An incredibly rare WW2 RCAF Flying Log Book for Flt Sgt BRIAN ANDREWS a pilot in the GLIDER PILOT REGT who flew on Operation VARSITY, the single biggest airborne operation of WW2 in March 1945.
The logbook covers the period July 1943 - April 1947 when he was withdrawn from flying duties on a Class A release.
It includes a huge number of flying hours over the 4 years, including flying gliders from Nov 1944 - June 1945. His totals were 564 hours, 50 mins.
Aircraft flown include DH82, Anson, Horspur glider, Horsa gliders, Oxfords, Dakota
Rare to find a Canadian Airforce GLIDER PILOT Log book, especially one who flew during such an infamous mission as OPERATION VARSITY.
F/Sgt Brian Andrews (1588411)
HE began his training in July 1943 in No.2 EFTS (Elementary Flying Training School) Worcester, Canada, moving to No. 35 EFTS Neepawa, Manitoba, Canada 18thOctober 1943 and No.33 SFTS (Special Flying Training School), Carberry, Canada in February 1944.
He moved from Canada to No.1 GLIDER Training School (GTS) Croughton in England in November 1944, mostly flying Hotspur II’s. He then moved to Heavy GLIDER Conversion Unit (HGCU) Seighford in Dec 1944, flying Horsa’s and Hadrian’s.
In February 1945 he formally joined the Glider Pilot Regiment, in G Squadron, based in Great Dunmow airfield liaising with 190 Squadron who towed the gliders. On the 2nd March he took part in Exercise ‘RIFF RAFF’, the dress rehearsal for Operation Varsity. In March 1945 he moved to RAF Matching to in preparation for his very first operational mission, OPERATION VARSITY, dropping Allied troops across the Rhine on 24th March 1945. "Crash Landing" is crossed out for this entry. This crossing of the River Rhine, the last German defensive barrier in the West, saw nearly 17,000 Allied Paratroopers and glider-borne troops land around the town of Wesel and the village of Hamminkeln. 440 Horsa and Hamilcar gliders with tugs and 243 transport planes carried British 6th Airborne Division to their objectives. It was the largest single-lift Airborne operation in history involving over 16,000 Paratroopers and Gliderborne troops with 1,300 transport planes and Gliders. Airborne units suffered heavy casualties, and one hundred members of the Regiment were killed; one hundred and two wounded; forty-two taken prisoner and thirty-seven received awards.
G Squadron then moved to Shorden on the 20th May 1945, before spending the end of the war in RAF Shellingford. He continued flying until 1947 and there are some entries marked for live bombing in Sept 1946 whilst flying Oxford’s.
In April 1947 he was withdrawn from flying duties on a Class A release.
