D Day Landings,Para.S Company

[griffwarren1]

Hello
            Iam new to the military side of roots and Iam assisting a friend whose father was in the D Day landings. Here is the information I have

Cyril Jesse Rainsford
No 144 133 22
S. Company
D Day 6 th of June
Normandy
Dropped at the Rhine Crossing?

   What we are looking for is information on the regiment and what was involved from people to anyone else in the current day whose got knowledge.

        Iam sure it would help his son and Grandchildren.

Many thanks

Grant

[scrimnet]

D Day and the Rhine Crossing were two different actions...

Try the museum.... 
   
Browning Barracks,
ALDERSHOT,
Hants GU11 2BU.

Telephone:01252 349619

[griffwarren1]

Many thanks!

[gig]

hi
 could be 9th bn  6th airbourne
they were at normandy ,attacking a coastal battery,
merville i think ,im sure someone will put me right on this
and they were invovled in the rhine crossings, operation varsity
gig

[wamwig]

Grant

One of 6th Airborne's tasks on D-Day was to take the Ranville and Benouville crossings, otherwise known as 'Horsa' and 'Pegasus' bridges, so could it be 'Ranville Cossing' if it relates to D-Day itself. Pegasus Bridge is of course still there, albeit in the adjacent museum now.

This might be worth a look for you, for 6th Airborne's history.

http://www.pegasusarchive.org/

Regards

Anthony

[AndyBaldEagle]

Grant

I have only just joined this site so was wandering through the many posts.

I have a C J Rainsford as having served with 12 Battalion Parachute Regiment in June 1944. I have him as having died in July 1989, is that your friends father?

I am presuming you may have spoken/ been in contact with Mark Hickman who runs pegasusarchive.org, but have you also tried writing to the Pegasus Magazine, which is the regimental magazine of the Parachute Regiment. They are now based in Colchester, Essex

Andy

[lizdb]

I had a friend who, sadly, died last year, who was in one of the Airbourne para regiments and was involved in the taking of Pegasus Bridge, though he was very badly injured not long after parachuting in and was shipped out to a hospital ship.
He used to go every year to some sort of memorial occasion out there. There is a museum place at Pegasus Bridge he would visit. I believe his widow has been since.

[Sheila M]

gig is right.   The 6th Airborne were indeed involved in the taking of the Canal de Caen and the River Orne crossings at Benouville and Ranville, near Ouistreham.  They were also involved in the Rhine landings in March-April 1945.    http://www.justordinarymen.org.uk/page_1170202837515.html

For anyone with an interest in the events of D-Day I would recommend a trip to Normandy.  The Museum at Pegasus Bridge (where you can see a mock up of a Horsa glider and walk on the original Pegasus Bridge) is wonderful.  You can also visit the sites where the first three gliders landed and if you feel like it you can take lunch in Cafe Gondree, the first house to be liberated. 

The whole of the area from Ranville along the coast up to Cherbourg is steeped in D-Day history with some fantastic museums. My husband and I went a couple of years ago and it is truly awesome. 

[griffwarren1]

Hello
           Yes that is my friemds father and I have passed this information on accordingly so many thanks again.

          gig, on another subject i noticed you research Dooley in Derbyshire. Is that Ashover way?

All the best
Grant