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-   -   1st Air Commando Group - April 1944 - Burma -gliders (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=47282)

Leendert 2nd February 2017 20:20

1st Air Commando Group - April 1944 - Burma -gliders
 
Any info welcome if on 5/6 April 1944 the 1st Air Commando Group (USAAF) had a glider mission to Burma in the ongoing Operation Thursday to beef up Allied forces in that country.

Question to find more details about the death of British Chaplain David Patterson who was killed in a glider crash "between 5 and 6 April 1944" (CWGC). He went to Burma to serve with the Chindits.

Thanks for assistance.

Regards,

Leendert

Alex Smart 4th February 2017 14:46

Re: 1st Air Commando Group - April 1944 - Burma -gliders
 
Hello,
Have sent you a pm
Alex

Leendert 4th February 2017 15:23

Re: 1st Air Commando Group - April 1944 - Burma -gliders
 
Alex,

Thanks for PM. It so happens that at same time I now found a reference in the online book "Silent Skies: Gliders at War 1939-1945" (p. 94-95) by Tim Lynch.

Also see http://anglicanhistory.org/asia/burma/appleton1946/
that set my search in motion.

Rev'd Patterson's death somehow must be placed a month earlier when the first glider flights of Operation Thursday began, on 5 March 1944.
The chaplain was in a US glider with Chalk 19B piloted by Flight Officer Martin J. McTigue (T-060765) with destination Broadway.
It carried some troops of the 1st King's (Liverpool) Reg't.

Glider had to cut loose and landed in thick jungle. Patterson was in the co-pilot's seat and got killed, all others survived.
While on their long escape march the men got ambushed, with 5 men missing afterwards. One eventually returned, only to report that McTigue was executed (his name is now on the Manila Memorial) and three British privates had died in captivity (Sgt. King, Pvt Booth and Pvt Blundell).

It may be so that the date of death of Patterson is with a wrong date on CWGC? On the other hand, it may be that word of his death only reached higher levels a month later.

Regards,

Leendert

Alex Smart 5th February 2017 04:01

Re: 1st Air Commando Group - April 1944 - Burma -gliders
 
Hello Leendert,
Seems the dates may be when they were found(?) Or after the paper work was completed,is Declared date of death.
Two Glider MACR's number 332 and number 15849 both have little info but the name of pilots were
Liston, Charles B. 1Lt who's date is given in ABMC as 2nd April 45 and Sharrock, Robert P. 1Lt who's date is given as 1st April 1946.
SHARROCK's Glider date was 5th March 1944 and LISTON's was 6th March 1944.
McTigue's ABMC date is given as 1st April 1946.

All for now
Alex

edwest2 5th February 2017 23:10

Re: 1st Air Commando Group - April 1944 - Burma -gliders
 
Here is a book that may be useful. I do not own it.



https://www.amazon.com/Project-Comma...=UTF8&qid=&sr=





Usual disclaimer,
Ed

Bruce Dennis 6th February 2017 02:58

Re: 1st Air Commando Group - April 1944 - Burma -gliders
 
Hello Leendert,
Is there a record of what squadron the tow plane was from? And the type?

Thanks,
Bruce

Leendert 6th February 2017 09:02

Re: 1st Air Commando Group - April 1944 - Burma -gliders
 
What I gathered so far, it was a CG-4 of the 1st Air Commando Group, on 5/6 March 1944 still called 5318th Provisional Unit (Air).
Gliders took off from Lalaghat.

I also read that Patterson's glider had a total of 19 British troops of the 1st Bn. King's Regiment (Liverpool) on board, part of a first wave to Broadway.

Regards,

Leendert

Alex Smart 6th February 2017 21:22

Re: 1st Air Commando Group - April 1944 - Burma -gliders
 
Hello,
From Geoff's "Hutsix" site -
1st Battalion
5th - 7
5/6th - 16
6th - 9
Alex

Bruce Dennis 6th February 2017 21:47

Re: 1st Air Commando Group - April 1944 - Burma -gliders
 
Hi guys,
I was asking about the type and unit of the plane that was towing the CG-4, if that is available. I have an interest in a squadron that was in the area.

Regards,
Bruce

Alex Smart 7th February 2017 02:07

Re: 1st Air Commando Group - April 1944 - Burma -gliders
 
Hello Leendert & Bruce,

Have you Chris Shores "Air War For Burma" ?
Page 173 has story of events on Sunday 5th March 1944.

Basically the launch of operation "Thursday".
With nightfall the 1st Air Commando Group's C47's towed off 2 Gliders each, 67 in all.
They were to be released on "Broadway" & "Piccadilly" locations.
They carried troops of the 77th & 111th Brigades of the 3rd India Division.
At the last moment the crew of a B25 reported that "Piccadilly" appeared to be strewn with Teak Logs.
All flights were redirected to "Broadway".
Of the 67 Gliders,32 landed, 9 Gliders came down in friendly area and 9 came down in Enemy area.
2 Gliders remained unaccounted for.
15 Gliders were towed back to their Base's.

My question on the Glider numbers is if each C47 towed two Gliders then how did Chis Shores arrive at 67 Gliders ? Wouldn't there have been either 66 or 68 so as to be even numbers .
Anyway adding the numbers in the text -
32+18+15+2 = 67
There would be 68 IF yet another Glider was involved and lost.
As in earlier post I could only find two MACR's in Fold3.
Leendert, you provided the Glider Pilots name for the one with your man but those in the MACR's were not him, which to me points to another Glider or one that came down that was a known loss in friendly territory OR one of the 15 that may have crashed back at Base ?
McTigue is still listed as MIA.
As an addition.
Seven Soldiers with date of 5/3/44 are in Collective Grave 7.E.3-24 in Taukkyan War Cemetery.
Sixteen Soldiers with the date 5/6-3-44 are remembered on the Rangoon Memorial.Is it possible that 3 survived the crash ?
Six of the nine Soldiers with date of 6/3/44 are in Collective Grave 7.E. 3-24 in Taukkyan War Cemetery. So possibly remains of others may be interred with them ?

All for now
Alex


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