The RAF’s revenge RAF Broadwell was one of the major glider launch sites for the DDay and Arnhem landings. It’s a place that’s pivotal in the history of the country. 512 and 575 squadrons were based here. This is one of the many stories I’ve read about Broadwell. It’s about a paratrooper called Harry Lingard: “Harry Lingard’s story, like many of his war time colleagues, has remained untold. He was in the 1st Airborne Air Landing Light Reg. R.A and was a Dispatch rider and Signaler. On 18th September 1944 along with four other men, a jeep, a motor bike and ammunition he was loaded into a Horsa glider at R.A.F. Broadwell and towed off behind a Dakota to Arnhem where they had a perfect landing in the dropping zone.
More than relics left behind at Broadwell No. A few derelict buildings. A few on the edge of a stoneworks, screened away from sight. Fields. Now that’s fine, but wouldn’t some recognition for men like Harry Lingard and the thousands of other men who flew as pilots, aircrew and troops from there be appropriate?
On about the third day at Arnhem Harry witnessed the Dakota that was being used to drop the provisions was on fire, nevertheless continued to carry out its mission until the damage was so great it crashed. Harry later learned that for this completed mission the pilot, Flt Lt Lord, was awarded a posthumous V.C. for his bravery.”
Now, there are Health & Safety signs and steel shutters, wire fences blocking anyone’s view of the old guardhouses and barracks, where men left, in vast numbers, in rickety wooden gliders to get shot at. Kind of hazardous. But nowadays it seems a few tipper trucks pose more of a threat to life and limb. Bit of perspective, anyone? Trespassers will be, yeah, whatever.
The bravery of the pilots flying out of Broadwell was quite incredible. So, as a major historical site, at Broadwell today there must be plaques, memorials, signs, that sort of stuff? So I thought I would go and take a look.
The remaining barrack buildings on the north side of the site are used as a dump for the quarrying firm behind the wire gate and HSE notices. 21
