April 2026 - Honoured to be contacted by William Forster, who. along with his brother are sons of Alan Forster, of 3 Squadron Royal Engineers, 6th Airborne who flew out of Blakehill Farm for Operation Tonga on D Day by Dakota.

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He blew up the Railway Bridge at Bures sur Dives. They parachuted in with the Canadian Parachute Battalion.William and his brother came into Cricklade Museum recently and found my work on this little Wilshire field.

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I am researching his letters, one of which is dated 3rd June 1944 sent from RAF Blakehill Farm;

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3 Para Sqd RE, APO England - ""I don’t know how to start this letter. I might just say in Civil Service style “Gone to France, back later for some leave.” Anyway it all means the same – name that very shortly we shall be dropping in France. Where I cannot say nor what we are going to do. So you will just have to wait till I write my first letter from over there. Things have been looking up now for some time as I expect you will have realised. I know you will be feeling very anxious, but don’t worry. And if you don’t get letters for a fortnight, it means nothing because obviously mail can hardly have first priority. We are all feeling quite confident and that is not just a platitude. That confidence is bred of two facts. Firstly that we could not have better leaders such as Monty and better cooperating services. Secondly that we have 1st class equipment and that we are fit and trained up thoroughly to the task that we have been given. So please use some of our confidence and don’t worry.Perhaps the best thing that this move means is that now there is a prospect of leave. For I realised since January that there would be no leave. So France it is and I shall be able to practice some of the excellent French that I have picked up from you, Daddy! I wonder if they will understand.I am enclosing a pound note signed by all the officers of the squadron at a party we held some time ago. I am not allowed to take it with me, so I should like you to keep it for me.Take care of yourselves. I’ll write again when circumstances permit.….Alan

PS Many thanks for your letter. I am returning Derek’s letter. Bad luck that for John Talbot. I read about it in the papers.""

 

"**** By the time this was received, they had landed, under ‘Operation Tonga’, blown up all target bridges on the River Bures (x2) at Varaville, Troarn and Robehomme (The Bois de Bavant district) and had fallen back to the cross roads at Le Mesnil (AKA “The Brickworks) on the ridge above and beyond Pegasus Bridge. The Squadron was the only unit to achieve 100% of their objectives on D-Day. They maintained their position ‘inside’ German lines for about 2 ½ months, under consistent pressure and attack, and by aggressive patrolling forward when that was possible. It was during this period that Dad’s brother officer and commander for the two 6th June bridges they blew, ‘Tim’ Juckes (Thomas Roland Juckes MC) was killed, and it was when Tony Wade won his MC.) After 2 ½ months there, the bridgehead was rolled forward, Caen taken and the US army under Patton pushed forward hard. 3 Sqd RE also advanced and when they reached the Seine, were relieved and sent back to the UK for the anticipated leave and training. ****

 

Another piece of the jigsaw preserved.......​

His letters are available here