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D-Day at RAF Brize Norton

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posted on 2024-06-05, 18:59 authored by Their Finest Hour Project Team

My mother lived in Carterton (RAF Brize Norton) and remembers that a few days before the invasion, three white stripes were painted around the wings of the gliders (replacing the red, white and blue insignia). She remembers it being a last-minute order and the crews had to rush to get them done on time. But mostly she remembers that "some joker went to the pig farm next to the airfield and sprayed three white stripes around the middle of the pigs"!!

She also remembers noticing that Carterton was full of Belgian paratroopers days before the invasion and that they "mobbed" the fish and chip shop.

After the war, Carterton was littered with obsolete gliders and practically every house, including her own, had parts of gliders as part of their sheds or chicken sheds.

History

Person the story/items relate to

Pamela Edwards (nee Hammett)

Person who shared the story/items

Marion Edwards

Relationship between the subject of the story and its contributor

She was my mother

Type of submission

Shared online via the Their Finest Hour project website.

Record ID

115436