Glider Pilot Staff Sergeant Normandy and Arnhem 1944

Glider Pilot Staff Sergeant Normandy and Arnhem 1944

This Glider Pilot is dressed for flying his Horsa Glider over the beaches of Normandy early in the morning of June 6th in Operation Overlord or a few months later when landing in Operation Market Garden Northwest of Arnhem on Wolfheze LZ sometime after September 17th, 1944.

There were 2 pilots in the cockpit of a Horsa glider and could either be an Officer or Sergeant, in 1944 they were Infantry trained first and then pilots. If needed they could assist in protecting the LZ perimeter from enemy as they did to great effect in Arnhem.

They often carried a pistol handily kept on the belt and a Sten gun stowed in the glider, this pilot is wearing the MK1 steel Paratrooper helmet which offered better protection on landing and then has his beret stuffed in a pocket to put on after landing.

He also wears a white silk scarf around his neck which was cut from a damaged parachute to keep away the wind which he has acquired from the RAF while on his 7 month training course. His Denison has been converted to a full zip which was common as its more practical when in the cockpit if he needed to find his cigarettes in the battle dress underneath or stuff back his map inside the smock so not to get lost. Standard 1937 BD trousers were issued to all glider soldiers but again he’s managed to acquire a pair of Airborne BD trousers from a parachute friend somehow, perhaps as a swap of a few bars of US chocolate.

The uniform consists of all the items listed below under the "Pack Contains" heading, here you are able to select any sizes if applicable. The image is indicative of the pack but please refer to the Pack Contains for the items included.