Our visit to Aldershot on Monday Morning, 9 May 1997

There is a vintage Dakota parked in front of the museum entrance. Known as the C47 to the Americans, the aircraft was used extensively in World War II for dropping paratroopers.

Once inside the modest museum we learned something of the history of the British airborne forces. Early in 1940 prime minister Winston Churchill decreed that Britain raise a "Corps of at least 5000 paratroopers."

The museum is devoted to depicting the exploits of the "paras" since their creation in World War through the battle in the Falklands. Among the displays and films are the parts played by the paras in the D Day invasion of Normandy and at Arnhem (A Bridge Too Far) in World War II, and the battle of the Falklands. Click on links to learn more about these major airborne operations.

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The story is told about the British 6th Airborne Division which was dropped on the Orne Bridgehead north and east of Caen by parachutes and gliders. The paras were assigned the formidable missions of securing intact the critical bridges on the Orne, taking out the German communications center and strong points that menaced the landings of the amphibious forces on SWORD Beach. A few minutes after midnight, just hours before the landings would commence, the paras seized the bridges over the Caen Canal and across the Orne.

The paras of the 6th Airborne struggled through the darkness and the first hours of daylight to concentrate its units, dispose of German patrols and strongpoints and create a firm perimeter east of the Orne from which to resist the powerful counter-attacks the Germans would launch against the amphibious forces landing on the beaches.

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The story is also told of the largest airborne drop in history, Operation Market Garden. As part of the First Allied Airborne Army, the British 1st Airborne Division played a major role in the battle for Arnhem. Allied forces suffered more casualties in Market Garden than in the mammoth invasion of Normandy, and British casualties were the highest.

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Shown above are examples of model displays. The comprehensive collection of exhibits relating to the history of the Airborne Forces and The Parachute Regiment includes weapons, equipment, the original briefing models for airborne operations of World War 2, and an extensive display of photographs.

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In addition to brochures and guides, a sketch of the museum floor plan is also provided to visitors.

A further web site page, detailing the exploits of the Airborne Forces and the Parachute Regiment, is to be prepared at
URL: http://www.rushmoor.gov.uk/pt22.htm#2.