ing ▁Brigade . ▁In ▁the ▁event , ▁ground ▁mist ▁in ▁England ▁meant ▁that ▁the ▁second ▁lift ▁was ▁delayed ▁by ▁four ▁hours , ▁which ▁sp ared ▁the ▁Dak ota ▁transport ▁aircraft ▁from ▁meeting ▁Luft wa ffe ▁f igh ters ▁over ▁the ▁drop ▁zone . ▁ ▁Nevertheless , ▁the ▁aircraft ▁encountered ▁considerable ▁anti - air craft ▁fire ▁as ▁they ▁approached ▁the ▁drop ▁zone . ▁W addy ▁later ▁re called ▁that ▁his ▁aircraft ▁was ▁so ▁near ▁to ▁the ▁ground ▁that ▁he ▁could ▁see ▁the ▁u pt urn ed ▁faces ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁gun ▁cre ws . ▁He ▁observed ▁numerous ▁fla k ▁burst s ▁and ▁watched ▁the ▁esc ort ing ▁Haw ker ▁Ty ph oon ▁f igh ters ▁attack ing ▁fla k ▁batter ies ▁as ▁they ▁approached ▁the ▁D Z . ▁ ▁His ▁own ▁aircraft ▁was ▁hit ▁in ▁the ▁tail ▁but ▁the ▁pilot ▁continued ▁to ▁the ▁drop ▁zone ▁where , ▁despite ▁bad ▁y aw ing , ▁W addy ▁and ▁his ▁men ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁jump . ▁The ▁par atro op ers ▁came ▁under ▁small - ar ms ▁fire ▁directed ▁at ▁the ▁aircraft ' s ▁doors ▁as ▁they ▁left ▁the ▁aircraft ▁and ▁par ach uted ▁under ▁heavy ▁fire ▁onto ▁G inkel ▁He ath . ▁ ▁W addy ' s ▁sign aller ▁lost ▁his ▁radio ▁as ▁he ▁jump ed ▁behind ▁him ; ▁the ▁bul ky ▁equipment ▁was ▁hit ▁by ▁a ▁round ▁the ▁moment ▁he ▁jump ed ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁Dak ota . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁ground ▁an ▁ir ate ▁captain , ▁who ▁had ▁expected ▁the ▁men ▁four ▁hours ▁earlier