Bedford in Bedford County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

The Glider Pilot Regiment

“Nothing is Impossible”

— National D-Day Memorial —

The Glider Pilot Regiment Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Brandon D Cross

1. The Glider Pilot Regiment Marker

Inscription.

The Glider Pilot Regiment. “Nothing is Impossible”. The Glider Pilot Regiment “Nothing is Impossible” . The Glider Pilot Regiment was raised in 1941 on the order of the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, and formally inaugurated on 24th February 1942 as part of the British Army Air Corps. The men of this regiment were an elite force rigorously trained both to fly Aircraft and fight as Infantry, On 6th June 1944, these men were among the first to land in Normandy. The British Horsa Glider could carry twenty-eight fully armed men and two pilots. The heavy lift Hamilcar Glider could carry much larger loads such as a seventeen-pounder gun or a seven-ton Tetrarch tank. On D-Day more than 6,000 men with their weapons and heavy equipment were transported into battle by British Gliders. The first mission of the Allied Assault on Normandy launched from Tarrant Rushton near Salisbury Plain. At 2303 hours on 5th June 1944, Halifax tug aircraft lifted six Horsa Gliders with the British coup-de-main party, An hour later, at 6,000 feet over the Normandy coast, the gliders cast off from their tug aircraft. Without navigational or landing aids, they glided seven miles in the dark. Three of them landed within yards of what is known as Pegasus Bridge, and two within yards of the second bridge known as Horsa Bridge. The mission was to capture and hold the bridges. Notwithstanding fierce engagements with the German defenders, the coup-de-main party had the desired effect, and within ten minutes of landing, the British had taken both bridges. With the critical capture of these two bridges over the Caen Canal and Orne River, they had secured the Allied left flank against German counter attack. The strategic contribution of that operation cannot be overstated. The first British Gliders to touch down in Normandy preceded the Amphibious assault by more than sir hours. Erected in February 2003 by members and friends of The Glider Pilot Regimental Association.

The Glider Pilot Regiment
“Nothing is Impossible”
The Glider Pilot Regiment was raised in 1941 on the order of the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, and formally inaugurated on 24th February 1942 as part of the British Army Air Corps. The men of this regiment were an elite force rigorously trained both to fly Aircraft and fight as Infantry, On 6th June 1944, these men were among the first to land in Normandy.

The British Horsa Glider could carry twenty-eight fully armed men and two pilots. The heavy lift Hamilcar Glider could carry much larger loads such as a seventeen-pounder gun or a seven-ton Tetrarch tank. On D-Day more than 6,000 men with their weapons and heavy equipment were transported into battle by British Gliders.

The first mission of the Allied Assault on Normandy launched from Tarrant Rushton near Salisbury Plain. At 2303 hours on 5th June 1944, Halifax tug aircraft lifted six Horsa Gliders with the British coup-de-main party, An hour later, at 6,000 feet over the Normandy coast, the gliders cast off from their tug aircraft. Without navigational or landing aids, they glided seven miles in the dark. Three of them landed within yards of what is known as Pegasus Bridge, and two within yards of the second bridge known as Horsa Bridge. The mission

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was to capture and hold the bridges.

Notwithstanding fierce engagements with the German defenders, the coup-de-main party had the desired effect, and within ten minutes of landing, the British had taken both bridges. With the critical capture of these two bridges over the Caen Canal and Orne River, they had secured the Allied left flank against German counter attack. The strategic contribution of that operation cannot be overstated.

The first British Gliders to touch down in Normandy preceded the Amphibious assault by more than sir hours.
Erected in February 2003 by members and friends of The Glider Pilot Regimental Association.

Erected 2003 by National D-Day Memorial and The Glider Pilot Regimental Association.

Topics and series. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Bridges & Viaducts • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the U.S. National D-Day Memorial series list.

Location. 37° 19.853′ N, 79° 32.156′ W. Marker is in Bedford, Virginia, in Bedford County. Memorial can be reached from Overlord Circle, 0.4 miles west of Burks Hill Road. The Marker is located on the grounds of the National D-Day Memorial. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3 Overlord Circle, Bedford VA 24523, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers.

The Glider Pilot Regiment Marker (right) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Brandon D Cross

2. The Glider Pilot Regiment Marker (right)

At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The United States Marines in the European Theater (here, next to this marker); 320th Anti-Aircraft Balloon Battalion (here, next to this marker); 238th Engineer Combat Battalion (here, next to this marker); French Forces of the Interior (FFI) (here, next to this marker); Military Police (MP) Platoons (here, next to this marker); 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division (here, next to this marker); First Infantry Division (here, next to this marker); Fifth Ranger Battalion (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bedford.

Also see . . .
1. D-Day Aviators. (Submitted on February 4, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
2. National D-Day Memorial. (Submitted on February 4, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

British Airspeed Horsa image. Click for full size.

Goodchild A (P/O), Royal Air Force official photographer • Public Domain

3. British Airspeed Horsa

Airborne troops seated in an Airspeed Horsa of the Heavy Glider Conversion Unit at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, ready for take off.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 4, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 4, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 52 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 4, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.