Aldbourne 2006

"Gathering of Eagles", Aldbourne and Chilton Foliat

2^nd BATTALION, 503^rd PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT

MAY 2006

At the end of May the First Allied Airborne Association sent a cadre of troops to attend the bi-annual Airborne re-enactors gathering in the Village of Aldbourne, Wiltshire.

This event, although attended by many vehicle owners, is mainly for those with an interest in the 101^st Airborne Division due to the location made famous by the Band of Brothers book and TV series. However, the FAAA attended representing the very first Paratroopers to arrive here in the UK in 1942, who made the area their home well before the arrival of the 101^st. This Parachute outfit was of course the 2^nd Battalion 503^rd Parachute Infantry Regiment who would later go on to undertake many of the “Airborne Firsts”, both as the 503^rd and later as the 509^th Parachute Infantry Battalion in North Africa, Italy, Southern France and the Ardennes.

The FAAA team mustered in specially sourced unreinforced jump suits buttoned to the neck with no insignia. Jump boots were of course highly polished.

The event was well attended as always and the Saturday evening presentation in the presence of the 101^st Veteran and author Don Burgett was enjoyable, especially as mention was made of the 503^rd and its time spent in the area.

Sunday was a little wet, to say the least, but the event had a good feel to it and it was a great opportunity to ensure that the 503^rd/509^th were also not forgotten in the Village or overshadowed by the 506^th and the 101^st Airborne Division.

The pictures below illustrate the group’s 503^rd/509^th Parachute Regiment and Battalion impressions.

First Sergeant Lee M Bowden

Author and Veteran Donald R Burgett

Troops of the 503rd shelter from the rain in the entrance to the Aldbourne church

FAAA representing the very first American "Airborne" troops in the United Kingdom at the gates to Chilton Foliat

Through these gates at the entrance to Chilton Foliat the 2nd Battalion 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment passed into history when in November 1942 the Battalion left for North Africa and Operation Torch, a 1500 mile flight from England to be the first US Airborne Unit to see action.

The Battalion took off as the 503rd, but when they went into action they had, unbeknown to those in the unit, become the 2nd Battalion 509th PIR. Later, with no other Battalions activated, it became the "independent" 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion. The men who passed through these gates when they left England went on to achieve many firsts in the American Airborne. Few however would survive to see the unit deactivated in March 1945!