Sicily - A Catastrophic Victory?
Available to view now
Hear Mike Peters lift the veil on the first large scale British use of gliders in action. This occurred in July 1943 as a key part of Operation HUSKY, the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Sicily from bases in North Africa. Flying in large numbers of troops by night over sea against a well trained enemy would be a challenge at any time. But, as Mike Peters reveals, the newly formed air landing forces and the pilots of the Glider Pilot Regiment woefully lacked the necessary training and experience. The result was little short of a total disaster with over 300 men drowned and few troops landing successfully enough to carry out their missions. Thanks to shining examples of collective and individual heroism by survivors, a total catastrophe was averted. The successes and failures of this overly ambitious venture will make for a fascinating insight of classic military history.
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The Museum is an independent charity and all proceeds from this event go towards supporting the work we do in preserving the history of British Army aviation.