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- The Story of Glider 88 – the Battle for LZ 2
- Operation Dragoon – British Glider Chaos in Riviera Invasion
- Tommy Grant’s Operation Beggar – Horsas for Sicily Invasion
- 3 Commando – the Storming of Torre Cuba
- Paddy Mayne and the SAS Attack on the Second Battery
- The Story of Glider 110 – Glider Pilots Fight for the Ponte Grande
- Arnhem & Varsity Sketches by Glider Pilot Victor Miller
- The Story of Glider 50 – Hemmed In By Fire
- The Story of Glider 107 – Escape and Evasion
- The Story of Glider 46 – Kicking the Hornets’ Nest
- The Story of Glider 8 – Calm Before the Storm
- The Story of Glider 52a – Out of the Firestorm
- The Story of Glider 29 – A Tough Nut to Crack
- The Story of Glider Z – No Business Being There
- The Story of Glider 124 – A Life and Death Decision
- Surgical Strike – the Bombing of Syracuse in Operation Ladbroke
- Mystery Plane – Wellington Bomber Wreck off Cape Murro di Porco
- Photo Story: SAS SRS & Airborne – Agony & Ecstasy in the Med
- Wilf Oldham – Ordeal by Water.
- SAS Special Raiding Squadron (SRS) – The Cliffs of Cape Murro di Porco
- The Story of Glider 57 – The Cliffs of Cape Murro di Porco
- Lt J S D Hardy, RSO of 1 Border Regiment in Operation Ladbroke
- Operation Ladbroke, Fustian, Glutton, Bigot, Husky – or not?
- The Story of Glider Y – Bayonets & Threats of Execution
- Operation Ladbroke Sites – the Coup-de-Main Objectives
- Italian Cavalry Attack British Glider Troops on the Ponte Grande Bridge?
- The Story of Glider 52 & Gozo in Operation Ladbroke
- A US glider trooper in Operation Varsity – John Kormann’s legacy
- Chatterton vs Hopkinson – the Facts
- Glider Pilots to Blame for Operation Ladbroke Disaster? Part 3
- The Battle for Augusta – Jim Fern and the 6 Seaforths
- The Story of Glider 70 – Disaster for Medics in Operation Ladbroke
- Glider Pilots to Blame for Operation Ladbroke Disaster? Part 2
- SAS Rogue Heroes – Book Review
- The Story of Glider 26 – Combat Medics in Operation Ladbroke
- Glider Pilots to Blame for Operation Ladbroke Disaster?
- Unseen US document reveals impact of glider battle at Maleme
- South Staffords near Syracuse – rare photograph
- The Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment – Book Review
- Unpublished shot of a tank on the Ponte Grande
- Ray Atkinson, Halifax Tug Pilot in Operation Varsity
- The Story of Glider 126 – A Rare Good Landing
- The Lost Photos of Operation Ladbroke
- Nothing Is Impossible by glider pilot Victor Miller – Book Review
- PARAS Voices of the British Airborne – Book Review
- The SAS Pocket Manual – Book Review
- Battle plans for Staffords glider troops in Operation Ladbroke in Sicily
- Tullio Marcon – the story of his story of Augusta 1943
- Tullio Marcon: the Allied invasion of Sicily in the memories of a Balilla
- Terror off Terrauzza – Operation Ladbroke gliders in the sea
- Galpin’s Glider – New photo of Operation Ladbroke’s star landing
- Italian Artillery of WWII – Book Review
- Seizing Bridges, Building Bridges – Battlefield Tour Guide Roberto Piccione, Syracuse, Sicily
- Admiral Leonardi takes on the Royal Navy and the SAS
- Peter Davis of the SAS – a precious first-hand account
- Eben-Emael: The Glider Assault Myth is Born
- Operation Ladbroke, Sicily: Tugs to blame for releasing gliders?
- The Longest Weekend: D-Day Normandy 2004
- German predictions for Operation Ladbroke & airborne landings in Sicily
- Greatest Feats, Feats Forlorn: Jim Wallwork, Pegasus Bridge & Operation Ladbroke
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Author Archives: Ian Murray
Lt J S D Hardy, RSO of 1 Border Regiment in Operation Ladbroke
Lt J S D Hardy was Regimental Signals Officer of the 1st Battalion of the Border Regiment in Operation Ladbroke. This is his account. Lt J S D Hardy was part of the Battalion HQ team of 1 Border Regiment … Continue reading
Operation Ladbroke, Fustian, Glutton, Bigot, Husky – or not?
Operation Fustian or Marston? Glutton or Snowboots? Husky 2 or Mackall White? Operation Ladbroke or not? A wry look at the confusion caused by codenames. Codenames and codewords are designed to confuse the enemy. Unfortunately, they often also confuse their own … Continue reading
Operation Ladbroke Sites – the Coup-de-Main Objectives
Ever wondered exactly where the Operation Ladbroke sites are in Sicily? Here’s a handy battlefield guide to the South Staffords’ coup-de-main objectives. Please note: it may not be safe or possible to visit some of the Operation Ladbroke sites. See the warning at the bottom of … Continue reading
Italian Cavalry Attack British Glider Troops on the Ponte Grande Bridge?
The source was impeccable: the BBC. The news was incredible: Italian cavalry had charged British airborne troops holding the Ponte Grande bridge. In the middle of WW2, could it possibly be true? The thunder of hooves, clods of earth flying, weapons … Continue reading
A US glider trooper in Operation Varsity – John Kormann’s legacy
On the anniversary of Operation Varsity, an extraordinary gathering in a local restaurant in honour of US glider trooper John Kormann brought back memories, and evoked the sights and sounds of battle. Operation Varsity, the Allied airborne drop across the … Continue reading
Posted in All Posts, Gliders in WW2
Tagged 17 Airborne Division, John Kormann, Operation Varsity
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Chatterton vs Hopkinson – the Facts
There is a story about Lt Col Chatterton and Maj Gen Hopkinson and the genesis of Operation Ladbroke that is so pervasive that it has almost become gospel. Certainly it seems to go completely unchallenged. But there is no evidence … Continue reading
Glider Pilots to Blame for Operation Ladbroke Disaster? Part 3
In his post-war book, the CO of the glider pilots blamed their ‘limitations’ for the ‘near disaster’ of Operation Ladbroke. Is the accusation true? In Part 1 we saw how the use of gliders in Operation Ladbroke, the opening assault in … Continue reading
The Battle for Augusta – Jim Fern and the 6 Seaforths
The town of Augusta in Sicily did not fall easily, despite half its garrison having fled. Lance Corporal Jim Fern of the 6 Seaforths died fighting in the battle to capture it. The young pit worker from the Leicestershire mining … Continue reading
Glider Pilots to Blame for Operation Ladbroke Disaster? Part 2
The CO of the glider pilots blamed their ‘limitations’ for the ‘near disaster’ of Operation Ladbroke. That was later. What did he say at the time? In Part 1 we saw how Operation Ladbroke, the glider assault that opened the invasion of … Continue reading
SAS Rogue Heroes – Book Review
‘SAS Rogue Heroes’ is a readable and enjoyable account of the SAS in World War 2. But there’s not much about the SAS in Sicily, and what there is, is not great. Review of ‘SAS Rogue Heroes – The Authorized … Continue reading
Glider Pilots to Blame for Operation Ladbroke Disaster?
After the failures of Operation Ladbroke, recriminations flew in every direction. The glider pilots were not exempt. Surprisingly, their own commander later blamed them the most. “It was … the nearest run thing you ever saw in your life”, the … Continue reading
Unseen US document reveals impact of glider battle at Maleme
Glider troops of Germany’s airborne forces landed around Maleme Bridge in Crete in May 1941. They were decimated. The Germans decided never again to mount a major airborne assault. The Allies drew the opposite lesson, as a previously unseen American document shows. … Continue reading
The Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment – Book Review
‘The Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment’ is an academic book in style, but it’s full of interesting nuggets of information about the personalities, politics and technology involved in developing Britain’s parachute and glider forces. Review of “The Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment … Continue reading
