History/Heritage

To mark the 80th Anniversary of Operation Market Garden, join this community organised cycle ride passing through various locations linked to the local military aviation heritage. This September marks the 80th Anniversary of Operation Market Garden, the audacious plan to shorten the war by seizing key bridges in the Netherlands by an airborne operation by the First Allied Airborne Army (Operation Market) in order to enable a rapid advance into the Netherlands by the British 2nd Army (Operation Garden). The British 1st Airborne Division, 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade and the 52nd Wing of the US IX Troop Carrier Command were based in and around the area and elements of the US 82nd Airborne Division (based in neighbouring Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire) flew to the Netherlands from local airfields. To commemorate the Anniversary there will be three challenging cycle rides, each focussing on one of 1st Airborne Division’s parachute brigades and their departure airfields of their parachute elements on the anniversary of their deployments. The rides will pass through some base locations, the areas they trained in, and departure airfields. Use the links below to find out additional important details. Tuesday 17th September 2024, 09:30: Starting from Grantham Guildhall, St Peter's […]

To mark the 80th Anniversary of Operation Market Garden, join this community organised cycle ride passing through various locations linked to the local military aviation heritage. This September marks the 80th Anniversary of Operation Market Garden, the audacious plan to shorten the war by seizing key bridges in the Netherlands by an airborne operation by the First Allied Airborne Army (Operation Market) in order to enable a rapid advance into the Netherlands by the British 2nd Army (Operation Garden). The British 1st Airborne Division, 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade and the 52nd Wing of the US IX Troop Carrier Command were based in and around the area and elements of the US 82nd Airborne Division (based in neighbouring Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire) flew to the Netherlands from local airfields. To commemorate the Anniversary there will be three challenging cycle rides, each focussing on one of 1st Airborne Division’s parachute brigades and their departure airfields of their parachute elements on the anniversary of their deployments. The rides will pass through some base locations, the areas they trained in, and departure airfields. Use the links below to find out additional important details. Tuesday 17th September 2024, 09:30: Starting from Grantham Guildhall, St Peter's […]

To mark the 80th Anniversary of Operation Market Garden, join this community organised cycle ride passing through various locations linked to the local military aviation heritage. This September marks the 80th Anniversary of Operation Market Garden, the audacious plan to shorten the war by seizing key bridges in the Netherlands by an airborne operation by the First Allied Airborne Army (Operation Market) in order to enable a rapid advance into the Netherlands by the British 2nd Army (Operation Garden). The British 1st Airborne Division, 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade and the 52nd Wing of the US IX Troop Carrier Command were based in and around the area and elements of the US 82nd Airborne Division (based in neighbouring Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire) flew to the Netherlands from local airfields. To commemorate the Anniversary there will be three challenging cycle rides, each focussing on one of 1st Airborne Division’s parachute brigades and their departure airfields of their parachute elements on the anniversary of their deployments. The rides will pass through some base locations, the areas they trained in, and departure airfields. Use the links below to find out additional important details. Tuesday 17th September 2024, 09:30: Starting from Grantham Guildhall, St Peter's […]