Operation Varsity 24.03.45. - Earls Colne Airfield - Discovery of WW2 Letters

I’m guessing Officers had cloth badges in the GPR then.
So that’s Bellamy’s glider, but no sign of Bellamy. I’m assuming that’s a Despatch Rider’s motor bike under the wing?

Alex

 

Just had a look at the war diary for 6 ALB, Lt Col Murray is mentioned visiting Bellamy in early March, and mentioned as being present in an O group held by Bellamy on Varsity +1. Obviously friends and complicit to each other’s plans etc etc.

 

Thanks for the replies over the weekend, the images and information of the glider are fantastic thank you. To answer a question about how Robert was killed I've attached a copy of a letter sent to his sister by one of the surviving crew members Navigator W/O Maurice Allen.

 

Hi,

I have recently noticed that my post on the Handley Page Halifax Forum has been referenced within this thread. I have uploaded all the photographs I found in the Earls Colne Operations Record Book at the National Archives. I hope that they may be of use.

Regards

 

Hi Shaun,

That's great Shaun! Thank you for posting all your Earls Colne photos here. They could prove very helpful to someone seeking information on a father or grandfather in the future.

Regards ...

 

Hello all, my name's Gordon Brown, I'm the volunteer Chair of Earls Colne Heritage Museum - ECHM | Welcome to Earls Colne Heritage Museum We are very keen to improve our knowledge of the use of the airfield in WW2 and am pleased to have found this thread which will no doubt give me more hours of pleasurable reading! May I ask if anyone has a paper/document/article on this particular phase of its use? As you are also probably aware there is a memorial service every year at Marks Hall for Operation Varsity at the memorial in the grounds. Thanks Gordon

 

Hi Gordon,

You can find details of the activities of the two RAF squadrons based at Earls Colne, 296 and 297 Squadron, at The National Archives (TNA). Both squadrons took part in Operation Varsity, towing Horsa gliders to the Rhine.

296 Squadron - Squadron Number: 296 Summary of Events: Y | The National Archives
The period for March 1945 starts at image 312

297 Squadron - Squadron Number: 297 Summary of Events: Y | The National Archives
The period for March 1945 starts at image 221

You can download both of these documents free once you register for an account with TNA.

There's another file entitled "Earls Colne, With Appendices" and described as "Air Ministry and Ministry of Defence: Operations Record Books, Royal Air Force Stations. Earls Colne. With Appendices". Unfortunately this file hasn't been digitised so you would need to visit Kew to view this. I haven't seen this one so don't know what information it contains. Maybe another member can shed some light its contents.
Earls Colne. With appendices. | The National Archives

Good luck with your research and please keep us posted.

Jenny

 

Jenny, many thanks for this - I will download them! a friend of mine will also be visiting the NA shortly so am giving him the information to assist my research!
Thanks again

 

The annual memorial service for Operation Varsity will be at Marks Hall on Sat 23rd March 1000 : Operation Varsity Service 2024