Flying Coffins: The Incredible Story of D-Day's Glider Pilots

Stealth Flying

Before the Normandy invasion could begin in earnest, the Allies needed to secure the small towns of Bénouville and Ranville. These two rather unremarkable French "communes" contained bridges that would be essential for moving troops and supplies after the invasion. If the Germans got wind of the attack in advance, they would likely destroy these bridges, critically endangering the Allies' mission.

The Allies were thus faced with a problem: how could they get behind enemy lines without alerting the enemy to their approach? Dropping paratroopers in was not an option—the aeroplanes used in such missions were far too noisy.

Luckily, there was another, though highly dangerous, option.

Gliders.

Flying Coffins

Gliders were engineless aeroplanes built for stealth but not for safety. Constructed mainly out of plywood and canvas, they were lightweight and flimsy, liable to break apart on landing. The variety most commonly used by the British could carry thirty men plus equipment, including, in some cases, a jeep or anti-tank gun. Later, even bigger gliders would be deployed, some large enough to transport tanks. Among paratroopers, the gliders were known as 'flying coffins'.

Major John Howard was put in charge of the mission, and just after midnight on 6th June 1944, he bravely led over 3,000 airborne soldiers behind enemy lines.

Halifax planes towed the gliders across the channel. When they were close enough to the coast, the tow rope was cut, and the glider was on its own.

When I write about D-Day, I'm still amazed by the courage of some of those guys. If you or I saw a glider today, one of those constructions of wood and canvas, and were asked, “How would you like to take a trip in one of these gliders?” We'd say, "Thanks, but no thanks.” But those guys, in their thousands, they did it.

Sir Max Hastings, Military Historian

Flying a glider was challenging, but landing one was an entirely different feat. The pilots were well-trained and had studied their maps in advance—they knew the Normandy terrain like the backs of their hands. But essentially, what they were aiming for was a survivable crash landing. Severe damage was almost inevitable to the aircraft and those inside.

Sometimes, the jeep or anti-aircraft gun would come loose upon landing, tumbling towards the already-dazed soldiers and crushing them.

Success Against the Odds

As perilous as the gliders were, they proved to be a resounding success for the D-Day mission. Major Howard managed to bring his glider down within 50 feet of his target. The soldiers inside quickly took Pegasus Bridge in Bénouville, and before long, more gliders were flying through the skies, bringing with them essential kit for the next part of the battle. Just minutes later, Howard's forces also captured the bridge at Ranville over the River Orne, less than half a mile away.

The bridge over the Caen Canal was an absolutely vital objective because the guys coming in from the sea on Sword Beach were able to link up. These bridges were the only way they could link up, and they got these bridges in the first few minutes after D-Day began. It was a fantastic feat, and it was the glider pilots who really did brilliantly there.

Sir Max Hastings, Military Historian

Legacy

Today, the thunderous beach landings as dawn broke on June 6th, 1944 often overshadow the vital actions of Major Howard and his men. However, these nocturnal warriors paved the way for the operation’s success. Their silent descent through darkness, in fragile wooden aircraft, marked the true beginning of D-Day and the liberation of Western Europe.