John, Having seen Hans's photo, I feel certain you have nailed it It's without doubt the same glider. Hans, is your photo a confirmed Keokuk Horsa? Thanks guys; great work! Pat
Pat and John, Some good information on the glider. For some time I was puzzled over the "design" on the side of the glider. It comes together when John describes what he sees there. With Hans information, is there a ID on the Unit?....see a name on the glider. Thank you Be Well Dave
Hi Dave, Hopefully Hans will be able to add some information on this glider when he gets an opportunity to check his records. Regards, Pat
With information on the 436th TCG glider serial 32 of Mission Elmira rather sketchy, I've been digging into the 319th GFAB who were flown by the 436th from Membury. There is a Facebook page that is run by the son of wartime member of the 319th GFAB and he recently posted a couple of pages from the 319th historical record when I asked if he had such documents. One paragraph is of real importance as it details the co-ordinates of where the bulk of the 319th landed on the 6th of June 1944. Luckily I found a website which had an interactive copy of Sheet 31/18 GSGS 4347 and I've done a few screenshots: The co-ordinates 36.5 - 97.7 brings us to this spot north east of St Mere Eglise slap bang in the middle of La Londe. I have no doubt now that the dot chalk numbers are 436th TCG gliders.
Thank you Neil I found the 319th GFAB site you spoke of.....apprciate the heads up. Some really good information you posted here. I must have been wrong about the Serial for the 436th 80th TCG. I thought I should be looking in Serial 32 but, the Unit Journal states, Serial 31. Be Well Dave
Good morning Dave, A good while back, I was digging into the 319th GFAB and was able to get the report Neil has presented. You can see the discussion of the Unit Journal here. (See post # 83 near the top of the page.) As you found, the Journal referred to Elmira Serial 31 having taken off from Membury. I think this was simply an error. Serial 31 left from Greenham Common around 2100 to 2120 hrs. I believe the Journal should have indicated Serial 32. Charles
Oops, correction needed. Serial 31 left from Greenham Common at about 1850 hrs. It's landing was around 2100.
Hi All, I have been looking at the Keokuk gliders in the Aldermaston aerial photograph on Fold3 here and would wonder if the 4th glider from the rear on the near side might be the one with the nose art from the Pond Field :dodgy: There is another further up the same near side row, between C-47 'CU-N' and 'CU-A' with what also appears to be nose art or lettering, but I don't think that's as good a candidate. What do you guys think? Regards, Pat
Hi Pat, I think the one horsa, 4th from the rear, is a real good possibility. I just can't zoom or enhance it more for a better look. I have seem some video of some flyovers of some of the airfields like this, but I don't know where to locate them right now, or if they are the correct airfield If so, now you at least know which horsa in the group to take a good look at. John
Thanks John, The only flyby I have ever been able to read squadron letters from is on the best versions of this footage. The link is to a version on the PhotosNormandie YouTube Channel (f000279) and is not the best available of the 36 Horsas and 14 Wacos of the 2nd Serial, 1st echelon of Mission Elmira (438th TCG) on Greenham Common. Depending on which side the Keokuk #1 Horsa is at out of shot on the right, I presume this candidate for the nose art, from its position at 4th from rear, near side must be either #25 (F/O Howard J. Dietz / F.O. Albert M. Todd) -or- #26 (F/O Burdette E. Townsend / F.O. Venoy M. Draper). Regards, Pat
Hi Pat, There does seem to be a "ghost" (to me...eyes not so good) of a image. Looks to be a a tilt (reclining?) figure. As John stated, one video "US Gliders at Normandy" starts out with a fly over but, I can not tell if it is the same as the still photo. Good eyes! Be Well Dave
F/O Howard Dietz was seriously wounded. I don't know what caused his injuries. German fire or crash landing?
Hi Hans, Do you have any other Aldermaston ground photos which might show the position of the nose art Horsa in the row? Thanks, Pat
Hi All, I found another version of the footage moving up the road by the Pond Field on the AP Archive site titled 'Consolidating in Normandy - No Sound (BM44914-2)' The screenshot below was grabbed at time mark 05min53sec: Is that the muzzle of the main gun of a Sherman on the left.. I knew the view over the hedge had something strange about it, but I could not put my finger on it until now - if the camera was being used by a photographer sitting in a jeep, we would not be seeing the tops of the gliders in the Pond Field. If the photographer is riding on a Sherman, could it be 'Channel Blues' of the 746th TB seen earlier in the film? Regards, Pat
Hi Pat, Your link to bm44914-2 took me to a different film... but I did find it searching bm44914-2. I think the gun looks smaller in caliber, like it might be from a Stuart light tank. I did see some other interesting things in the video. At 3:50 they have burned away the Horsa glider obstructing the road east of the Hoatson Horsa. Also at 7:37 when the M7 Priest is trying to make a turn, you can see a sign that reads "Champion CP" with an arrow. Champion was the code name for the 82nd Division. John
Apologies John, I'll fix the link tonight...I had a few of the AP British Movietone films open in the browser last night looking for that scene with the column leaving the field. I thought it might be the German PoW column's starting point, but looking at it now, I am not sure if its a column of prisoners at all. Note how the scene above ends at the 'Edna' wingtip - a jeep would have been able to pass underneath it; a tank, medium or light, would not. Regards, Pat
Hi, I saw the glider pilot Sam Southall was mentioned in this post. does anyone have more information or a picture of him? I have bought his jacket and shirt and I would like to know more about him. thx