Didcot - Among the Oldest Histories in Britain

On the 6 June 1944 the best seaborne intrusion the entire world has ever identified needed place on the Calvados Coast of Normandy, France. This intrusion was the beginning of the end of the 2nd Earth War and the 6 June 1944 will undoubtedly be permanently called D-Day. This information is definitely an account of the initial activity that needed place on D-Day at the Caen Canal and River Orne Connections near Bénouville, France. It tells the real story of the coup-de-main assault by British Gliderborne soldiers to capture both of these crucial bridges.

Preceding the seaborne landings three Allied Airborne Categories were slipped to protected the flanks of the five-invasion shores where in fact the Allied 21st Army Party was to come ashore. In the west two US Airborne Categories slipped onto the Cotentin peninsula behind UTAH seaside and in the east the British 6th Airborne Division (Br 6 AB Div) slipped into the area between the River Orne and River Dives to the east of SWORD beach.

Among the main responsibilities of the Br 6 AB Div was to seize intact both connections within the Caen Canal and River Orne near Bénouville and hold them till relieved against any German counterattacks. This quest was considered to be crucial to the success of the intrusion, since it will allow the seaborne causes to bolster the Br 6 AB Div's area and subsequently bust out to the east. D Business the second Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Gentle Infantry (D Coy 2 OBLI) commanded by Important John Howard was picked to carryout this quest and this really is their story.

On the morning of 5 June 1944 the men of D Coy 2 OBLI began their final preparations and at noon Maj Howard learned that the intrusion was on. He bought the men to sleep and when the night food was around they boarded the trucks to attend their gliders. Because they climbed into their gliders he shook hands with the flat roof specialist officers and named out phrases of inspiration to the men. Ultimately he moved to their own glider, upon the nose that Pte Wally Parr had chalked'Woman Irene'to call it after his wife. When Maj Howard got in the glider, the door was closed and on routine they began to go down the runway. At 22.56 hrs'Woman Irene'was airborne and D Coy 2 OBLI was on the way into history.

The six Halifax bombers from 298 Squadron RAF took-off with the accompanying Horsa gliders in tow and crossed the English Station soaring at an altitude of 7,000 ft. Throughout them were Heavy Bombers likely to decline bombs on German positions in the intrusion area, Caen and other picked targets. With all of this air task the German anti-aircraft and searchlight crews didn't notice the gliders.

At the appointed time the Halifax bomber released the initial glider to begin their encounter the target. In the glider S/Sgt Wallwork tested their altitude and the compass, although S/Sgt John Ainsworth tested his stopwatch. At the appointed mark they considered starboard and nearly down the crosswind knee of these strategy S/Sgt Wallwork found it, he could make out the river, the canal and equally bridges. With awareness excellent and the target in view he slipped the glider's nose and created for the LZ. With the bottom speeding up at about 95mph he used the glider on program; they strike the bottom and found the initial of the wire defences. John Wallwork shouted, "Flow" and John Ainsworth released the arrester parachute; it raised the butt, pushed the nose into the bottom, tore down the wheels and returned the glider back to the air. The arrester parachute did their work and they strike the bottom again; this time around on the skids. John Wallwork shouted, "Jettison" and John Ainsworth pushed the key to produce the parachute; now exploring at about 60mph the glider threw up a huge selection of friction sparks from the skids while they passed around rocks. Seeing these sparks through the start home Maj Howard thought that they had been spotted and were being fired upon. Most of a sudden there is an almighty crash and the glider stumbled on a jarring halt; John Wallwork and John Ainsworth were hurled out through the cockpit however secured inside their seats. It was 00.16 hrs early each morning of D-Day 6 June 1944 and the initial Allied soldiers had appeared on French soil.

The glider's passengers were momentarily knocked unconscious, but Maj Howard's fanaticism for bodily exercise paid down; they quickly recovered and in a matter of seconds their education quit in. Automatically removing their harnesses, they exited the glider through any gap they may make or find. On achieving the outside Maj Howard noticed that there is no firing and they had landed without being spotted. Looking around he thanked god for John Wallwork and John Ainsworth; they had put the glider correct in to the part of the field where he needed it.

Lt Herbert Denham'Den'Brotheridge and the men of 25 Platoon swiftly exited the glider and silently shook out into their assault formation. Lt Brotheridge whispered into Cpl Jack Bailey's hearing and down he gone with his two men to manage the pillbox where in fact the firing mechanism to strike the connections was located. Collecting the remaining of his platoon he offered a whispered, "Think about it lads" and they built a splash for the bridge.