last updated 30 October, 2008
VOLENS ET POTENS, WILLING AND ABLE
Little bit of History about 320th GFA in UK...
A Nice little link here to the Troop Carriers on D-Day, or Which C47 unit flew which Para unit over.
The RAF took over Welford Park Airbase on June 10th 1943 and passed it over to the US 9th AAF in July. RAF Welford became USAAF Station 474 on September 6th 1943. The base itself was located on a hill just on the edge of the Berkshire Downs, 14 miles from RAF Greenham Common
A variety of US Troop Carrier Groups used RAF Welford until the 53rd Troop Carrier Wing / 435th Troop Carrier Group commanded by Lt Col. McNees moved onto the site in February 1944. The 435th performed very similarly to the other US units at RAF Membury, Ramsbury, Aldermaston and Greenham Common, preparing for the liberation of Europe using Waco CG-4A and Horsa gliders towed by Douglas C-47s and a number of C-53s. The aircraft and men of the 435th trained tirelessly on transporting of troops, aerial re-supply and glider towing skills.
Working within the 435th TCG, were the 75th, 76th, 77th and 78th Troop Carrier Squadrons. Working somewhere within these 4 TCS's, was RAF AC2 Frank Lucas (pics below), loading up the 320th Field Artillery, 82nd AB, into the Horsa gliders. One of Frank's many jobs on the morning of D-Day, was to run across the airfield with the glider tow cable in hand, and hook it onto the rolling C47's as they came past.
Mr Frank Lucas AC2 RAF, during the war years, and in 2005, still going strong.
On the morning of D-Day, June 5th-6th 1944, 82nd and 101st troops in gliders and C-47s left RAF Welford for drop zones in Normandy. Among them was Major General Maxwell Taylor and men of the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment. After the success of the D-Day landings, aircraft from Welford carried out aerial re-supply with food, fuel, medical supplies and ammunition. Wounded men were also flown out of France in the C-47s with nurses on board, back to medical facilities in Newbury
So what else goes with the Military Vehicle hobby.......Well.........
One of the things I have found with owning a World War 2 vehicle such as the "Jeep", it tends to draw you into the history, and of collecting the uniforms and gear that goes with it. First it was just an M43 Combat jacket with 82nd Airborne insignia to drive around in, then the M1C helmet I made up from other helmet bits and pieces, etc etc etc......... Things just seem to snowball. At the present time, Summer 2009, I am starting to have quite a collection with nearly 3 full sets of webbing. Also, you can't go to a 1940's dance in combat gear, so more time and money is spent on several dress uniforms, or class A uniforms. The repo and non original pieces I have, are starting to be replaced with more original items. But sometimes, repo is the way to go, as, basically, they don't have it in my size!!! The jeep still gets it fair share of money though........
Setting up my A class uniforms.
A detailed list of my U.S webbing and equipment.
A list of the Weapons in the collection.
A big thank you to........
Jeep spares and stuff.....
US uniforms and kit
Nothing to do with WW2, but a collection of my Colt Peacemakers, top right is the Bruni 9mm blank fire.
Middle is a "Yellow Boy Winchester"
Bottom, Colt Army (US) and Colt Navy (CSA)
Never complete, watch this space.