3rd and 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery, Royal Artillery.

The 3rd and 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery’s, Royal Artillery would both take part in operation ‘TONGA’, on the night of 5th/6th June 1944. ‘TONGA’ was the code-name given to the 6th Airborne Division’s night time landing in Normandy to secure the eastern flank of the invasion by Allied Forces. The main code-name was ‘OVERLORD’, but most people remember it as ‘D’ Day.

The 3rd Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery would provide four 17 pounder anti-tank guns of ‘A’ Troop, and the 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery would provide its entire complement of sixteen 6 pounder anti-tank guns.

Extract of the Orders from the Commander 5th Parachute Brigade, Brigadier. J.H.N. Poett:

20. A Tk

(a) A Tk def of bde locality will be co-ord by Maj DIXON, MC, 4 Airldg A Tk Bty RA.

(b) Tasks 4 Airldg A Tk Bty RA - to deny the following approaches:-

(i) Between pt 26, 097728 and FE DE LIEU HARAS 1172.

(ii) Between RANVILLE and pt 42, 116749.

A Tk Pl, 7 Para Bn - to deny approaches to br 098748 from WEST.

A Tk Pl, 12 Para Bn (after withdrawal of covering force) - to give depth to def of 4 Airldg A Tk Bty in area EAST and SE of br 104746.

A Tk Pl, 13 Para Bn - deny approaches to br head between rd junc 119726 and RANVILLE.

(c) Approx posn of A Tk guns is shown in Trace ‘P’ att [Sketch Map IV].

The 17 pounders of ‘A’ Troop would be flown by the glider pilots of ‘C’ Squadron, the Glider Pilot Regiment in four Hamilcar gliders from R.A.F Tarrant Rushton. The R.A.F. Halifax towing aircraft would be provided by 644 and 298 Squadron’s, and the gliders were given the Chalk Numbers 500, 501, 502 and 503. They were part of the third wave of gliders that night and were destined for Landing Zone ‘N’ near Ranville.

Whilst the various units of the 6th Airborne Division were confined to their concentration area’s, they were visited by Major – General R.N. Gale. Lieutenant Alan Jefferson of the 9th Parachute Battalion: “The Divisional Commander came and spoke to us. Richard Gale, known affectionately as ‘Windy’, was an impressive man who spoke words that every soldier understood. We all admired him. General Gale was full of pride and confidence in us, and in his Division as a whole.

‘Finest command I’ve ever had. And I tell you something else. Know the seventeen-pounder anti-tank gun? The big bugger? You do? Think the enemy likes it – those Panzer crews? Course they don’t. But, I’ll tell you what: I’m putting some of ‘em in gliders, taking ‘em over with us. What about that, eh?’

Fourteen of the 6 pounders, and the majority, of the 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery would also be flown into Landing Zone ‘N’ in Horsa’s by glider pilots of ‘D’ Squadron, The Glider Pilot Regiment and would also be towed by Halifaxes of 644 and 298 Squadron’s R.A.F. from Tarrant Rushton. They were allocated Chalk Numbers 97 to 120 and were also part of the third wave.

Two of the 6 pounders of the 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery would be flown in Horsa gliders to Landing Zone ‘V’ near Varaville to support the 9th Parachute Battalion assault on the Merville Battery. They would be flown by glider pilots of ‘E’ Squadron, The Glider Pilot Regiment, and be towed by Dakota aircraft of 271 Squadron R.A.F. from Down Ampney. They were allocated the Chalk Numbers 266 and 267. Elements of the 4th Battery would also fly in two Horsa gliders as further support for this operation. These were Chalk Numbers 66 and 67, flown by glider pilots from ‘A’ Squadron, The Glider Pilot Regiment, towed by Albemarles of 570 Squadron R.A.F. from Harwell. Both of these serials were part of the second wave.

The fortunes of all these gliders and their vital cargo’s was mixed, and it will be easier to understand the achievement of the both the glider pilots, and the gunners if we look at each in turn and in detail. It should be noted that the glider pilots had been asked to stay with their respective gun detachments to act as gunners, loaders or protection, until relieved by extra gunners arriving the next day.

Chalk No. 266. Glider flown by S/Sgt. W.C. Herbert and Sgt. G.R. Moorcroft.

Tug Pilot: P/O. Williams.

Load: 6 pounder gun, Jeep & 3 men, ‘F’ Troop.

Fate: Landed N.E. of Bures-sur-Dives. Glider Pilots and Gunners all made it back to 6th Airborne Division main positions, minus the Jeep and gun. [1A]

Chalk No. 267. Glider flown by S/Sgt. V. Saunders and Sgt. J.H. Fuell.

Tug Pilot: W/O. Wood.

Load: 6 pounder gun, Jeep and 3 men, ‘F’ Troop.

Fate: Landed 7 miles S.E. of L.Z. Both Glider pilots and Gun Commander, L/Sgt. F.L. Woodcock killed. Gunners. H. Paget and W. Jones captured. [1A]

Chalk No. 66. Glider flown by S/Sgt. V. Ockwell and Sgt. T.R. Hellyer.

Tug Pilot: S/Ldr. Grice.

Load: Jeep, trailer and 3 men, ‘F’ Troop.

Fate: Crashed into pole on landing. 1st Pilot killed, 2nd Pilot, Lieut. J.S. Robinson, Dvr. Fuller and War Correspondent, Mr. Fyffe taken prisoner.

Chalk No. 67. Glider flown by S/Sgt. W.K. Marfleet and Sgt. V. Haines.

Tug Pilot: F/O. Lawson.

Load: Mixed 9 Para Bn HQ and ‘F’ Troop.

Fate: Came down in the English Channel, all drowned. Bdr. W. Sidney.

Chalk No. 97. Glider flown by Maj. J.F. Lyne and S/Sgt. W. Bridgewater. Tug Pilot: S/Ldr. Norman. (644 Sqn)

Load: Jeep, trailer and two motor-boats? 5 men of Bty H.Q. and the B.C: Maj. T.H.P. Dixon.

Fate: T/O: 01.23. L.Z: 03.29. Tow rope broke 15 seconds from LZ. Landed near River Dives. All made it to the 6th Airborne Division’s main positions, minus the equipment. [1B]

Chalk No. 98. Glider flown by S/Sgt. W. Goodwin and Sgt. E.W. Woodrow.

Tug Pilot: W/Cdr. Pope. (644 Sqn)

Load: Jeep, trailer, Motor-cycle and 5 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.23. L.Z: 03.25. Landed successfully, unloaded and moved off to their positions.

Chalk No. 99. Glider flown by S/Sgt. R.G. New and Sgt. J.R. Gibbons.

Tug Pilot: F/Lt. Hobbs. (644 Sqn)

Load: Jeep, trailer and 5 men. ‘E’ Troop.

Fate: T/O: 01.25. Glider released at 03.18. Tow rope broke due to flak between glider and tug. Both glider pilots killed, along with Lt. S.A. Lyons, Bdr. J.A. Hill, Gnr. R.K. Taylor and Gnr. J.H. Machin. Bdr. Letherbarrow made it to the 6th Airborne Div main positions.

Chalk No. 100. Glider flown by S/Sgt. A.R. Dow and Sgt. R. Chadwick.

Tug Pilot: F/O. Nickel. (644 Sqn)

Load: Jeep, trailer, motor-cycle and 4 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.24. Tug released after glider pulled aircraft’s tail up in cloud. Crash landed near Pont L’Eveque. S/Sgt. Dow taken prisoner, Sgt. Chadwick mortally wounded. The four gunners, Sgt. R.H. Fearn, Bdr. A. Wileman, Gnr’s J. Jones and R. Milnes were all taken prisoner. [2]

Chalk No. 101. Glider flown by Capt. B. Murdoch and Sgt. T. Page.

Tug Pilot: F/O. Bretherton. (644 Sqn)

Load: 6 pounder gun, Jeep & 3 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.26. Cast off due to imminent collison with another combination four miles from Worthy Down. Sgt. Guest, Bdr. Wainwright and Gnr. Pratt all flew out on operation ‘MALLARD’. [3]

Chalk No. 102. Glider flown by Capt. J.M. Walker and Sgt. F.S. Carpenter.

Tug Pilot: F/O. Rampling. (644 Sqn)

Load: 6 pounder gun, Jeep & 3 men. Fate: T/O: 01.26. L.Z: 03.26. Crashed into River Dives near bridge at Bures. Capt. Walker wounded and captured. Sgt. Carpenter broke both legs. From the Gun Detachment, Sgt. Evett and Gnr. Dean were badly injured, but subsequently evacuated. Gnr. K.M. Bissell was taken prisoner with Capt. Walker. [4]

Chalk No. 103. Glider flown by S/Sgt. D. W. Higgs and Sgt. W. Oliver.

Tug Pilot: S/Ldr. Rymills. (644 Sqn)

Load: 6 pounder gun, Jeep & 3 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.27. L.Z: 03.34. Landed successfully, unloaded and moved off to their positions. [5]

Chalk No. 104. Glider flown by S/Sgt. G.A. Rickwood and Sgt. J. Gray.

Tug Pilot: W/O. Woodward. (644 Sqn)

Load: 6 pounder gun, Jeep & 3 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.25. L.Z: 03.26. Landed successfully, unloaded and moved off to their positions. [6]

Chalk No. 105. Glider flown by S/Sgt. D. Thompson and Sgt. R. Crawley.

Tug Pilot: F/O. Richards. (644 Sqn)

Load: Jeep, trailer, motor-cycle and 4 men. Fate: T/O: 01.28. L.Z: 03.24. Landed successfully, unloaded and moved off to their positions.

Chalk No. 106. Glider flown by S/Sgt. G. Browne and Sgt. L. Jones.

Tug Pilot: F/O. Calverley. (644 Sqn)

Load: Jeep, trailer, motor-cycle and 4 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.29. L.Z: 03.26. Landed successfully, unloaded and moved off to their positions.

Chalk No. 107. Glider flown by S/Sgt. F. Stevenson and Lt. S.J.D. Moorwood.

Tug Pilot: F/O. Blake. (644 Sqn)

Load: 6 pounder gun, Jeep & 3 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.29. L.Z: 03.24. Landed successfully, unloaded and moved off to their positions. [7]

Chalk No. 108. Glider flown by Lt. I.C. Muir and Sgt. H. Stones.

Tug Pilot: F/Lt. Cumberworth. (644 Sqn)

Load: 6 pounder gun, Jeep & 3 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.30. L.Z: 03.28. Landed successfully, unloaded and moved off to their positions. [8]

Chalk No. 109. Glider flown by S/Sgt. A.H. Smith and Sgt. J. Stephenson.

Tug Pilot: F/Sgt. McConville. (644 Sqn)

Load: 6 pounder gun, Jeep & 3 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.31. L.Z: 03.26. Landed successfully, unloaded and moved off to their positions. [9]

Chalk No. 110. Glider flown by S/Sgt. J.G. Hunter and Sgt. W.H. Stonebanks.

Tug Pilot: W/O. Shapley. (644 Sqn)

Load: Jeep, trailer, motor-cycle and 5 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.33. L.Z: 03.30. Glider hit a tree near Briqueville. S/Sgt. Stonebanks, Capt. F. Kilbey, Bdr. A.J. Lane and Gnr. P. Lazaropoulo all killed. Sgt. Hunter badly injured. Bdr’s. Bench and Howells probably made it back to the main 6th Airborne Division positions as they are neither listed as killed or prisoners.

Chalk No. 111. Glider flown by S/Sgt. W. Dodd and Sgt. J. Keeley.

Tug Pilot: F/Sgt. Wells. (644 Sqn)

Load: Jeep, trailer and 4 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.33. L.Z: 03.30. Landed successfully, unloaded and moved off to their positions.

Chalk No. 112. Glider flown by S/Sgt. W.J.G. Statham and Sgt. C. Boswell. Tug Pilot: S/Ldr. Briggs. (298 Sqn)

Load: 6 pounder gun, Jeep & 3 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.34. L.Z: 03.28. Landed successfully, unloaded and moved off to their positions. [10]

Chalk No. 113. Glider flown by S/Sgt. A.L. Bashforth and Sgt. R.F. Dray.

Tug Pilot: F/O. Northmore. (298 Sqn)

Load: 6 pounder gun, Jeep & 3 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.36. Tow rope pulled out in turbulence. Landed at Ford. Sgt. B.G. Sherwood, Gnr. O’Connor and Gnr T.L. Lloyd flew out on operation ‘MALLARD’. [11A]

Chalk No. 114. Glider flown by S/Sgt. A. Johnson and Sgt. J. D’Eath.

Tug Pilot: P/O. Dougill. (298 Sqn)

Load: 6 pounder gun, Jeep & 3 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.36. L.Z: 03.28. Landed near railway at Goustranville. This is probably the Jeep, gun and detachment of Sgt. Woodridge, who all made it back to the Battery, but lost the gun and Jeep. [11B]

Chalk No. 115. Glider flown by S/Sgt. R.E. White and Sgt. F. Eason.

Tug Pilot: F/Lt. Imber. (298 Sqn)

Load: 6 pounder gun, Jeep & 3 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.36. L.Z.: 03.27. Landed successfully, unloaded and moved off to their positions. [12]

Chalk No. 116. Glider flown by S/Sgt. E.B.M. Helme and Sgt. N. Hornsby.

Tug Pilot: S/Ldr. G.K.A. Brownrigg. (298 Sqn)

Load: Jeep, trailer, motor-cycle and 5 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.38. L.Z: 03.32. Glider cast off over two bridges, landed near Dozule and came under attack almost immediately. Party split into two groups to escape, but the two pilots and Lt. P.J. Pring, Bdr’s. V. Saunders, J. Hoey, and Gnr’s J.H. Bond and Coulton were all taken prisoner.

Chalk No. 117. Glider flown by S/Sgt. A. Coombes and Sgt. R. Usher.

Tug Pilot: F/O. W.W. Brown. (298 Sqn)

Load: Jeep, trailer, motor-cycle and 3 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.38. L.Z: 03.27. Landed successfully, unloaded and moved off to their positions.

Chalk No. 118. Glider flown by S/Sgt. R.C. Downing and Sgt. D. Elliott.

Tug Pilot: W/O. R.A. Smith. (298 Sqn)

Load: 6 pounder gun, Jeep & 3 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.38. L.Z: 03.31. Landed successfully, unloaded and moved off to their positions. [13]

Chalk No. 119. Glider flown by S/Sgt. W. Musitano and Sgt. S.W. Perry.

Tug Pilot: F/O. J.B. Stark. (298 Sqn)

Load: 6 pounder gun, Jeep & 3 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.39. L.Z: 03.27. Landed half mile short of the L.Z, but made it to the gun positions. [14]

Chalk No. 120. Glider flown by S/Sgt. R. Jolliffe and Sgt. A. Prentice. Tug Pilot: F/O. R.I. Carpenter. (298 Sqn)

Load: 6 pounder gun, Jeep & 3 men.

Fate: T/O: 01.40. L.Z: 03.23. Landed successfully, unloaded and moved off to their positions. [15]

Chalk No. 500. Glider flown by 2/Lt. T.W. Taylorson and Sgt. R.J. Simpson.

Tug Pilot: F/O. Baird. (644 Sqn)

Load: 30cwt Morris tractor, 17 pounder gun and 8 men.

Fate: T/O: 02.29. L.Z: 03.30. Landed successfully, unloaded and moved off to their positions. [16]

Chalk No. 501. Glider flown by S/Sgt. L. Ridings and Sgt. R.A. Harris.

Tug Pilot: F/Lt. Sizmur. (298 Sqn)

Load: 30cwt Morris tractor, 17 pounder gun and 8 men.

Fate: T/O: 02.10. L.Z: 03.27. Tow rope broke. Landed in orchard near St Vaast en Auge. Reported that a parachute hit starboard wing of glider. [17]

Chalk No. 502. Glider flown by S/Sgt. H. Dent and Sgt. P. Rodgers.

Tug Pilot: F/Lt. Enson. (298 Sqn)

Load: 30cwt Morris tractor, 17 pounder gun and 8 men.

Fate: T/O: 02.11. The tow rope broke over Bognor Regis and the glider landed at Ford. Sgt. Foulkes, Bdr. Taylor, Bdr. Rains, L/Bdr. Pearson, L/Bdr. Miles, Gnr. Reardon, Gnr. Stokes and Gnr. Gammon went across by sea.

Chalk No. 503. Glider flown by S/Sgt. E. England and Sgt. J. Hill.

Tug Pilot: F/O. Fisher. (644 Sqn)

Load: 30cwt Morris tractor, 17 pounder gun and 8 men.

Fate: T/O: 02.12. L.Z: 03.33. Landed successfully, unloaded and moved off to their positions.

In addition to the glider loads there were two parachuting parties, one from each Battery. The Parachuting Reconnaissance Party for the 3rd Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery consisted of Capt. J.E. Jordan, L/Sgt. Palmer, L/Sgt. Rogers and Gnr. Tomlins. The Parachuting Reconnaissance Party for the 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery consisted of Lt. R. Trease, Sgt. Fielding, Bdr. G. Brownlee and Bdr. Bigley. Both groups would fly with the 12th Parachute Battalion from R.A.F. Keevil. They all jumped accurately onto Drop Zone ‘N’ and made it to the Rendezvous. [18]

The War Diary for No 1 Wing, The Glider Pilot Regiment has reports from each Squadron that took part, at Appendix ‘K’ is that of ‘D’ Squadron, written soon after the events;

“D-Squadron provided 34 Crews for operation TONGA and took off on 6th June from TARRANT RUSHTON at 01.30 hrs together with 4 Hamilcars which were flown by ‘C’ Squadron. L.Z. was ‘N’.

All crews had been trained by 4 A/Tk. Bty, R.A. as gun members on 6 pounder A/Tk guns, the plan being that the glider pilots would act as gun members until the arrival of extra gunners in the next days landing. As Major Lyne, Capt. Walker, and Capt. Murdoch were all missing from Squadron R.V. Lieut. Muir took command of the Glider Pilots. Capt. Murdoch had forced landed in England but arrived at 2100 hrs 6th June on operation “MALLARD”. Major Lyne forced landed near the River Dives and fought his way back in spite of a broken foot. Capt. Walker is still missing.

Casualties in this operation were:- 18 Missing. 4 Wounded in action.

Brigadier Poett had jumped in at the same time as the Pathfinders, and after visiting the scene of action at ‘Pegasus’ Bridge, and having seen Lieut – Colonel Pine-Coffin and elements of his 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion arrive to re-enforce the bridgehead in the west, he now moved on to check on the other elements of his Brigade; “I, therefore, left the canal bridge and made for Ranville to see how the 13th Battalion had fared.

I soon met up with Peter Luard, the Battalion Commander. He was in splendid heart. He had had little difficulty in over-running the village and he was now in the course of ‘mopping up’ some of the houses which had been occupied by the Germans. He had established his defences on the outskirts of the village. Ranville had been captured at about 2.30am. It is, therefore, claimed to be the first village to be liberated in France.

Luard’s Battalion and the Brigade engineers, 591 Para Field Squadron, were preparing runways through the poles of Rommel’s asparagus to receive the gliders of General Gale’s Tactical HQ, due to begin landing at 0320 hrs. This glider group would also include an urgently needed 6-pounder battery of anti-tank guns for my Brigade. 13 Para Bn would be responsible for the protection of the landing zone for the glider landing.

After going round some of the 13 Para positions, I was entirely satisfied and was able to move on to Johnston’s 12 Para Bn. They were to hold the southern sector of the bridgehead, east of the River Orne, including Le Bas de Ranville and were hard at work preparing their defensive positions. We knew they had a tough time ahead. They would bear the brunt of any attack from 21 Panzer Division which had been moved close to Caen just before D-Day. 12 Para must, therefore, expect strong armoured and infantry attacks as soon as it was light enough for the Germans to assess the situation. The Battalion had only a short time to prepare themselves and they were certainly making the most of it.

While I was approaching the 12th Battalion General Gale’s glider group began to land. After satisfying myself that all was well with the 12th, I walked back to the DZ in the hope of meeting General Gale and briefing him on the situation of my brigade. By now it was just beginning to show the first traces of light and I had not been long on the DZ before I saw the distinctive figure of the General. He was wearing jodhpur riding breeches and had about six men with him. I was able to tell him that the operations of the 5th Parachute Brigade had been entirely successful. The bridges were in our hands, intact, and all my battalions were in their pre-planned positions. Casualties so far had been light.” [19]

The main gun positions were to the South of le Bas de Ranville and Ranville village. One of the anti-tank teams from the 12th Parachute Battalion moved into position, as per their orders, to provide close-in protection to the 6 pounders, Private George Price: “I was re-equipped, given a P.I.A.T. and had been joined by the other two members of my section. So fully equipped we made our way to ‘Le Bas de Ranville’ and took up our positions in the corner of a wood. A P.I.A.T. and three men may not seem much of a deterrent to German Tiger and Panther tanks, but on the contrary is quite capable of disabling a tank when used efficiently. However the main object for the three of us was to make contact with the pilot and co-pilot of a glider which contained a Jeep, a 6 pounder anti-tank gun and [crew], and within an hour of us setting up our position a Jeep, gun and [crew] joined us and as a crew of five we became an even more efficient anti-tank section. In fact after a while a tank [possibly a Mk IV] came down the field in front of us and promptly received two shells from us, one in the belly and one in the turret.” [20]

However, not all such encounters went so easily for the British troops. Captain John Sim, ‘C’ Company. 12th Parachute Battalion, was holding a forward ‘outpost’ on the ridge-line south of le Bas de Ranville: “My particular task was to command a forward screen in a hedgerow some three hundred yards from C Company's position. It had been planned that I was to have a section from No.4 Platoon, two LMGs, two PIATs, a 17-pounder and a 6-pounder anti-tank gun, a Forward Observer Bombardment (FOB) party who were going to direct the fire of a cruiser lying offshore and a wireless set for my use. The flanks of my position were to be covered by the fire of machine guns from a position in the rear.

By first light my party, less the 17-pounder anti-tank gun, the two PIATs and my wireless set, was dug in and well camouflaged. The FOB party was busily engaged in ranging the cruiser's guns on likely targets while one of my snipers scored a hit on a man inspecting a container some four hundred yards away. At about 10am we spotted some men who appeared to be positioning a gun on a hill towards Caen. My FOB directed fire on to them and they vanished. Then came a long wait without a movement to be seen.

At about 11am we were surprised to see a company of about fifty men straggling across our front from the left flank. They appeared to be some of our own men as they were wearing parachute-type steel helmets and camouflaged smocks. They were about three hundred yards away across a large open field and I thought perhaps B Company, on my left, was sending out a patrol in force. However, I soon changed my mind when they changed direction and advanced in line towards us. I asked the FOB to direct the cruiser's guns on them and then switch to the woods behind. A little while later he informed me that this could not be done as they were firing on a priority target.

Meanwhile the enemy continued to advance, knee deep in long grass. Only my sniper was active, further down the hedgerow, as our plan was not to open fire until the enemy had come to within fifty yards of us where there was a barbed wire cattle fence. We watched and waited as the enemy came closer and closer. When they had reached the fence, I fired a Verey light straight at them and my men opened fire. The enemy went to ground in the long grass. Simultaneously, two self-propelled guns lumbered up from behind a ridge to our front and opened fire while on the move. They stopped seventy yards away from us, a sitting target for our 6-pounder anti-tank gun, but no gun opened fire. Shortly after, a soldier crawled up to me on hands and knees and saluted! He was sorry but the 6-pounder could not fire as the breechblock had slipped and must have been damaged in the glider landing. I could not be angry with him for not telling me earlier as he was so apologetic but the knowledge that I had no weapon with which to engage the self-propelled guns was rather frightening.” [21]

The two self-propelled guns went on to cause havoc with Captain Sim’s position, but both were later destroyed by 6-pounder anti-tank guns located around ‘B’ Company’s position.

Some of the glider pilots were formed into groups and put in defensive positions to help hold the airborne bridge-head. Lieutenant ‘Chris’ Dodwell from ‘E’ Squadron gave the following account:

“A little to our right was a six-pounder anti-tank gun, brought in by one of the gliders during the night. Several of its crew had been killed and it was being operated by a mixed group of glider pilots and its own gunners. A noisy battle was going on as German tanks tried to break through towards the bridges over the River Orne and the Caen Canal. This gun destroyed four out of the five German tanks making this attack. Later on, a German 88mm gun started firing at targets on the landing zone behind us. Unlike most other guns, which fired their shells up in the air to some degree, the 88 fired a very high velocity shell which travelled more or less parallel to the ground until it reached its target. If it was firing at close range the shells never got very high and the rounds from this gun were going through the top of the hedge above us and covering us with broken twigs and branches.” [22]

The War Diary for the 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery had the following entry for the 5th and 6th June 1944:

5th June 1944. Place: Tarrant Rushton.

Bty under command 6 Airlanding Bde at Transit Camp.

6th June 1944. Place: Ranville.

00.55 hours.Recce party landed in area RANVILLE NORMANDY with 12th and 13th Para Bde [Bn’s].

03.30 hours. Main glider party arrives 11 [6 pdr] guns and 2 [17 pdr] Guns into action.

10.30 hours. 4 S P German guns destroyed.

14.00 hours. Forward ATK gun lost, 2 glider pilots and 1 gunner killed and 2 wounded. Sgt Woodridge in attempting to rejoin unit lost gun and jeep.

The War Diary for the 3rd Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery had the following entry for the 5th and 6th June 1944:

5th June 1944. Place: At Sea.

1830 hours. Ship sails; personnel briefed for operation.

6th June 1944. Place: Ranville. 01.00 hours.

Para party of 4 dropped near RANVILLE.

02.30 hours. ‘A’ Tp less 2 guns land near RANVILLE by glider.

Place: Lion Sur Mer.

13.00 hours. Bty commences to disembark & move to assembly area COLVILLE.

By the early morning of the 7th June 1944 both Batteries were in position and ready for any German counter-attacks. They would remain ‘in the line’, and in support of the 6th Airborne Division for the next three months.

NOTES.

[A] ‘ASSAULT ON THE GUNS OF MERVILLE’. By Alan Jefferson. Page 53.

[1A] See account by Sgt. G. Brownlee.

[1B] See account by Major. J.F. Lyne.

[2] See account by S/Sgt. A.R. Dow. ‘ONE NIGHT IN JUNE’.

[3] See account by Capt. B. Murdoch.

[4] See account of Capt. J.M. Walker. ‘ONE NIGHT IN JUNE’.

[5] See account by S/Sgt. W. Higgs.

[6] See account by S/Sgt. G.A. Rickwood.

[7] See account by S/Sgt. F. Stevenson.

[8] See account by Lt. I.C. Muir.

[9] See account by S/Sgt. A.H. Smith.

[10] See account by S/Sgt. W.J.G. Statham.

[11A] See account by S/Sgt. A.L. Bashforth.

[11B] 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery, R.A. War Diary. 6 June 1944.

[12] See account by S/Sgt. R.E. White.

[13] See account by S/Sgt. R.C. Downing.

[14] See account by S/Sgt. W. Musitano. ‘ONE NIGHT IN JUNE’.

[15] See account by S/Sgt. R. Jolliffe.

[16] See account by S/Sgt. R.J. Simpson. ‘ONE NIGHT IN JUNE’.

[17] See account of Hamilcar Glider 501.

[18] See account by Sgt. G. Brownlee.

[19] ‘PURE POETT’, the Autobiography of General Sir Nigel Poett.

[20] Personal account of Pte. G. Price. 12 Parachute Battalion. 1990’s.

[21] Personal account of Capt. J.A.N. Sim. 12 Parachute Battalion. Airborne Assault Museum Archives.

[22] ‘ONE NIGHT IN JUNE’. By Kevin Shannon and Stephen Wright.

SOURCES AND FURTHER READING.

‘DROP ZONE NORMANDY’, by Napier Crookenden.

‘THE PEGASUS AND ORNE BRIDGES’, by Neil Barber.

‘ONE NIGHT IN JUNE’, by Kevin Shannon and Stephen Wright.

‘GALES EYES’, by Carl Rijmen.

‘PARA MEMORIES’, by Eric Barley and Yves Fohlen.

’13 – LUCKY FOR SOME’. By Andrew Woolhouse.