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Join Lt. Col (Retd) Derek Armitage to hear about the Berlin Airlift. The crisis started in June 1948, when Soviet forces blockaded rail, road, and water access to Allied controlled areas of Berlin. The United States and the United Kingdom responded by airlifting food and fuel to Berlin from Allied bases in Western Europe. The Operation would last a year and war was averted. This was the first major international clash of the COLD WAR between the Allies and the aggression of the Soviet Union.

Midnight, D-Day 6th June 1944. Under the cover of darkness, six wooden gliders containing Major John Howard's Coup de Main party, head towards two strategic bridges spanning the Caen Canal and River Orne. They are tasked with their capture, the very first action of D-Day. Once these flimsy aircraft are down, whatever happens, the men know that they will be totally alone for a crucial period, awaiting the inevitable German reaction. Could Howard's Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry hold on long enough for the arrival of Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Pine-Coffin's 7th Parachute Battalion, entrusted with expanding the small defensive bridgehead into Benouville. Could these and further elements of the 6th Airborne Division, landing and holding Ranville just to the east, prevent the recapture of the bridges and hold on until the arrival of the seaborne relief? These were the crucial questions for the Division on D-Day.

History now tells us that the whole operation was indeed a brilliant achievement, with the capture of the bridges being one of the Second World War's most legendary actions, but what actually happened and what did those involved have to do to ensure that the whole day was a success? Join author, Neil Barber, in the Museum at 7pm on Monday 27th January to find out more. Neil will be signing copies of his latest book, 'Pegasus Bridge: The Capture, Defence and Relief of the Caen Canal and River Orne Bridges on D-Day'.

Join historic knitting expert, Joyce Meader to hear a selection of entertaining stories and anecdotes about the tradition of sending knitted comforts out to the front line from the home front. Joyce will bring along examples from her collection of handmade garments - items such as these would have helped make those away at war feel remembered by the population back home and provided small comforts in extremely difficult conditions.

Hear about a number of interesting and little-known Westland Helicopters projects from two ex-employees, Jeremy Graham and Dr Ron Smith. They will highlight factors affecting the success or failure of the projects, which range from early fixed-wing jets to civil and military helicopter designs, alongside research into the boundaries of high-speed helicopter flight; autonomous personal transport helicopters; and example technological innovations.

The authors were involved with many of the later studies described in their book, ‘Westland: Aircraft and Rotorcraft – Secret Projects and Cutting-Edge Technology.’ The book gives a comprehensive history of Westland’s work on fixed and rotary wing projects and associated technology developments. Many of these projects did not proceed to flight / or production and are consequently little-known, although they contributed to the company knowledge base and often influenced later designs.

Andrew Wheale discusses the development of British glider assault capability culminating in Operations DEADSTICK, TONGA and MALLARD during the Normandy Landings.

Inter-service rivalry, the scarcity of resources and the development of doctrine will all be discussed.

How did the development of Airborne Forces and the glider build programme fit into the wider war strategy set by Churchill in 1941?

What impact did the airborne landings have on the German defenders on D-Day?

As the Western Allies emerged from the bitter cold winter of 1944-45 victory over Hitler’s Third Reich seemed tantalizingly close. Just one last major barrier stood in their path before the anticipated final battles before Berlin: The formidable River Rhine.

Field Marshal Montgomery planned to bounce the Rhine with a combined Anglo-Canadian-US assault. Pushed on by an increasingly impatient Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, he planned to cross the Rhine on 24 March with the meticulously planned Operation Plunder.

A key component of Plunder was Operation Varsity, an Airborne landing involving British, Canadian and American Airborne formations. The British 6th Airborne Division, including the glider-borne troops of 6th (Airlanding) Brigade, would cross the Rhine alongside the recently formed US 17th Airborne Division. Varsity took place just 5 months after the disastrous Battle of Arnhem. Many of the lessons of Operation Market Garden were incorporated into the Varsity plan, however, for the Glider Pilot Regiment crossing the Rhine so soon after Arnhem presented significant challenges.

The ferocious fighting in Arnhem and around Oosterbeek had decimated the Glider Pilot Regiment. The GPR was at peak strength before Arnhem and it had committed over 1300 Glider Pilots to Market Garden. After 9 days of fighting the Regiment’s two Wings had suffered 90% casualties. These men were simply irreplaceable. If British Airborne forces were to deploy gliders in meaningful numbers again a radical solution had to be found, and quickly.

In ‘Bouncing the Rhine’ Military Historian, Mike Peters joins us to talk about the lessons learned after Arnhem, the reconstitution of the Glider Pilot Regiment in the winter of 1944-45 and the key role played by the men of the Glider Pilot Regiment on Op VARSITY.

The introduction of Airborne Forces early in 1940, changed the face of the battlefield forever. The invasion of the Low Countries in May 1940 by the German Army and the success they achieved with troops being deployed from Gliders onto the Belgium defences of Fort Ében-Émael, convinced Winston Churchill that the British must develop an Airborne as soon as possible.

From then this new concept of warfare was to play an increasing role across the world by the Allies and the Axis powers, from the ice slopes of Norway, Burma, Crete, Sicily, Normandy Arnhem, to the crossing of the Rhine in 1945.

However, the cost was high in men, gliders and equipment. The role of the glider soldier was a dangerous and difficult one, but their achievements to land troops ahead of the main forces had an enormous effect on the enemy.

Join Lt. Col (Retd) Derek Armitage in the Museum at 10am on Thursday 27th March to hear their story.