Operation Market Garden - Chalk no 91 information search

[quillian]

Hallo all,

I'm new to the forum, so please direct me to other sources if im in the wrong place

I'm currently searching for the serial number / pilot / crew of a plane that flew in Operation Market Garden
I dont know much about it, as mentioned above, I only know it had the Chalk Nr. 91 and a member of the Polish Independent Parachute Brigade who was on the plane (if it helps, his name is Jan Kulikowski with the rank of Starszy Strzelec [Lance Corporal,] but he was in the Headquarters company)
The plane flew once on the 21st/22nd but turned back to England due to bad weather, and they flew again on the 23rd September, but this time the troops were released over LZ O in Overasselt
I am not sure, but I believe the plane couldve been from the 315th Troop Carrier Group and maybe stationed at RAF Spanhoe

Im really not sure if this is the correct place to ask, but if anyone has any information, all and anything will be greatly appreciated

Quillian

 

[MIflyer]

Somewhere I have a copy of what I think is called "Air Battle for Arnham."

 

[Airframes]

I can't be of much help I'm afraid, as it's probably almost impossible to identify an individual aircraft just from the Chalk number, unless there happen to be any photos showing a particular number marked on the side of a particular aircraft.
You probably already know, but for the sake of others, I'll explain what this number was.

Each "stick" of paras (or glider-borne troops) were assigned a number identifying their complete group, the aircraft they were assigned for that particular drop, and the motor transport (normally 3 ton trucks [or equivalent US 2.5 ton trucks] which would transport them to the assigned area on the departure airfield.
This number remained solely attached to that group for the duration of the Operation, up until the time of the aircraft's return to base, and was normally accompanied by the name and rank of the individual in command of the group, for example "Chalk XX/Sgt. Smith, A".
This was intended as a simple method of containing, controlling and organising a vast number of groups by utilising a brief form of identification, rather than a long list of names and service numbers linked to aircraft serial numbers and truck registration numbers etc. (for admin purposes, all names/numbers etc could be simply found under the recorded Chalk number if/when needed).
It was called a "Chalk" number because it would be literally written in chalk, on the side of the relevant aircraft and road transport, alongside the door (or on the truck door), and therefore easily removed and replaced with a "new" number as or when required.
The same system is still in use today in the British armed forces, with aircraft, helicopters, marine craft and road transport.

You're probably correct in the assumption that the aircraft was based at Spanhoe, as this was the departure airfield for the Polish Independent Parachute Brigade. If you are able to locate any ORBs for the 315th TCG, there may be a slim chance that some Chalk numbers were recorded against particular crews, although it's most likely that only the aircraft individual code letters were recorded, if at all.

 

[Airframes]

Further to the above, I've just seen a book release from Pen & Sword, entitled "D Day Dakotas, 6th June" by Martin Bowman.
I haven't established the content in detail, but there are "like new" copies available from World of Books from as little as £7.10.
May be an outside chance something useful might be included, even though it's not Market Garden ?
There's another book titled "Dakota Squadrons on Action", again from Pen & Sword, covering from D Day to VE Day, but I think this is only RAF Squadrons.