I was saddened today to hear that the final D-Day pathfinder pilot, David Hamilton (bottom right, kneeling) has passed away aged 102. David piloted an aircraft carrying a pathfinder team of the 507th PIR to DZ-T on D-Day. A lovely guy with a great memory. RIP David.
Thankfully the field, known locally as the Warfield, where the American camp and subsequent POW camp was located has not yet been turned into a housing estate as proposed, and I could see no evidence that it is planned.
Today I was over in Scraptoft in Leicester, so took the opportunity to take my eldest daughter to the memorial I built in 2013 in memory of the 325th GIR, camped in Scraptoft from February 1944, and the 504th PIR, camped a few miles away in Evington from April 1944.
I only know the basis of it, so I'd have to be filling a lot of gaps.
Have you been angry typing?
I am thinking of writing a novel based on a (true) story from WWII. Am I mad?
Congratulations @agrbez.bsky.social and Hans!
Breathtaking Spectacle Vol.1 is superb and I cannot wait to get my hands on Vol.2 parts 1 and 2 soon.
I understand Vol.1 is also being reprinted, which is ace.
publishers website, www.flyingpencil.nl, and will soon also be available in the U.S. and in the UK. Getting copies to their distribution depot in Houston has not been easy, so bear with us. Someone driving a boat into a bridge and the threat of increased import taxes has inflated shipping costs./end
"Glider-Riders." For those of you reading this who are fans of the 101st Airborne Division, the first personnel to head out to the crash and provide care were medics of the 502nd PIR under "Doc" George Lage, who had famously set up an aid station nearby.
Vol 2 will soon be available from the /8
The crash of LJ135 was comfortably the most costly glider crash in the American sector during Operation NEPTUNE, and highlighted the dangers of this method of troop delivery. I would wager this crash alone contributed significantly to the big swing in respect Paratroopers suddenly had for /7
wing and causing it to flip over shortly before it made contact with the ground. It was carrying members of A.Company, 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, including their Company CO, 1st Lt. Gayley. In all, fourteen members of A.Co were killed, including Gayley, as well as F/O Mercer, totalling 15. /6
landing killing approximately half of its occupants. The pilots, F/O Richard Mercer and 1st Lt. George Parker, were attempting to land the glider in a field close to the hamlet of Holdy, somewhat southeast of their intended LZ. The glider clipped the top of some trees, severing part of the port /5
simply where they thought it was safe.
We tell the story of the glider pilots of the 53rd Troop Carrier Wing in detail, and of the often harrowing 3 or 4 days many spent in combat in the early stages of the invasion.
One such story we feature is that of Horsa LJ135, which crashed heavily on /4
who landed in Normandy. Telling the story of the Glider landings in Normandy is complex. It is significantly more straight-forward when it comes to MARKET GARDEN and VARSITY. Gliders landed all over the place, and as news filtered back of the fighting around LZ's, many pilots opted to land /3
of which is over 500 pages long. The publisher gave myself and Hans the freedom to stick in whatever we wanted this time, and this it has created what are Book III and IV of the series so far.
This one was a real pleasure to work on as it features for the first time the stories of glider pilots /2
I received word this morning that the first copies of Vol 2 have fallen through the letter box at the publishers in Holland. Well, actually, with this one it would be more appropriate to say brought in through the loading door. For clarity, again, this Volume has been printed as two books, each /1
Heads up! Gliders incoming... 24 March 2025 is the 80th anniversary of Operation Varsity. The major Allied Airborne Operation was mounted to secure a bridgehead over the Rhine. I will be speaking about varsity at 3 locations in March 25. @armyflying @BofBBunker @EssexRecordOffice
Not listened to this yet, but I adore the Hustler, what an awesome looking aircraft. Will have this on the schedule for next week and urge you all to check it out.
Seconded. And I'm not just saying it because I like Boney.
I dare say there are a lot of aviation enthusiasts among my new followers so I would urge all to follow @damcasterspod.com which has some incredible and diverse aviation themed content from the passionate #avgeek Matt Bone
www.key.aero/article/bomb...
Turns out you may be right! I've never been able to find out a great deal about the man.
I believe he was Hungarian, though I would need to verify that.
Ah its starting to feel more like home with one of Stephens DDay from above threads.
Well, Vol 2 is finally going to be released. Lots of hard work has gone into this book, and it was delayed several times, but here we go. Much like the re-release of Vol 1, due to page count it will be printed as two books, with a total of 1,088 pages and 1,500 mostly unpublished wartime pics.
I would love to be added if there's still space. Migrating from Twitter and starting from scratch all over again.
On this #RemembranceDay as with all others, my thoughts turn to my great, great uncle, Victor Ricketts, who was killed in 1942 flying a Mosquito with 1 PRU. Thoughts also with his co-pilot, George Lukmanov.
The IX Troop Carrier Command carried far more than the Airborne in #WW2. Fuel, food and ammo were regular cargo in the back of the IXth C-47s.
Join us as @agrbez.bsky.social tells us just how vital a role the IX TCC played in the logistics of the Normandy campaign.
🎧 linktr.ee/damcasterspod
There is far more to the IX Troop Carrier Command than just D-Day and Market Garden.
Join us as @agrbez.bsky.social takes us through the incredible operations of the IX TCC in 1944 that you might not have heard about and one you likely have!
linktr.ee/damcasterspod
Hello! Let's see what this is all about then. Is it going to be like old twitter before the berk got his hands on it?