THIS year marks the 80th anniversary of the formation of The Glider Pilot Regiment (GPR).

A commemorative ceremony is being held in Tilshead at the Glider Pilot Regiment and Parachute Regiment Memorial Stones on Saturday February 26, which is open to the general public to attend.

Major (ret’d) Frederick W Greenhow MBE, the acting chair of Glider Pilot Regiment Society said: “It is so pleasing that after two years of not being able to hold fitting tributes that we can now hold physical commemorations to honour these gallant men. We have several key events lined up with it being such a special year and where better to start than where the Regiment was formed in 1942, but here at Tilshead on Salisbury Plain.

“It is vitally important that we keep those memories alive, both for the general public and today’s modern army of those brave men who flew into battle in an engineless aircraft, who were involved in every major Airborne operation during the Second World War,” he added.

Salisbury Journal:

Tug aircraft with a Horsa glider behind Picture: Army Flying Museum

“We also have 24 veterans within the Society and although most cannot join us due to their age and health at these events, they will certainly be with us in the spirit and motto that they were trained under ‘Nothing is Impossible’. It is therefore a privilege to honour those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and equally important for our veterans that we still have with us today during this particularly special anniversary year.”

The regiment's formation 

Formed in February 1942 following Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s call to raise an Airborne Force, the Glider Pilot Regiment and, later that year, the Parachute Regiment, formed the Army Air Corps of the British Army.

On the date of its formation the Glider Pilot Regiment acquired a deserted airfield at Tilshead on Salisbury Plain as a training depot, which had previously been the base of 225 Squadron RAF, with its 12 Lysander aircraft.

The airfield had been in use since 1925 as a base for Army Co-operation Squadrons.

The Glider Pilot Regiment at Tilshead was one of four camps in the area and became known as an “Airborne Camp” which was occupied by the emerging Glider Pilot Regiment in January 1942, and subsequently joined by “C” Company 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment who, at the time, were training to carry out the raid on Bruneval.

The Glider Pilot Depot moved to Fargo Camp at Larkhill in September 1943, where it remained until November 1946 when it moved to Aldershot to become a training and depot squadron as part of the Airborne Forces Depot. Later it moved to Middle Wallop where it remained until the Regiment was disbanded in 1957.

Training and selection 

The Glider Pilot Regiment was unique in that it was made up of mostly non-commissioned officers who were volunteers from the Army and had passed the RAF Aircrew Selection Board.

Those who made it through the same aircrew selection process as used by the RAF ended up at the regiment’s depot in Tilshead where they were put through their paces during the physical training and drilled constantly on the parade ground.

But those who did not meet the strict physical or presentation standards were sent back to their original unit.

Those who did make it through the gruelling training process went on to train initially on powered aircraft and then large, troop carrying gliders.

The pilots flew Horsa Gliders, which were nearly the size of a Lancaster Bomber but made from wood and had no engines.

Salisbury Journal:

Second World War Glider Pilot Jim Hooper, who sadly passed away in February 2021 but can be seen standing next to Glider Pilot Regiment Society Trustee & Veteran Welfare Officer, Yeoman Warder, Scott Kelly Photograph courtesy of Glyn Dewis - 3945 WW2 Port

Role during Seconf World War

During the Second World War, Gliders became an effective alternative to parachute drops and despite being unpowered, the Gliders predominately made of plywood, could carry up to 28 soldiers or Jeeps, and artillery.

Larger Hamilcar Glider were able to transport tanks.

Towed across the English Channel by RAF Tug-aircraft to war, they were released to land directly into enemy occupied territory.

The Regiment took part in some of the most famous actions of the Second World War including D-Day in June 1944 and Arnhem Market Garden in September 1944.

The GPR trained 2,700 Glider pilots during the Second World War. Of these, 553 were killed in action – the highest ratio of any army unit – and a further 763 were wounded or made prisoners of war.

Gliders ceased to be used in combat after the war, although the Regiment continued to serve in Palestine, the Berlin Airlift, Malaya, and Korea before being merged with the present-day Army Air Corps in 1957.

Commemoration service 

Those wishing to attend the commemorations are asked to meet at Tilshead Village Hall from 10am ahead of the service which takes place at 11.30am and will be led by the Venerable Alan Jeans, Archdeacon of Salisbury and Honourable Chaplin to The Rifles Association.

Weather permitting, there will be a fly-past by the Historic Flight from Middle Wallop to honour and remember the anniversary.

For more information visit: gliderpilotregiment.org.uk

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