John Dutton Frost
Encyclopedia
Major General John Dutton (Johnny) Frost CB, DSO & Bar
, MC
, DL
(31 December 1912 - 21 May 1993) was a British
airborne
officer best known for being the leader of the small group of airborne forces that actually got to Arnhem
bridge during the Battle of Arnhem
. He was one of the first to join the newly formed Parachute Regiment and served with distinction in many wartime airborne operations until he was injured and captured at Arnhem. His army career continued until his retirement in 1968.
on 1 September 1932, when on graduation from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant
in the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). From 1938 to 1941 Frost worked with the Iraq Levies as a captain. He joined the Parachute Regiment in 1941.
Frost distinguished himself in Operation Biting
, a raid to dismantle and steal the radar dish or components of the German Würzburg radar
at Bruneval. The raid was the second time the fledgling British parachute regiment was called on. C Company under the then Major Frost was given the task and on 27 February 1942 120 men landed, meeting stiff opposition but succeeded in stealing the component as well as capturing a German expert on the radar. The operation lost three men killed and seven badly wounded. Prime Minister Winston Churchill
applauded the raid and guaranteed further wartime operations for the paras. Frost was awarded the Military Cross
.
During the Allied landings in North Africa
British airborne units landed in Tunisia
. At this time Lt Col Frost, who was now in command of the 2nd Bn, was tasked to attack enemy airfields near Depienne 30 miles south of Tunis
. The airfields were found to be abandoned and the armour column they were supposed to meet up with at Oudna never arrived, leaving Frost's battalion 50 miles behind enemy lines. Heavily outnumbered and continuously attacked on their route out, they managed to fight their way back to Allied lines but lost 16 officers and 250 men. The battalion carried on fighting with the First Army
through to Tunis.
In 1943 Frost's battalion with the rest of the 1st Para Brigade
was landed in Sicily
during Operation Husky with orders to capture a road bridge called Ponte di Primosole
. The brigade was hopelessly scattered and the 295 officers and men who reached the bridge found themselves facing the German 4th Parachute Regiment and lost the bridge until the arrival of other Eighth Army units.
Frost's last action in this theatre was in Italy
when the entire 1st Airborne Division
landed at Taranto
by sea.
during Operation Market Garden
. During this battle Frost was to spearhead the 1st Airborne Division's assault on the bridge at Arnhem and hold it while the rest of the division made its way there. If all had gone to plan there would have been almost 9,000 men holding Arnhem bridge for the two days it was supposed to take XXX Corps to reach them.
On the 17 September 1944, as commander of the 2nd Parachute Battalion, Frost led a mixed group of about 745 lightly armed men who landed near Oosterbeek
and marched into Arnhem. The battalion reached the bridge capturing the northern end, but Frost then found that his force was surrounded by the II.SS-Panzerkorps and cut off from the rest of 1st Airborne. Frost led the incredible four day battle in which the Germans rained artillery fire on to the Para's positions, and sent tanks and infantry into some of the most fierce fighting seen by either side with very little mercy given. The Germans were astounded by the Para's refusal to surrender and their continuous counter attacks. After a short truce on the third day, when 250 wounded were removed, the battle continued until the remaining paras had run out of ammunition. There were around one hundred Paras left.
As a result of this action, during which he had been wounded by shrapnel in his feet, Frost became a legendary figure in the Paras and the British Army.
Following his capture, Frost was held as a prisoner of war
at Spangenberg
and later a hospital in Obermassfeldt. He was freed when the area was overrun by United States
troops in March 1945. He was awarded a Bar
to his DSO on 20 September 1945 for his leadership at Arnhem.
of 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division.
By the time of his retirement from the army in 1968, Frost had attained the rank of major general and in addition to his wartime decorations, had been appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath, and was made a Grand Officer of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
In 1982, Frost was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
in the County of West Sussex
.
He was the subject of the programme "This is your Life" on the 6th April 1977.
Major General John Dutton "Johnny" Frost died on 21 May 1993 aged 80 and is buried at Milland Cemetery, West Sussex.
_01.jpg)
In 1978 the bridge over the Rhine at Arnhem was renamed the John Frost Bridge
in his honour, reportedly after much reluctance to accept the honour from Frost. His role in the battle was told in Cornelius Ryan's
bestseller A Bridge Too Far
. Frost himself wrote an autobiography A Drop Too Many based on his wartime experiences which was published in 1980. His second autobiography Nearly There was published in 1991. Frost acted as a military consultant to Richard Attenborough
's film adaptation of Ryan's book. In the movie Frost was portrayed by Anthony Hopkins
.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(31 December 1912 - 21 May 1993) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
airborne
Airborne forces
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
officer best known for being the leader of the small group of airborne forces that actually got to Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
bridge during the Battle of Arnhem
Battle of Arnhem
The Battle of Arnhem was a famous Second World War military engagement fought in and around the Dutch towns of Arnhem, Oosterbeek, Wolfheze, Driel and the surrounding countryside from 17–26 September 1944....
. He was one of the first to join the newly formed Parachute Regiment and served with distinction in many wartime airborne operations until he was injured and captured at Arnhem. His army career continued until his retirement in 1968.
Early life
John Frost joined the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
on 1 September 1932, when on graduation from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). From 1938 to 1941 Frost worked with the Iraq Levies as a captain. He joined the Parachute Regiment in 1941.
Service in World War II
- Operation Biting
Frost distinguished himself in Operation Biting
Operation Biting
Operation Biting, also known as the Bruneval Raid, was the codename given to a British Combined Operations raid on a German radar installation in Bruneval, France that occurred between 27–28 February 1942 during World War II...
, a raid to dismantle and steal the radar dish or components of the German Würzburg radar
Würzburg radar
The Würzburg radar was the primary ground-based gun laying radar for both the Luftwaffe and the German Army during World War II. Initial development took place before the war, entering service in 1940. Eventually over 4,000 Würzburgs of various models were produced...
at Bruneval. The raid was the second time the fledgling British parachute regiment was called on. C Company under the then Major Frost was given the task and on 27 February 1942 120 men landed, meeting stiff opposition but succeeded in stealing the component as well as capturing a German expert on the radar. The operation lost three men killed and seven badly wounded. Prime Minister Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
applauded the raid and guaranteed further wartime operations for the paras. Frost was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
.
- Operation Torch
During the Allied landings in North Africa
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
British airborne units landed in Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. At this time Lt Col Frost, who was now in command of the 2nd Bn, was tasked to attack enemy airfields near Depienne 30 miles south of Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
. The airfields were found to be abandoned and the armour column they were supposed to meet up with at Oudna never arrived, leaving Frost's battalion 50 miles behind enemy lines. Heavily outnumbered and continuously attacked on their route out, they managed to fight their way back to Allied lines but lost 16 officers and 250 men. The battalion carried on fighting with the First Army
British First Army
The First Army was a field army of the British Army that existed during the First and Second World Wars. Despite being a British command, the First Army also included Indian and Portuguese forces during the First World War and American and French during the Second World War.-First World War:The...
through to Tunis.
- Primosole Bridge
In 1943 Frost's battalion with the rest of the 1st Para Brigade
British 1st Parachute Brigade
The 1st Parachute Brigade was an airborne forces brigade formed by the British Army during the Second World War. As its name indicates, the unit was the first parachute brigade formation in the British Army....
was landed in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
during Operation Husky with orders to capture a road bridge called Ponte di Primosole
Operation Fustian
Operation Fustian was a British airborne forces mission during the Allied invasion of Sicily in the Second World War. The operation was carried out by the 1st Parachute Brigade, part of the 1st Airborne Division. Their objective was the Primosole Bridge across the Simeto River. The intention was...
. The brigade was hopelessly scattered and the 295 officers and men who reached the bridge found themselves facing the German 4th Parachute Regiment and lost the bridge until the arrival of other Eighth Army units.
Frost's last action in this theatre was in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
when the entire 1st Airborne Division
British 1st Airborne Division
The 1st Airborne Division was a division of the British airborne forces during the Second World War. The division was formed in 1941, after British Prime Minister Winston Churchill demanded an airborne force...
landed at Taranto
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
by sea.
Arnhem
Frost is best known for his involvement in the Battle of ArnhemBattle of Arnhem
The Battle of Arnhem was a famous Second World War military engagement fought in and around the Dutch towns of Arnhem, Oosterbeek, Wolfheze, Driel and the surrounding countryside from 17–26 September 1944....
during Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
. During this battle Frost was to spearhead the 1st Airborne Division's assault on the bridge at Arnhem and hold it while the rest of the division made its way there. If all had gone to plan there would have been almost 9,000 men holding Arnhem bridge for the two days it was supposed to take XXX Corps to reach them.
On the 17 September 1944, as commander of the 2nd Parachute Battalion, Frost led a mixed group of about 745 lightly armed men who landed near Oosterbeek
Oosterbeek
Oosterbeek is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is located in the municipality of Renkum, about 5 km west of Arnhem.The oldest part of the village of Oosterbeek is the Benedendorp , on the northern bank of the river Rhine...
and marched into Arnhem. The battalion reached the bridge capturing the northern end, but Frost then found that his force was surrounded by the II.SS-Panzerkorps and cut off from the rest of 1st Airborne. Frost led the incredible four day battle in which the Germans rained artillery fire on to the Para's positions, and sent tanks and infantry into some of the most fierce fighting seen by either side with very little mercy given. The Germans were astounded by the Para's refusal to surrender and their continuous counter attacks. After a short truce on the third day, when 250 wounded were removed, the battle continued until the remaining paras had run out of ammunition. There were around one hundred Paras left.
As a result of this action, during which he had been wounded by shrapnel in his feet, Frost became a legendary figure in the Paras and the British Army.
In action, Frost was a tough leader whose clear head in battle won the respect of every Paratrooper in the battalion. "He didn't mix his words and seemed to inject confidence in everyone, even if you didn't like what he said. We would have followed him anywhere" said one Para.
Following his capture, Frost was held as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
at Spangenberg
Spangenberg
- Geography :Spangenberg lies in the Schwalm-Eder district some 35 km southeast of Kassel, west of the Stölzinger Gebirge, a low mountain range. Spangenberg is the demographical centrepoint of Germany.- History :...
and later a hospital in Obermassfeldt. He was freed when the area was overrun by United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
troops in March 1945. He was awarded a Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
to his DSO on 20 September 1945 for his leadership at Arnhem.
Later life
Frost remained in the army after the war. He was promoted to temporary Major General on 11 October 1961 and appointed General Officer CommandingGeneral Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
of 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division.
By the time of his retirement from the army in 1968, Frost had attained the rank of major general and in addition to his wartime decorations, had been appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath, and was made a Grand Officer of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
In 1982, Frost was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
in the County of West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
.
He was the subject of the programme "This is your Life" on the 6th April 1977.
Major General John Dutton "Johnny" Frost died on 21 May 1993 aged 80 and is buried at Milland Cemetery, West Sussex.
John Frost Bridge
John Frost Bridge
John Frost Bridge is the road bridge over the Lower Rhine at Arnhem, in the Netherlands.The bridge is named after Major-General John Dutton Frost , who commanded the British forces that reached and defended the bridge during the Battle of Arnhem in September, 1944.-Rijnbrug:There had been a...
in his honour, reportedly after much reluctance to accept the honour from Frost. His role in the battle was told in Cornelius Ryan's
Cornelius Ryan
Cornelius Ryan, was an Irish journalist and author mainly known for his writings on popular military history, especially his World War II books: The Longest Day: June 6, 1944 D-Day , The Last Battle , and A Bridge Too Far .-Early life:Ryan was born in Dublin and educated at Synge Street CBS,...
bestseller A Bridge Too Far
A Bridge Too Far (book)
A Bridge Too Far, a non-fiction book by Cornelius Ryan published in 1974, tells the story of Operation Market Garden, a failed Allied attempt to break through German lines at Arnhem across the river Rhine in the occupied Netherlands during World War II in September 1944. The title of the book comes...
. Frost himself wrote an autobiography A Drop Too Many based on his wartime experiences which was published in 1980. His second autobiography Nearly There was published in 1991. Frost acted as a military consultant to Richard Attenborough
Richard Attenborough
Richard Samuel Attenborough, Baron Attenborough , CBE is a British actor, director, producer and entrepreneur. As director and producer he won two Academy Awards for the 1982 film Gandhi...
's film adaptation of Ryan's book. In the movie Frost was portrayed by Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
.
Other works
- 1980: A Drop Too Many - autobiography (part 1)
- 1983: 2 PARA Falklands: The Battalion At War
- 1991: Nearly There - autobiography (part 2)