British Glider Pilot Training in WWII
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
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Here former Horsa Glider copilot Dennis Odgear describes how he joined a glider unit , and the cursory training he was given for his role in combat.
Whilst watching this, I had to keep reminding myself that he was flying an aircraft containing thirty or so men which didn't have any form of power. There would be no chance of a 'go around' if the landing wasn't quite right. They had no armour, nor any way of defending themselves whilst airborne.
He describes his experiences with extraordinary understatement and modesty.
I have never met him, but I am proud of him and those like him.
In 1994 I was lucky enough to meet Geoff Barkway and Peter Boyle who flew one of the gliders that landed at Pegasus Bridge. They told me that for that operation they actually swopped seats and Geoff, the first pilot, flew the aircraft from the right hand seat. This was to allow Geoff to look out for the Orne Canal which was on the starboard side of the aircraft while Peter used a stopwatch to time the run on the agreed headings and monitor the airspeed indicator and altimeter so Geoff could concentrate on finding the LZ.
The aircraft was overweight so the landing approach had to be flown faster than usual, resulting in its going into the pond zbd breaking up.
The word hero is used to freely nowadays.these guys that fought in ww2 are real heroes.i wonder if the youth would jump to the cause like these guys i doubt it very much.if they didnt have there mobiles all bets would be off
A dear friend of my father's was a GPR veteran. A school teacher and a passionate gardener who never spoke of his war. His widow opened up about his experiences at his funeral, in the first decade of this century.
The stories chilled my blood.
Chilled my blood.
Is there any way that I can get into contact with Dennis myself? Is there an email address for him, one of his children, or a caretaker?
+Deja Harris unfortunately he passed away last year, I am sorry I cannot help