Operation Turkey Buzzard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Operation Turkey Buzzard / Beggar |
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 Area of the operation |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom |
 Germany |
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| Units involved | |||||||
| No. 2 Wing, GPR No. 295 Squadron RAF |
Focke-Wulf Fw 200 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 3 Handley Page Halifax with 21 aircrew 5 Airspeed Horsa with 7 aircrew |
None | ||||||
| 13 RAF aircrew were killed training for the mission | |||||||
Operation Turkey Buzzard, also known as Operation Beggar, was a special supply mission during World War II. It happened between March and August 1943. British forces needed to send large gliders from England all the way to North Africa. This was a very long journey, and no one had ever tried to tow gliders that far before!
The mission was carried out by the No. 2 Wing, Glider Pilot Regiment and No. 295 Squadron Royal Air Force. They needed the gliders for an important upcoming event: the Allied invasion of Sicily. Interestingly, this mission had two names. The British Army called it "Turkey Buzzard," while the Royal Air Force called it "Beggar."
The plan involved Handley Page Halifax bombers from the Royal Air Force. These planes would pull Airspeed Horsa gliders for about 3,200 miles (5,150 km) from England to Tunisia. The British needed these Horsa gliders because the American Waco gliders were too small. The Horsas could carry more troops and equipment, which was important for the 1st Airborne Division's plans.
During the long journey, one Halifax and its glider were shot down by German Focke Wulf Condor planes. In total, five Horsa gliders and three Halifax bombers were lost. Sadly, twenty-one aircrew and seven glider pilots died. Despite these losses, twenty-seven Horsa gliders made it to Tunisia. They arrived just in time for the invasion of Sicily. Even though this supply mission was a success, many gliders faced problems during the actual invasion. Bad weather and anti-aircraft gunfire caused many to crash or miss their targets in Sicily.
Contents
Why This Mission Was Needed
By late 1942, the North African campaign was almost over. Allied forces were winning in Tunisia. Leaders began talking about their next steps. Some American leaders wanted to invade France right away. But the British, and General Dwight D. Eisenhower, thought the island of Sardinia would be a better next target.
The Casablanca Conference and Sicily
In January 1943, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt met. This meeting was called the Casablanca conference. They decided that the island of Sicily would be the Allies' next big target. Taking Sicily would help the Allies in many ways. It would open up important sea routes in the Mediterranean Sea. This would make it easier for Allied ships to move supplies. Also, Allied bombers could fly from airfields closer to Italy and Germany.
The plan for invading Sicily was named Operation Husky. Planning started in February. The British Eighth Army, led by General Bernard Montgomery, would land in the southeast of Sicily. They would move north to the port of Syracuse. The U.S. Seventh Army, led by General George Patton, would land on the south coast. They would move towards the port of Palermo in the west. Both landings would happen at the same time along a 100-mile (160 km) stretch of coastline.
Gliders for the Invasion
The British 1st Airborne Division had big plans for Sicily. They wanted to use gliders for three important operations.
- Operation Ladbroke: The 1st Airlanding Brigade would capture the Ponte Grande road bridge near Syracuse.
- Operation Glutton: The 2nd Parachute Brigade would seize the port of Augusta.
- Operation Fustian: The 1st Parachute Brigade would take the Primasole Bridge over the River Simeto.
Lieutenant-Colonel George Chatterton was the commander of No. 2 Wing, Glider Pilot Regiment. He noticed a problem with the gliders they had. The American Waco CG-4 glider, called the Hadrian by the British, was too small. It could only carry two pilots and thirteen soldiers. For cargo, it could carry either a jeep or an artillery gun, but not both at the same time.
The plan for Operation Ladbroke needed a strong attack on the Ponte Grande Bridge. The 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, would lead this attack. The British Airspeed Horsa glider was much bigger. It could carry twenty-seven soldiers or a jeep and a gun together. This meant they could deliver a larger force to the bridge right at the start. Chatterton decided they needed about forty Horsa gliders, in addition to the American Wacos, for these British missions.
The Long Journey of the Gliders
At the time, the only Horsa gliders were in England. Getting them to North Africa was a huge challenge. It meant towing them 1,200 miles (1,930 km) over the Atlantic Ocean, around Portugal and Spain. Then, they would need to fly another 2,000 miles (3,200 km) across North Africa to reach Tunisia. No one had ever towed a glider that far before. They didn't even know if it was possible!
To see if it could be done, Handley Page Halifax bombers from No. 295 Squadron RAF practiced towing Horsa gliders around the coast of Britain. This helped them test the idea and make sure the planes and gliders could handle such a long flight.
Preparing for the Mission
The mission was approved. The Horsa gliders were changed so they could drop their landing gear after takeoff. This helped reduce drag and made the flight smoother. The Halifax bombers were also changed. They got extra fuel tanks in their bomb bays to carry enough fuel for the long journey.
The glider pilots came from No. 2 Wing. They had stayed in England when most of their unit went to Tunisia earlier. They went through eleven weeks of intense training. Sadly, during this training, four crashes happened, and thirteen men died.
On May 21, 1943, a meeting was held. They discussed how hard it would be to train all the bomber crews and get forty gliders to North Africa. In the end, they decided to focus on training ten bomber crews very well. Their goal was to deliver about fifteen gliders to North Africa by June 21.
The Flight to North Africa
The Halifaxes and Horsas moved to RAF Portreath in Cornwall, England. This shortened the first part of their journey. Even so, they had a ten-hour flight to Sale airport in Morocco. When they arrived at Sale, the gliders were released to land on a sandy area next to the runway. Once on the ground, each Horsa had its spare landing gear fitted. Then, they took off again for the next part of the journey to Mascara in Algeria. Their trip didn't end there. They left for their final stop, Kairouan Airfield in Tunisia, as soon as possible. During the long flights, each glider had three pilots. They took turns flying every hour to avoid getting too tired.
The flights took place between June 3 and July 7. The first Horsas arrived at Kairouan on June 28. This was only twelve days before they were needed for Operation Ladbroke. For the first three hours of the flight from England, over the Bay of Biscay, the Halifax-Horsa teams had an escort. RAF Bristol Beaufighters or Mosquito fighter planes flew with them. They flew at a low altitude of 500 feet (150 meters) to avoid German radar. This also allowed the escorting fighters to return safely when they ran low on fuel.
The mission was very dangerous. Four hours into one flight, a Horsa's tow-rope broke while trying to avoid low clouds. The glider crashed into the sea. Another Horsa and Halifax were found by two German Focke-Wulf Fw 200 planes and shot down. Despite attacks from Luftwaffe fighter patrols and often bad weather, twenty-seven Horsa gliders successfully reached North Africa. They arrived just in time for the invasion of Sicily. In total, three Halifaxes and five Horsas were lost during these flights. Twenty-one RAF aircrew and seven glider pilots died.
What Happened Next
The first British airborne operation in Sicily started at 6:00 PM on July 9, 1943. The gliders carrying the 1st Airlanding Brigade left Tunisia for Sicily. On their way, they faced strong winds and poor visibility. Sometimes, they were also hit by anti-aircraft fire. To avoid the gunfire and searchlights, the pilots of the towing aircraft flew higher or made sudden turns.
Challenges During the Invasion
Because of these quick moves, some gliders were released too early. Sixty-five of them crashed into the sea, and about 252 men drowned. Fifty-nine of the remaining gliders missed their landing zones, some by as much as 25 miles (40 km). Others failed to release and went back to Tunisia, or were shot down. Only twelve gliders landed on target.
One Horsa glider, carrying soldiers from the Staffords, landed near the Ponte Grande Bridge. Its commander, Lieutenant Withers, swam across the river with half his men. They took positions on the other side. The bridge was captured after attacks from both ends. The soldiers then removed bombs that had been placed on the bridge. They dug in and waited for more troops to arrive. Another Horsa crashed about 200 yards (180 meters) from the bridge and exploded, killing everyone inside. Three other Horsas carrying the South Staffordshire Regiment's attack team landed within 2 miles (3.2 km) of the bridge. Their soldiers eventually found their way to the bridge.
Operation Fustian
The second and last mission, Operation Fustian, began at 7:30 PM on July 12. The first planes carrying the 1st Parachute Brigade took off from North Africa. Behind them were the glider-towing aircraft. These included twelve Albemarles and seven Halifaxes. They were towing eleven Horsa and eight Waco gliders.
Some gliders were lost right at takeoff. Two aircraft towing Waco gliders crashed. While flying, one glider was released too early by its towing aircraft and crashed into the sea. When they arrived over Sicily, they had lost the element of surprise. Four gliders were shot down by anti-aircraft guns near the coast. By the time the gliders reached their landing zones, two hours had passed since the paratroopers landed. The German defenses were ready. Only four Horsa gliders managed to land mostly in one piece. All the others were hit by German machine-gun fire and destroyed as they approached. The surviving Horsas were carrying three of the brigade's anti-tank guns. These guns were then used to help defend the Primosole Bridge.
Images for kids
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A jeep belonging to the 1st Airlanding Brigade being loaded aboard a Waco glider.
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The Airspeed Horsa glider
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The Handley Page Halifax used for towing the gliders to North Africa.
