Glider Pilot Casualties

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by DPas, Dec 11, 2013.

  1. Ramon

    Ramon Senior Member

    Thank you for posting the name of Reg Tugwell. Wasn't on my list. You did talk about it with tom. Was it thomas buttress?? If so, I have also a talk with him. I speak to him, almost everyday and he told me nothing. Hahaha.
     
  2. DPas

    DPas Member

    Ramon.

    I am not sure if it was Tom that I was talking to about Reg. I was talking to someone about it recently.

    I seem to remember him saying that he got across the river after Arnhem, but that was a long time ago, I was very young and as you have just seen I cannot remember a conversation I may or may not have had a few weeks ago!!! So it may be spurious information - Sorry I cannot give you more info. I know he had a daughter but I have no way of getting in touch with her.

    He is pictured in one of the issues of the Eagle. When I am back in my own house after Christmas I will see if I can dig it out and scan it.

    Glad he is now on your list though,

    Dave
     
  3. Glen Dryhurst

    Glen Dryhurst New Member

    Regarding Eric Matson, he was often called Paddy Matson and he was my agent in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates working as General Manager for Saeed al-Naboodah. He was like a friend whom I used to visit, drink with and together we sold much airport and defence equipment in the Middle East. I did not know that he flew into and fought at Arnhem, but I did know that he flew into Normandy on D Day, 6.6.44. He often told me about it while we drove for hours along dead quiet desert roads. He said he was a sergeant pilot in C Squadron. He flew out of RAF Tarrant Rushton, I think he said he was towed by a Dakota on Operation Mallard, 72 gliders - 4 Hamilcar 1 and 68 Horsa. He was pilot of a Hamilcar 1 built in 1943 carrying "ArRec 14 x 17 pounders". His co-pilot was Captain Oxenford. He said his glider was one of the first to land in France. They landed just north of Ranville, less than a mile east of Pegasus Bridge in the heart of the battle for Pegasus Bridge, the Merville Battery, Caen and as far as the flooded Dives river and Cabourg, land that they held. He progressed in the British Army, was commissioned, served in Aden, Oman, UAE, he was attached to the British Embassy and TOS - the Trucial and Oman Scouts, an Arab British regiment. He reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and was highly regarded by the British diplomatic missions and by the Arab rulers and authorities. He owned a pub near Kinsale, Ireland where his wife mostly lived, he lived all year round in Dubai.
     
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  4. Glen Dryhurst

    Glen Dryhurst New Member

    Re Sgt Eric Matson, C Squadron, Glider Pilot Regiment, Hi all, I just realised that it was a Halifax bomber that towed Sgt Eric Matson's Hamilcar heavy glider, not a Dakota which only towed lighter gliders.
     

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