More Eagles added to the nest!

I've recently been able to expand my collection of 'The Eagle' the magazine of the Glider Pilot Regimental Association.

These all come mainly from Ebay but if any readers would like to donate issues then please don't hesitate to contact me. I am of course always happy to agree on a fair price too.

A facsimile of the first 'Eagle' - July 1946 - now sits proudly alongside my other originals. My thanks to  Colin Knox for sending me scans of an original copy in his late fathers collection.

1986 - 1994 editions.

1946 Volume 1 Number 1 (a facsimile made up from scans donated to me) alongside original 1951, 1953 and 1957 editions.

FUND RASING APPEAL FOR GPR MEMORIAL AT THE NMA

Maj Steve Elsey, Memorial Project Manager, writes:

During the Annual General Meeting at Bournemouth, last year, one of the veterans raised the question of the possibility of a permanent memorial to the memory of the Regiment. Several of us involved with the GPRA discussed the idea and, having spoken with the Chairman, decided that there should be a national memorial to this group of men; and so the project to establish a GPR Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA), Staffordshire commenced. 

My proposal for such a memorial to the GPR at the NMA went to the NMA’s Memorial Advisory Committee on the 20th of March and I am very pleased to say that I have received their final approval to raise the GPR Memorial. 

I now need to raise the funds to provide a suitable memorial to these courageous, highly skilled and determined men. The cost of the complete project i.e. engraving, siting, foundations, paving, a Regimental history board and dedication service has been costed at £5,000. My intention has always been to have this memorial raised for them and not by them and I intend to attempt to have the memorial positioned and dedicated this year. so as to allow as many of the surviving veterans to understand what they, and their comrades no longer with us, mean to us all.

It has been agreed to site the memorial on Market Garden Way at the Arboretum, which is lined by trees provided by the people of Arnhem. Our memorial stone has been provided by the people of Renkum Municipality in the Netherlands, the area in which the GPR mainly fought, in September 1944, during what is known as the Battle of Arnhem; a fitting link I hope you agree to their history. 

The memorial stone will be inscribed with the first and last cap badges of the Regiment, state ‘The Glider Pilot Regiment 1942 – 1957’ and underneath ‘Nothing Is Impossible’. A potted history of the Regiment will appear on the rear and a path will be provided around the stone to allow visitors a view of it all. 

Any donation, however small, will be very much appreciated and help raise this national memorial to those men of the GPR. If you feel able to support this project and want to make a donation then there are two ways you can do this:

UK cheque: Please make out your cheque to the GPRA, and annotate on the reverse ‘GPR Memorial Fund’. It can then be sent to our Treasurer:

Major P Furber QGM
PSAO TA Centre
29 Kilnmead
Northgate
CRAWLEY
West Sussex
RH10 8BD

Bank Transfer: To the GPRA Bank Account, again annotating ‘GPR Memorial Fund’ on the paperwork. The GPRA bank account details required by your bank are:

Glider Pilot Regiment
Holts Military Banking - Farnborough
Account Number 10628288
Sort Code 161926
IBAN GB31RBOS16192610628288
BIC RBOSGB2L

If you have any questions then please contact me and I will try my best to answer them.

Thank you for your time.

Chalk Marks 68th Anniversary of Operation Varsity

On Sunday 31st March, Chalk along with Thunder From Heaven and members of OBLI marked the anniversary of Operation Varsity with their usual photoshoot. The location of a farm orchard and buildings added greatly to the atmosphere and TFH also dressed the fields with parachutes and supply containers.

At this time, I'm waiting for more photo's to come to me but for now we have this superb shot of the Aid Station (Chalk GP's in the background and Ethan as an Airborne medic in the foreground) courtesy of TFH member Rich Mott. Please watch this space for more as they come in!

S/Sgt Yates and S/Sgt Johnson look on as a medic helps a US paratrooper injured in the drop.

S/Sgt Tolley.V. and Sgt Tolley.E. make their way off the LZ to the forming up point. British and American Airborne can be seen in the background.

Sgt. Norman Beasley

Finally! I'm able to post this photo of No.18 RAF Glider Pilots 'A' Flight and namely Sgt. Norman Beasley (indicated in photo). I was contacted by Sgt. Beasley's son-in-law, Melvyn Cox several weeks ago. 

Melvyn is researching his father-in-law's RAF career and stumbled across the Chalk blogsite. His contact email to me reads:

"My father in law, Sgt Norman Beasley was attached to the Glider Pilot Regiment from late 1944 to mid 1945. He gained his wings in Carberry, Canada in August 1944 and the Glider Pilots was his first operational posting.

On his return from Canada he was sent for further training at RAF Bridgnorth then Harrogate awaiting posting to HGCU for glider pilot training.  In January 1941 He was transferred to ORTU at RAF Hampstead Norris and finally to 2 Wing GPR we believe at RAF Mushroom Farm in Essex where he was held in reserve for Operation Varsity.  Details of the next few months are a little sketchy but we believe he was later based at RAF Hengistbury Head and eventually transferred out of the GPR in August 1945.  His records later show some  abbreviations which we are unable to decipher:  ORTU and EGPR at Mushroom Farm; E of GPR and E of GR at Hengistbury Head – do you know what these stand for?

I attach a copy of a photograph of No 18 Glider Pilots as you asked for pictures of RAF units in Battledress – I hope that this is of some help.  Sgt Norman Beasley is 3^rd from right on the front row.

Do you have any more information about the training that was undertaken or have any idea of where the photograph was taken?"

After a bit of research I advised Melvyn that ORTU stands for Operational and Refresher Training Unit (if any readers know otherwise please do let us know) and that, in my opinion, EGPR/E of GPR and E of GR would probably indicate 'E' Squadron of Glider Pilot Regiment (again, if any of you know differently please let us know).

Chalk Visit The Museum of Army Flying

Following on from the 71st Anniversary Lunch, Chalk and OBLI LHG were permitted a visit to the MAF just down the road from the Army Aviation Centre.

I haven't been to the museum for a couple of years so it was a pleasure to go again, especially in uniform!

The exhibits within the museum are superb, and cover just about every aspect of Army flying and the GPR itself; a Miles Magister, Kirby Kite, Waco (Hadrian), parts of Horsa's and even a large part of a Hamilcar glider which was found in a farmers field in the 1970's being used as a chicken shed! (now thankfully reconstructed and put on display).

If you're interested in Army flying and are anywhere near Middle Wallop this summer, then you must check out this museum.

However, the absolute highlight of my visit was being able to lower the flag of the Glider Pilot Regiment which flies outside the Museum's entrance. This was a real honour, and I'd like to thank the museum and Josh Elson for allowing me the opportunity.

Myself and OBLI LHG in front of one of the Museum's Horsa gliders.

Myself; lowering the Glider Pilot Regiment flag at the end of the day.

The museum has many artifacts pertaining to the Glider Pilot Regiment along with Army Flying exhibits.

The mighty Hamilcar glider, once used as a farmer's chicken shed!

The Miles Magister training aircraft.

The Hotspur glider was the main training glider for the Glider Pilot Regiment.

A Mk2 Horsa glider cockpit and fuselage. Shown in front are a collection of resupply canisters and packs.

AAC and GPR 71st Anniversary Luncheon 2013

On Thursday 21st February 2013, Chalk along with the 2nd Battalion (AB) OBLI LHG were privileged to attend the 71st anniversary luncheon of the formation of the Glider Pilot Regiment at the Sergeant's Mess, Army Aviation Centre at Middle Wallop in Hampshire.

Both groups set up there displays in the Sergeant's Mess in the morning, whilst the GPR veteran's along with relatives and GRPA members attended a wreath laying at the site of the old Tilshead Camp (I think I'm right here? but please correct me if I'm wrong). When the memorial party returned to the mess we were able to greet them with a first class (hopefully) display of GPR related memorabilia alongside an excellent Airlanding display by the aforementioned OBLI LHG.

After a short break which allowed everyone to warm up after their cold morning on Salisbury Plain luncheon was served and the two groups quickly and quietly packed away their displays, took a spot of lunch themselves and then departed for a complimentary visit to the nearby Museum of Army Flying just down the road (photo's to follow).

Chalk would like to thank the AAC and GPRA for allowing them to display and be part of this exclusive day. We're already looking forward to next time.. hint, hint.

As usual with these events, I can't take photographs and talk about the display at the same time, so I've put together a selection of 'set up' photographs and Richard Fisher has forwarded me a couple that he took of the vet's and GPRA members.

Part of the Chalk display during set up. Showing a selection of GPR ephemera, an Airborne helmet, GPR flying helmet and the fibre dispatch rider helmet commonly used whilst training on the Hotspur at GTS.

More of the Chalk GPR display during set up.

The Chalk operational boards; Tonga/Mallard/Deadstick, Market and Varsity (Sicily to follow when I source a good enough operational map and photographs - watch this space).

A shot of OBLI LHG awaiting the return of the veterans and GPRA members.

Standard British Infantry small pack contents on the Chalk display.

The two groups displays alongside each other in the Sergeant's Mess.

Veteran's and GPRA members take a moment to view the displays. Photo courtesy of Richard Fisher.

Myself on the left and Josh Elson reenactor and MoAF volunteer researcher talk to Jane Barkway, one of Geoff Barkway's daughters, about her fathers exploits on D-Day.

71st Anniversary!

February 24th 2013 will mark the 71st anniversary of the formation of the Glider Pilot Regiment. The Glider Pilot Regiment was officially established by Army Order, 71 years ago on 24th February 1942.

Much has been written regarding the formation of the Regiment (see recommended reading list) and there are now also several books dedicated to the overall history and actions in which the Regiment took part. With battle honours including; The Normandy Landings, Arnhem, The Rhine Crossing and Sicily. Let's not forget that the Regiment lived on until the formation of the Army Air Corps in 1957 and so also saw service in Palestine and Malaysia as well as some pilots taking part in the Berlin Airlift in powered aircraft!

The original Commanding Officer of the Regiment, Lt Col John Rock was tragically killed in a flying accident in September 1942. He was replaced by Lt Col George Chatterton who realised that he needed a unit of men who would be able to fight and fly to extremely high standards - total soldiers. To this end Brigade of Guards Drill Sergeants were brought in to manage an in-depth training period and through a unique partnership with the RAF these fighting men were also trained to fly.

Chatterton's now famous address to the Regiment shows his no nonsense approach and the level of commitment he demanded.

"We will forge this regiment as a weapon of attack... Not only will we be trained as pilots, but in all we do... I shall be quite ruthless... Only the best will be tolerated. If you do not like it, you can go back whence you came." (Pegasus Archive)

I will leave our final words to be those of General Sir John Hackett who says:

"Those who went to battle in gliders and above all those who get them there, the Glider Pilots, deserve our enduring esteem."

The Glider Pilot Regiment. We will remember them.