Hamilcar Recovery. Operation Varsity.
These pictures are coming to light for the first time and are from a private album.
CN 254 was flown by S/Sgt Williams and Sgt Wilkinson and carried a 17pdr, Dodge truck and 8 troops. The recovery vehicle in the photographs is a Crossley 4x4 Heavy Tractor (towing a Queen Mary trailer). It would appear to belong to No 3 Base Recovery Unit, under the control of 85 Group/2 TAF. No 3 Base Recovery Unit was formed on in 1944 at an unknown location and by 2 December was at Ypres. It then moved to Waesmunster on 31 January 1945. Waesmunster lies between Ghent and the port of Antwerp.
Kuurne lies approximately 20 Kilometres SW of Ghent. The presumption is that the vehicle is heading for base and the Hamilcar will be loaded for shipping at Antwerp port.
Notice the footwear on the young boys - clogs!
CN 254 was flown by S/Sgt Williams and Sgt Wilkinson and carried a 17pdr, Dodge truck and 8 troops. The recovery vehicle in the photographs is a Crossley 4x4 Heavy Tractor (towing a Queen Mary trailer). It would appear to belong to No 3 Base Recovery Unit, under the control of 85 Group/2 TAF. No 3 Base Recovery Unit was formed on in 1944 at an unknown location and by 2 December was at Ypres. It then moved to Waesmunster on 31 January 1945. Waesmunster lies between Ghent and the port of Antwerp.
Kuurne lies approximately 20 Kilometres SW of Ghent. The presumption is that the vehicle is heading for base and the Hamilcar will be loaded for shipping at Antwerp port.
Notice the footwear on the young boys - clogs!
