South Kesteven District Council is marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day with events commemorating America’s local presence and military actions in 1944.
Three guided information walks at former American-occupied RAF North Witham and a talk at Grantham Museum will illustrate how American troops flew from South Kesteven to spearhead the invasion of Normandy.
The Council programme focuses on their eve of D-Day mission from the airfield, then United States Army Air Force Station 479 and now Forestry-England owned Twyford Wood near Colsterworth.
The walks, entitled 80th Anniversary D-Day Walk honouring American bravery, will last around two and a half hours. They will start at 5.30pm from the main Twyford Wood car park, off the A151 Colsterworth to Bourne Road.
All events are free of charge, but tickets must be booked through Ticket Tailor.
Aviation heritage specialist Brian Riley will be hosting the walks and presenting the illustrated talk - ‘First In: US Parachute Pathfinders in World War II’ at Grantham Museum.
Aircraft of the American 9th Troop Carrier Command carried specially trained and elite Pathfinder paratroopers from the US Army’s 101st and 82 Airborne Divisions. At precisely 21.54 on 5 June 1944 the first of 20 Douglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft took off, skimming the channel at 50ft to fly under enemy radar on their way to Normandy.
Paratroopers had spent months training behind armed security for the mission - to position Eureka radio signalling beacons and visual markers behind enemy lines. Within the hour the invasion of Normandy was in full swing.
Cllr Richard Dixon-Warren, Armed Forces Champion for SKDC said: ““We are extremely lucky that the former RAF North Witham, a wartime airfield weighted with history, is still available for guided information walks such as these. The story of the mission that spearheaded the airborne assault on D-Day is amazing, and we are delighted to be able to tell it where it started.”
Grantham Museum hosts a special exhibition, entitled ‘Tip of the Spear’ celebrating the mission with clothing, equipment, and descriptions of the ‘rodeo’ organised to attract the best pilots.
Thursday 30 May. 5.30pm. 80th Anniversary D-Day Walk honouring American bravery.
RAF North Witham / Twyford Wood, Colsterworth. Book via Ticket Tailor: https://bit.ly/4dxmP8b
Wed 5 June. 5.30pm. 80th Anniversary D-Day Walk honouring American bravery.
RAF North Witham / Twyford Wood, Colsterworth. Book via Ticket Tailor: https://bit.ly/4ahEmhH
Thurs 6 June. 2pm Grantham Museum – ‘First In: US Parachute Pathfinders in World War II’. Book via Ticket Tailor: https://bit.ly/3Kd3X13
13 June. 5.30pm. 80th Anniversary D-Day Walk honouring American bravery.
RAF North Witham / Twyford Wood, Colsterworth. Book via Ticket Tailor: https://bit.ly/3y7gwIh