Below the detailed drawing of the AS.51 Horsa MK I is a copy of an extremely interesting piece of paper. It is a page out of the Flight Log of Maj T.I.J. "Ian" Toler, DFC, Officer Commanding, B Squadron, No. 1 Wing, The Glider Pilot Regiment. The third entry, dated 17 September 1944, shows his piloting a Horsa (tail no. RN558), with 2nd Pilot S/Sgt Aurthur Shakleton, into a landing zone at Arnhem (Chalk Serial No. 291). There is archival film footage on their take-off as part of the first lift from RAF Manston. He was carrying LCol W.D.H. "Derek" McCardie, Commanding Officer, 2nd Bn South Staffordshire Regiment, 8 men of either B or D Company, a jeep and trailer. As indicated the flight was 2.4 hours. Horsa #291 was towed by an Albermarle MkV, #1772 (P5-R), of 297 Squadron, RAF, flown by Wing Co. J R Grice, OC 297 Sqdn, and took off from Manston at 10:39 on 17 September. The glider was released over LZ "S" at 13:18, and made a successful landing. As was the standard doctrine and training of all British glider pilots, Maj Toler and S/Sgt Shakleton fought as infantry, until being evacuated with the remnants of 1st AB Division on the night of 25 September 1944.
Read more if you're interested on the Assault Glider Trust web site listed in the links. (Click on any image below to enlarge it)
"A Work in Progress" - What a Work! |
It's hard to realize I'm actually in the cockpit of a Horsa |
You really don't want to pull that, it's the Tow Release Control Lever |
Maj Ian Toler DFC with a S/Sgt of the Glider Pilot Regiment |
Staff Sargeant Arthur Shakleton |
Maj Ian Toler's Flight Log page showing the details of his flight into Arnhem, 17 September 1944 |
A 1:72 scale model of an Airspeed AS.51 Horsa Mk I Assault Glider with Maj Toler's Chalk No. 291(not visible) against an interesting background (author's collection) |
The following video provides a walk-through the interior of the reconstructed Airspeed AS.51 Horsa Assault Glider.
The following is a short slide show taken at RAF Shawbury while the Horsa glider was still there. One of the photographs shows both Maj. Ray Conningham and Group Captain Paul E. Cunningham BSc, standing behind a group of distinguished WWII members (glider pilots) of the Glider Pilot Regiment. Note a couple of the gentlemen wearing the Order of the British Empire. See; http://www.assaultglidertrust.co.uk/.
5 comments:
I am wondering if Maj. Ray Conningham is still alive? He was the husband of my late great aunt, Yvonne Evelyn Conningham (born Young), who died in September 2004.
Hello Charles,
As far as I know Ray was alive an well as of February 2021 (per an e-mail I received). Admittedly this day in age, with all the world's ongoing "festivities", a lot can happen. As you may know in April 2014, he and his wife moved to Burton upon Trent, where he was remaining well occupied tending his garden.
Hi Jim, do you know if Ray Conningham is still alive. He was the husband of my late mother in law Patricia Hewat, sister Yvonne.
Regards Liz
Hello Liz,
My apologies, I have not been in touch with Ray for a number of months, so I honestly can't tell you. The last address I have for him is conningham@btinnternet. Hope that is of some assistance.
Regards,
Jim
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