the security of this operation was compromised early, when a reporter impersonated an intelligence officer and interviewed several escapees from the first operation. The subsequent news story alerted the Germans who strengthened their patrols along the river.

Major Hugh Maguire (of HQ, 1st Airborne Division) was put in charge of the second escape The operation largely replicated the original, but was due to take place 4 km further east on the evening of 18 November. A party of between 130 and 160 men would attempt to cross the river on this occasion, although this number included a much higher proportion of civilians, aircrew and other non-infantry who were unused to this sort of operation. Because of the distance from Ede to the crossing point and the need to skirt a German 'no mans zone', the main party's march to the river was approximately 23 km (compared to the 5 km of Pegasus I) and would take two days to make. The main party became fragmented on the second night and whilst attempting to make a short cut one party under Major John Coke of the King's Own Scottish Borderers inevitably stumbled into a German patrol. Several men were killed in the resulting firefight - perhaps more than twenty and the evaders were forced to scatter. No-one was able to cross that night, although seven men crossed during the next two days. The Germans searched the area intensively with patrols and spotter planes, enabling them to capture more of the evaders, and most of the Resistance's Dutch guides were killed or captured.