Coup de Main Force
The following is a complete list of all those who participated in Major John Howard's Coup-de-Main raid on the Bénouville and Ranville Bridges, more familiarly known as the Pegasus and Horsa Bridges, in the early hours of the 6th June 1944. The list comes from "The Devil's Own Luck" by the late Denis Edwards, and from research notes that he passed on to the site.
Bénouville / Pegasus Bridge
Glider No.1
A Horsa glider towed by a Halifax tug piloted by Wing Commander Duder. All aboard, unless otherwise noted, were members of No.25 Platoon, designated No.1 Platoon for the duration of the Coup-de-Main Raid, of "D" Company, the 2nd Battalion The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
Staff-Sergeant Jim Wallwork (Glider Pilot Regiment)
Staff-Sergeant John Ainsworth (Glider Pilot Regiment)
Lieutenant Den Brotheridge (Platoon Commander)
Sergeant Ollis
Corporal Caine
Corporal Webb
Corporal Bailey
Lance-Corporal Packwood
Lance-Corporal Minns
Private Baalam
Private Bates
Private Bourlet
Private Chamberlain
Private Gardner
Private Gray
Private O'Donnell
Private Wally Parr
Private Tilbury
Private Watson
Private White
Private Windsor
Private Jackson (08)
Major John Howard ("D" Company Headquarters, Commander Coup-de-Main Force)
Corporal Tappenden ("D" Company Headquarters, Wireless Operator)
Corporal Watson (249th Field Company)
Sapper Danson (249th Field Company)
Sapper Ramsey (249th Field Company)
Sapper Wheeler (249th Field Company)
Sapper Yates (249th Field Company)
The following men were of No.25 Platoon but did not participate in the Coup-de-Main raid. Privates Saunders, Fry, Taylor, Whale, Wilks and Sergeant Page.
Glider No.2
A Horsa glider towed by a Halifax tug piloted by Warrant Officer Berry. All aboard, unless otherwise noted, were members of No.24 Platoon, designated No.2 Platoon for the duration of the Coup-de-Main Raid, of "D" Company, the 2nd Battalion The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
Staff-Sergeant Boland (Glider Pilot Regiment)
Staff-Sergeant Hobbs (Glider Pilot Regiment)
Lieutenant David Wood (Platoon Commander)
Sergeant Leather
Corporal Charles Henry Godbold
Corporal Cowperthwaite
Corporal Ilsley
Lance-Corporal Roberts
Lance-Corporal Drew
Private Chatfield
Private Lewis
Private Cheesley
Private Waters
Private Clarke (33)
Private Musty
Private Dancey
Private Harman
Private Warmington
Private Leonard
Private Weaver
Private Radford
Private Harry Clark (48)
Private Pepperall
Private Malpas
Lance-Corporal Harris ("D" Company Headquarters, RAMC Medic)
Captain Neilson (249th Field Company)
Sapper Conley (249th Field Company)
Sapper Lockhart (249th Field Company)
Sapper Shorey (249th Field Company)
Sapper Haslett (249th Field Company)
The following men were of No.24 Platoon but did not participate in the Coup-de-Main raid. Privates Orris, Davis, Batchelor, Irving, Brooks and Meredith.
Glider No.3
A Horsa glider towed by a Halifax tug piloted by Warrant Officer Herman. All aboard, unless otherwise noted, were members of No.14 Platoon, designated No.3 Platoon for the duration of the Coup-de-Main Raid, of "B" Company, the 2nd Battalion The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
Staff-Sergeant Barkway (Glider Pilot Regiment)
Staff-Sergeant Boyle (Glider Pilot Regiment)
Lieutenant Richard Smith (Platoon Commander)
Sergeant Harrison
Corporal Higgs
Corporal Aris
Lance-Corporal Madge
Lance-Corporal Cohen
Lance-Corporal Greenhalgh
Private Wilson
Private Hook
Private Stewart
Private Keane
Private Noble
Private Crocker
Private Basham
Private Watts
Private Anton
Private Tibbs
Private Slade
Private Burns
Private Turner
Private Golden
Major Jacob-Vaughan (Medical Officer)
Lance-Corporal Albert Gregory (195th Airlanding Field Ambulance, Medic)
Lance-Corporal Waring (249th Field Company)
Sapper Clarke (249th Field Company)
Sapper Fleming (249th Field Company)
Sapper Green (249th Field Company)
Sapper Preece (249th Field Company)
Ranville / Horsa Bridge
Glider No.4
A Horsa glider towed by a Halifax tug piloted by Flying Officer Clapperton. All aboard, unless otherwise noted, were members of No.22 Platoon, designated No.4 Platoon for the duration of the Coup-de-Main Raid, of "D" Company, the 2nd Battalion The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
Staff-Sergeant Lawrence (Glider Pilot Regiment)
Staff-Sergeant Shorter (Glider Pilot Regiment)
Lieutenant Tony Hooper (Platoon Commander)
Sergeant Barwick
Corporal Goodsir
Corporal Bateman
Lance-Sergeant Rayner
Corporal Ambrose
Corporal Hunt
Private Allwood
Private Wilson
Private Hedges
Private Everett
Private St. Clair
Private Waite
Private Clive
Private Timms
Private Whitford
Private Johnson
Private Lathbury
Private Hammond
Private Frank Gardener (08)
Private Jeffrey
Captain Priday ("D" Company Headquarters, Second-in-Command)
Lance-Corporal Lambley ("D" Company Headquarters, Company Clerk)
Lance-Sergeant Brown (249th Field Company)
Sapper Deighton (249th Field Company)
Sapper Guest (249th Field Company)
Sapper Paget (249th Field Company)
Sapper Roberts (249th Field Company)
The following men were of No.22 Platoon but did not participate in the Coup-de-Main raid. Lance-Corporal Griffiths, Privates Harris and Nicholls.
Glider No.5
A Horsa glider towed by a Halifax tug piloted by Warrant Officer Bain. All aboard, unless otherwise noted, were members of No.23 Platoon, designated No.5 Platoon for the duration of the Coup-de-Main Raid, of "D" Company, the 2nd Battalion The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
Staff-Sergeant Pearson (Glider Pilot Regiment)
Staff-Sergeant Guthrie (Glider Pilot Regiment)
Lieutenant "Tod" Sweeney (Platoon Commander)
Sergeant Gooch
Corporal Murton
Corporal Howard
Corporal Jennings
Lance-Corporal Porter
Private Allen
Private Bowden
Private Buller
Private Bright
Private Bleach
Private Clark (46)
Private Galbraith
Private Jackson (59)
Private Roach
Private Roberts (94)
Private Read
Private Charles Edward Tibbit
Private Wixon
Private Wood
Private Wilcox
Lieutenant Macdonald (7th Parachute Battalion, Liaison Officer)
Corporal Straw (249th Field Company)
Sapper Bradford (249th Field Company)
Sapper Carter (249th Field Company)
Sapper Field (249th Field Company)
Sapper Wilkinson (249th Field Company)
The following men were of No.24 Platoon but did not participate in the Coup-de-Main raid. Privates Fergoson, Giles and Lance-Corporal Lennon.
Glider No.6
A Horsa glider towed by a Halifax tug piloted by Flying Officer Archibald. All aboard, unless otherwise noted, were members of No.17 Platoon, designated No.6 Platoon for the duration of the Coup-de-Main Raid, of "B" Company, the 2nd Battalion The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.
Staff-Sergeant Howard (Glider Pilot Regiment)
Staff-Sergeant Baacke (Glider Pilot Regiment)
Lieutenant Dennis Fox (Platoon Commander)
Corporal Lally
Corporal Burns
Corporal Reynolds
Lance-Corporal Loveday
Private Collett
Private Hubbert
Private Clare
Private Peverill
Private Pope
Private Whitehouse
Private Whitbread
Private Lawton
Private Rudge
Private O'Shaughnessy
Private Annetts
Private Summersby
Private Wyatt
Private Ward
Private Storr
Lance-Corporal Lawson ("D" Company Headquarters, RAMC Medic)
Lieutenant Bence (249th Field Company)
Sapper Burns (249th Field Company)
Sapper C. W. Larkin (249th Field Company)
Sapper C. H. Larkin (249th Field Company)
Sapper Maxted (249th Field Company)