Chaddleworth

‘D’ Day Landings,
a Chaddleworth News ‘History Bit’ Feature

As some of you know, if not all, back on March 23rd 1944, a huge military exercise involving the 101st Airborne was held on land adjacent to RAF Welford, belonging to the Baylis family at Court Oak Farm.

The air drop was by the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 506th PIR, from Ramsbury and Aldbourne, and also the 377th PFAB from Benham Valence near Newbury.

Along with these, the 1st Bn. of the 506th and further units of the Regiment stood in line for inspection.

Sir Winston Churchill, Eisenhower and all the top brass were there to witness it all, as shown in the first photo. Welford would be around to the left of the photographer in this shot, so they are all looking East here. Boxford would be along to the right.

The big air drop in March 1944, watched by Churchill, Eisenhower and the top brass of the military looking East from the Welford base side of the Boxford Road

The second photo is from the museum, hence the caption. The third photo shows Churchill shaking hands with Brigadier General Don. F. Pratt. He was the first top brass man to be killed when his Waco glider crashed on landing in Normandy. He was sitting upright in a jeep at the time.

Winston Churchill shakes hands with Brigadier General Don F. Pratt, 23^rd March 1944. General Eisenhower and Major-General Maxwell D. Taylor commanding 101st Airborne in background.

Churchill and Major-General Maxwell D.Taylor, C.O of the 101st Airborne Div., the General Eisenhower, Brigadier Don F. Pratt assistant Divisional Commander of the 101st Airborne Division and British Naval Commander who was Churchill’s Aide.

Anyway, the Baylis family visited our museum yesterday and there are big plans afoot to put up display boards on and around the drop zone, giving the details of that historic day’s exercise, in preparation for D-Day. Alan Baylis was an 8-year-old at the time and he and his family were invited to watch it all, by standing in a hedge alongside the drop zone. Jenny Smith, nee Baylis is co-ordinating everything so, on June 2^nd, there will be conducted guide tours around the drop zone, and of course, on June 6^th, things will be in full flow. This all happens on both sides of the Hangman’s Stone Lane that runs past RAF Welford to Boxford, just past Bradleywood Farm on the right, or between the Leckhampstead turning and the M4 motorway bridge. As I’ve previously mentioned, the USAF at Welford have no plans of their own to stage anything there on June 6^th, but along with our museum, will be joining forces with Greenham Control Tower group to stage a big spectacular there on June 6^th.

Glenn Miller

C-47 pulling two Waco gliders taking off from RAF Welford 1944

With my thanks and recognition, this article is written by my friend and colleague Mick Dowdeswell. Thank you so much for it.

Grahame Murphy

The RAF Welford Historical Society site is www.rafwelfordhistoricalsociety.org