Hi all, According to the Pegasus Archive the attached photo was taken before liftoff on D-Day where in actual fact I believe it is an Operation Varsity related photo. I can't locate its IWM catalogue number? Regards ...
Hi Cee I think I have your answer (and more). The photo is part of a collection IWM ref CH 14881 titled "Airborne Armada takes off for Germany: Saturday 24th March 1945" AIRBORNE ARMADA TAKES OFF FOR GERMANY : SATURDAY 24TH MARCH 1945 This Hamilcar glider is also featured in the rough assembly footage, reel 2 at 07.27 OPERATION VARSITY : Airborne Invasion East of the Rhine, March 24th 1945 (rough assembly and offcuts) [Main Title] I've been wondering which one it was for some time and recently came across a letter in The Eagle Magazine (The Eagle Vol 9 No 3 August 1999 p14 for those who have copies) accompanied by the photo in which the pilots are revealed, S/Sgt Jean William Rodway Bonome and Sgt Jack D Hulse both of 1 Flight C Squadron. Their Hamilcar had serial number HH927, they were carrying a crew of the 3rd Airlanding Anti-tank Battery RA with a Dodge truck and 17 pounder gun onboard. They were towed from Woodbridge by W/O LEJ Ussell of 644 Squadron in Halifax NA284 2P-Q. Take-off is recorded as 07:21 in the ORB. the glider was released at 10:38. As we know the GRRs for this operation are incomplete so I cannot verify the CN but I believe it is 243. Jenny
Hi, That pretty well confirms it. Marvellous stuff Jenny! Now I must update a PDF with acknowledgement to your findings. Regards ...
Hi Cee, Glad I could help! It's great when all the little pieces of information come together isn't it? Who knows maybe a relative will come across this thread one day and will be able to tell us what happened next. Jenny