Operation Varsity landing zones

Discussion in 'General' started by extra shilling a week, Nov 27, 2009.

  1. extra shilling a week

    extra shilling a week Junior Member

    Hi everyone
    Im looking for any info on operation varsity landing zones or flight paths , my Grandfathers glider was shot down before reaching the LZ. He was in the 3rd air landing anti tank battery RA , he was the only survivor .
    Any info at all would be great
    Cheers
     
  2. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    Hi Shilling, 3rd Air Landing Anti Tank Bty RA were in Glider serial B12 went in 5 Horsa, gliders chalk 173-175 and were to land on LZ, R. Also Serial B16, 6 Hamilcar Gliders 239-244 LZ R. chalk 245-246 2 more Hamilcars LZ, P.8 Hamilcars 247-254 LZ, B. Serial B20, 6 horsa's, 379-384, LZ,A.9 Horsa's 385-393, LZ, P.
     
    Drew5233 likes this.
  3. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    Update on my last,of the 54 Gliders that went in 6 did not make it to Germany.A few names I found LT John Slater, Bt HQ, LT Joe Hunter, CPT/MAJ John Maddocks 2ic battery HQ, also found that in February of 1945 3rd AL, AT, BTY, RA, was regimented into 2nd AL, AT, Regiment RA.And they would seem to of taken of from England formed up just to the west of London crossed the channel into France west of Calais then through Belgium south/west of Brussels to the Lz in Germany.
     
  4. extra shilling a week

    extra shilling a week Junior Member

    Hi wtid45, thats a lot of info where did you find all that , no mention of actual gliders numbers in the war diary . yes you are correct the 3rd battery did join with two others to form the 2nd al,at reg in feb 45, i have seen the 2nd`s war diaries and not much more info there either. do you know if ther are any records of which troop were in which gliders or is that what you mean by serial b12 ..., my granfather did say he was to the north and was found by the americans after two days .
    Cheers
     
  5. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    Shilling, the information came from a book called 'The Last Drop' Operation Varsity, March 24-25 1945, the book is by Stephen L.Wright, who is a member at the forum where most of our American cousins reside World War II Forums I looked but did not see him in the members list on here but if you are able to contact him he might be able to give you more info, also there is GPRgt, who I believe is on here he could also be of help.As for the Serial, it covers I think a number of gliders but the book does not break down how within the 3rd A/L AT BTY RA they flew in hope this helps all the best, Jason
     

Share This Page