Samantha Fryer Ward shares the stories of the sacrifice of four people who served in the Cotswold District during the Second World War
11th November is Armistice Day, which was originally marked the end of the First World War, honouring those who died in the conflict. Remembrance Sunday is a chance to remember and honour the service and sacrifice those from Britain and the Commonwealth who fought in the First and Second World War and other conflicts. As this year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, this blog will focus on the stories of four people who served in the Cotswold District during the Second World War.
During the Second World War, there were 14 airfields within a 12-mile radius of Cirencester. Some, such as Kemble and Aston Down were involved in the Battle of Britain, others such as RAF Down Ampney and Blakehill were built later and supported campaigns such as Operation Market Garden and D-Day.
On the afternoon of July 25 1940, a German bomber, a Junkers 88, was brought down by a Hurricane from RAF Kemble and a Spitfire from RAF Aston Down. The bomber was intercepted and engaged by the two British aircraft. The Hurricane, piloted by Pilot Officer Charles Alex Bird, collided with the Junkers’ tail, bringing down both aircraft. Three German airmen were captured and one died. Officer Bird did not survive the crash.
Pilot Officer Charles Bird
Early in 1943, the course of the war was beginning to tip in favour of the Allies. The Air Ministry began to requisition land in southern England to build temporary airfields to support the planned assault on occupied Europe. Down Ampney Airfield was one of these, becoming operational in late February 1944 under the 46 Group Transport Command.
The Dakotas that flew from the airfield performed several roles. They towed gliders, carried paratroops into battle and flew supplies to airfields in Europe, and evacuated casualties. Three of the most notable campaigns the Down Ampney Dakotas were involved in during the war were the Normandy landings of D-Day, the Arnhem operation and the Rhine Crossing.
Operation Market (air assault) Garden (ground) aimed to open up a corridor or highway through the Netherlands to allow troops to progress into the heartland of industrial Germany in the Ruhr Valley. Dakotas pulling Horsa Gliders flew to the Netherlands to capture five river bridges. It was from this campaign that the famous phrase “a bridge too far” was coined by the Lft Gen Frederick Browning to Field Marshal Montgomery.
At Arnhem, some 64 miles behind enemy lines, it all went wrong. This bridge across the Rhine was the objective of the First British Airborne. The troops were overwhelmed but fought on. David Lord was the flight lieutenant, pilot and captain of a 271 Squadron Dakota flying out from Down Ampney detailed to drop supplies at Arnhem on 19th September. His aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire and his starboard engine was damaged and burning. Instead of pulling out of the supply run, he continued and made two drops of supplies. He ordered his crew to abandon the Dakota and continued to fly it in a bid to give them the chance to escape. His wing collapsed and the plane crashed to the ground in flames. His valour and sacrifice earned him a Victoria Cross, the only one ever awarded to a member of transport command.
Captain David Lord
Down Ampney, and the neighbouring RAF Blakehill, were also home to the Flying Nightingales. These were women, nursing orderlies who volunteered and were trained to deal with battlefield injuries. On 13th June 1944, the first Flying Nightingales flew out in three Dakotas to land in Normandy. Supplies were unloaded and 14 casualties were loaded on board. These nurses tended to the wounded and looked after them on the flight home. They were the first British women to fly into an active war zone on active service for the British Government. Their Dakotas often landed behind enemy lines, and were subjected to enemy fire. The planes could not carry the Red Cross insignia because they were also carrying supplies for the troops. The Flying Nightingales were not allowed to wear parachutes as they were not allowed to bail out, but had to remain with the plane if it crashed in order to tend to the wounded.
Two of the nursing orderlies, Leading Aircraft Woman Margaret Walsh and Leading Aircraft Woman Margaret Campbell were both killed during active service. LACW Campbell is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Calais after her plane was shot down near Dunkirk. LACW Walsh was on a Dakota that crashed into the sea nine miles from Calais. No trace of the aircraft was found and she and her crew mates are remembered on the memorial at Runnymede.
The Royal British Legion’s commemorative brooch to honour the service of the Flying Nightingales
There are countless other stories of personal sacrifice and service. In the two-minute silence today, I will reflect, remember and honour the memory of these people.
- The lead image is of King George VI meeting veterans in Cirencester in 1946
