CHILTERN OPEN AIR MUSEUM, MARCH 2007

Exercise March hare was carried out at the Chiltern Open Air Museum (COAM) in Buckinghamshire at the end of March and was open to all groups involved in the May Prelude to D-Day major event and invited guest groups. The First Allied Airborne Association carried out its first unit training muster of 2007.
 
The weekend also served as a Living History Weekend, which will involved this Association representing Engineers of Headquarters 5th Engineer Special Brigade, Forcemen of the First Special Service Force and Paratroopers of the 17th Airborne Division. The Associations aims over the weekend were to undertake preparations for the Prelude to D-Day event, to undertake an introduction to the FSSF to include a photo shoot and to undertake an Operation Varsity Memorial Day.

All available members of the Association mustered over the weekend with 14 members being available to undertake training. The weekend was run in 3 phases. Phase 1: Saturday--Engineering tasks as 5th ESB.
Phase 2: Saturday mid afternoon--First Special Service Force Photo shoot and Phase 3: Sunday--17th Airborne Memorial Day.

Phase 1: The Engineering tasks as 5th ESB took place during Saturday and saw the group preparing the Range location, unfortunately the area selected for the Range in May was to be used at an event before the Prelude main event, and therefore full establishment of the range could not take place. However an alternative temporary range was constructed for the Pistol training BF shoot later in the day.

Phase 2 saw members of the group being introduced to the First Special Service Force with a short photo shoot being undertaken to represent FSSF troops in Italy. The Pictures and short report will be the subject of a future posting.

The third Phase of the weekend was the 17th Airborne Memorial Day where we as a group commemorated the part played by the 17th Airborne Division in the March 1945 Operation Varsity.

The weekend was a fantastic success a saw the group undertaking several impressions through out the 2-day deployment. The event culminated with the group cook preparing a full Roast Chicken Dinner on the Sunday, entirely undertaken on the groups Field range.

Below is a photo recon report on the first phase of the event where the troops represented the 5th ESB and 6th NBB:
 

Engineer Special Brigade sees the FAAA move from Airborne to Seaborne

PFC Dainter sews on his coveted ESB patch prior to reporting to the ATC

Engineer Company Commander check his kit prior to undertaking assault boat training

Engineers report for training at the ATC

Joining troops from the 29th and 2nd Ranger Battalion, troops of the ESB with freshly painted insignia on helmets form up for training

6th NBB rating decides to sit this one out

ESB undertake simulated Assault Boat training

ESB undertake simulated Assault Boat training

Officer instructor from US 1st Army carries out instruction on beach assaults

The second phase of the weekend was an introduction to the First Special Service Force (FSSF), a new impression to the group and one that is already rapidly expanding within the Association with a growing interest in the Force and the Specialist kit they had.
 
Although we have a way to go yet before launching this at a public show, several members of the group spent a few hours in the field representing this fine outfit.

Below is a selection of photos showing the group preparing for a night patrol behind the lines:

Section leader, 5th Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Regiment briefs his patrol which includes some replacements on their first night patrol

The Patrol moves out led by a veteran Forceman

On the Patrol's return the Section Leader debriefs his Braves!

The Sunday was the 17th Airborne Memorial Day, which FAAA commemorated the part played by the 17th Airborne Division in the assault to cross the Rhine in March 1945, Operation Varsity, by representing pre-jump training.

 Headquarters and Headquarters Company muster at Chalons-Sur Marne and are briefed on the forthcoming operation

Veterans of Normandy know this is going to be a tough one!

Training for the operations starts with specialist training on new kit a priority

Troopers of the 507th take on board the details of the new 57mm Recoiless Rifle

Selected "Reckless" crews undertake "in the field training" on their new weapon

Troopers of the 507th many of them replacements are a little aprehensive, but training Focuses their minds on the important task ahead!

While training gets underway, normal life around Chalons-Sur-Marne carries on!