{"id":2,"date":"2014-05-21T13:00:54","date_gmt":"2014-05-21T13:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/d-day-dakota-kg355.co.uk\/dday_wp\/?page_id=2"},"modified":"2024-06-02T20:40:31","modified_gmt":"2024-06-02T20:40:31","slug":"d-day-dakota-kg355-co-uk","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/d-day-dakota-kg355.co.uk\/","title":{"rendered":"Home"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dakota KG 355<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Dakota KG 355 made two flights from RAF Broadwell in Oxfordshire to northern France on D-Day 6th<\/sup> June 1944.<\/p>\n

The first flight was in Operation \u2018Tonga\u2019 the second in Operation \u2018Mallard\u2019.<\/p>\n

In Operation Tonga, KG 355 carried 17 men from the 13th<\/sup> Parachute Battalion. The men were under the command of Major Bill Harris, second-in-command of the 13th<\/sup> Parachute Battalion.<\/p>\n

KG 355 took off from RAF Broadwell at 23.30 5 June.<\/p>\n

The 13th<\/sup> Parachute Battalion had been tasked with securing the area around Drop Zone \u2018N\u2019 and the River Orme (Horsa) bridge and Caen Canal (Pegasus) bridge that were captured in a coup-de-main by a glider-borne force from the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. The battalion also had to secure the town of Ranville.<\/p>\n

In Operation Mallard KG 355 took off from RAF Broadwell at 18.45 and towed a horsa glider containing 24 troops from 1st<\/sup> Air Landing Brigade, Royal Ulster Rifles.<\/p>\n

On 10 July KG 355 landed at Ranville and brought out 23 wounded.<\/p>\n

On 1 August KG 355 returned again with supplies and brought out more wounded.<\/p>\n

KG 355\u2019s crew were :<\/h6>\n

F\/Sgt Lew Dodgson\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Pilot<\/p>\n

F\/Lt Bill Budden\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Map Reader<\/p>\n

F\/Sgt Joseph \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Navigator<\/p>\n

F\/Sgt Noel Headifen\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Wireless Operator<\/p>\n

KG 355\u2019s story is told from the records
\nand photos of Lew Dodgson, Bill Budden and Noel Headifen.<\/h6>\n
Lew Dodgson<\/h6>\"Lew<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Noel Headifen<\/h6>\"Noel<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Bill Budden<\/h6>\"01-BillBuddenRAFearlyphoto\"<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>\n
<\/h6>\"content(164)\"<\/div>
<\/h6>\"content(170)\"<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Map of the Operation Tonga area<\/h6>\"Operation<\/div>
List of men carried in Operation Tonga<\/h6>\"Ddayload\"<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/h6>\"content(168)\"<\/div>
<\/h6>\"content(171)\"<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/h6>\"content(169)\"<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Lew\u2019s diary for 24 May to 22 June 1944<\/h6><\/div><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/h6>\"24-may\"<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/h6>\"6-june\"<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n\n