RAF Down Ampney
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Unsubst". Template:Use British English Script error: No such module "Infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Royal Air Force Down Ampney or more simply RAF Down Ampney is a former Royal Air Force station located Script error: No such module "convert". north east of Cricklade, Wiltshire and Script error: No such module "convert". south west of RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire. The airfield operated during the Second World War from February 1944 until February 1947.[1]
Down Ampney was part of a group of airfields dedicated to air transportation, alongside RAF Broadwell and RAF Blakehill Farm.[2]
Based units
No. 48 Squadron RAF and No. 271 Squadron RAF flew Douglas Dakotas on major missions. On D-Day they dropped the main elements of the 3rd Parachute Brigade in Normandy as well as towing Airspeed Horsa gliders across the English Channel.[3] They were also active in Operation Market Garden (Arnhem) and the Rhine crossing.[4] The same squadrons also flew Casevac flights to bring home wounded personnel from B landing grounds and airfields after the D Day landings. These flights took about 80 minutes and included RAF nurses.
Memorial
A memorial has been erected at the southern end of what was the main runway.[5] which reads:
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FROM THIS AIRFIELD IN 1944-5
DOUGLAS DAKOTAS FROM 48 AND
271 SQUADRONS RAF TRANSPORT
COMMAND CARRIED THE 1ST AND 6TH
AIRBORNE DIVISIONS UNITS OF
THE AIR DESPATCH REGIMENT
AND HORSA GLIDERS FLOWN BY
THE GLIDER PILOTS REGIMENT TO
NORMANDY – ARNHEM AND ON THE
CROSSING THE RHINE OPERATIONS
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
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References
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External links
Template:Defunct airports in the United Kingdom Script error: No such module "Military navigation".
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