Poppy crosses pay tribute to forgotten D-Day invasion mission

Commemorative poppy crosses have been laid at the side of a runway at former RAF North Witham during a special evening D-Day walk on 5 June.

The guided walk, organised by the visitor economy team at InvestSK, South Kesteven District Council’s economic growth and regeneration company, marked 75 years to the day that a top secret mission was flown from the airfield on the eve of the Normandy invasion.

Walkers paused at precisely 21.54 hours to mark the moment that the first aircraft, laden with specially trained paratroopers, took off from the actual runway they were standing on.

Earlier they heard how 20 Douglas C47 Skytrain aircraft left RAF North Witham – United States Station 479  and now Forestry England-owned Twyford Wood – flying low over the Channel to dodge the radar.  Each poppy cross represented one of the aircraft that night.

Within hours, hundreds more airborne troops would land in Normandy, many transported in C47s flying from airfields around Grantham. They were joined by more paratroopers and assault gliders from bases in southern England.

The walk was three days after US veteran pilot Lt Colonel David Hamilton, the last surviving pilot from the mission, visited the airfield. 

Organisers have another walk organised for Sunday afternoon on 16 June. Book on Eventbrite www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/d-day-walk-tickets-62718382370

For more aviation heritage, visit   www.discoversouthkesteven.com/aviationheritage