Browsing through a History Website of Wickford (Essex) came across these snippets about two Glider crashes that I thought might be of interest.Certain of two but could it have been three crashes ,articles a bit light on dates. I have never read reports about American Gliders, were there many? …….the glider that came down on Mallinson’s farm in June 1944. There had been many gliders towed across the sky but no one knew why until much later when details of the D-Day landings came through. Stuart and Vic ran across the fields to the glider and were the first on the scene. The glider was on the ground with its nose section open. A small jeep with its gun was driven out. The men didn’t speak to the lads but Stuart did tell them the quickest way to the main road and off they went – still no words were spoken. Stuart remembers a pile of ham sandwiches in the cockpit and he really fancied one. The airmen were in American uniform and probably came from Wethersfield airbase. …… the glider came down in the fields belonging to Fleming’s farm. We lived at Poplars farm at that time, and were taken down our fields to see the glider. My sister, Margaret, could not understand how they could have a Jeep attached to a field gun inside it, along with so many men. I can recall that when it came down it cut through a hedge just as cleanly as if it had been cut by a modern day machine. I too remember that day, the whole sky from north to south and east to west was covered in planes towing gliders..... What a sight. I will never forget. The planes seemed very low as they only took off from airfields in Essex and Suffolk. We were going shopping and stood amazed when this glider seemed to break free and settle on two fields off Brock Hill, opposite the old garage, two hundred yards from home. Mum took my sister and me to see but there was only a muddy track and a policeman guarding it. ..... the incident was not recorded in the Billericay War Diary. However it does record a glider crash on the 24th of March 1945. The details recorded are "In a field 150yds E Hillside Brock Hill Runwell MR187147. 1 Glider No RN 493. Crew of 5 uninjured, Wardens & NFS on the spot
Hi Redtop, Your second one would have been taking part in Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine on 24th March 1945. I have some uncorroborated information (in that I personally have not seen the official records) as follows: The glider was chalk number 221 which was one of twenty that took off from RAF Matching, piloted by two glider pilots of G squadron GPR, heading for LZ-R at Hamminkeln. On board were men of the 12th Devons Support Company and carrying one of the 6 pounder anti-tank guns and a jeep. The tow rope broke in flight and the pilots were forced to land. I believe the tug pilot in a Stirling aircraft was a F/Sgt Mitchell of ORTU who reported his glider was lost near Southend (which is about 5/6 miles from Wickford) when the tow rope broke. Can anyone confirm these details? If so please do, particularly the two glider pilots' names. Thanks Jenny
