ramsbury d-day 80

So we have been working very hard on this years events. We have a walk to remember & the friendly invasion event check out the events page for more info.

This year, 2026, marks the 82^nd anniversary of D-Day and Operation Market Garden and for Ramsbury it also marks the 83rd anniversary of the “Friendly Invasion” when hundreds of American troops arrived here, making a temporary home in Wiltshire while they prepared for the Normandy invasion. 

As well as the village of Ramsbury elements of the 101st Airborne Division were also stationed in Chilton Foliat, Froxfield and Aldbourne. 

In Ramsbury, the 3^rd Battalion of the 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) set up camp in the Rookery Field, on the north side of the village just off Loves Lane. Many of the regiment’s officers were billeted in Parliaments Piece, which backs on to the field.

During the regiment’s time in the area they regularly exercised in fields and woodland surrounding the village including Love’s Copse, Pentico Wood and Littlecote Park. The 506^th also ran the Division’s parachute jump school at Chilton Foliat.

In the week or so leading up to D-Day troops belonging to the US 82^nd Airborne Divisiontravelled from Lincolnshire to RAF Ramsbury and on June 6^th, 1944, they boarded 52 Planes belonging to the US 437^th Troop Carrier Group and left RAF Ramsbury for Normandy, France to help liberate Europe from Nazi tyranny.

After six weeks of fighting in France the 506^th returned to Wiltshire to recover and regroup and on 17^th September left England for Holland as part of Operation Market Garden.

Our American friends were stationed here for over a year and together with British military units that were also quartered locally made a marked impact on village life. To remember this occasion we are putting together a number of events on Saturday 6^th June to help celebrate this 82^nd anniversary.

Our “Walk to Remember” is exactly that, we will walk in their footsteps from Hungerford to Ramsbury to remember the troops who fought for their countries and the sacrifices they made. We will stop at RAF Ramsbury Airfield to take a breath and lay a wreath for the fallen.

In the afternoon we will remember and celebrate the “keep calm and carry on English spirit” by bringing Camp Ramsbury to life once more with re-enactors, WW2 military vehicles, live music, refreshments and high spirits.

We hope this anniversary will encourage people to dig deeper into our community’s history and help raise much needed funds for military charities.

Joint fundraiser for us & Axford Village Hall

Teams of 6 max booking is essential it’s a plough mans supper.

Soft drinks are available on the night but please feel free to bring your own booze.

Booking minutememories@aol.com

The airfield does take a battering from the wind. The flags do get worn but please don’t worry we have contacted the guys from Friends of WW2 437th Troop carrier group.

Friends of WW2 437th Troop carrier group does an amazing job of maintaining the memorials within the parish.

Roger is coming back to repeat the June talk

So we have still been busy behind the scenes & catching up with our own business & life you know the score. The Roger Day Talk if you believe your name is on the waiting list for the next talk please get in touch.

At 1.59 am 52 C-47 transport aircraft took off from  RAF Ramsbury  to join in the invasion of Normandy, many were doomed never to return…

To our friends who made Ramsbury their home for a short while, We Thank You.

Plaque in Holy Cross Church, Ramsbury

The festival started with Roger Day taking us back to a wartime Ramsbury, we followed that with cream teas in the square on a sunny Sunday afternoon & then started the week with Rose on the radio. It’s only Monday.

We are still getting lots of enquires about our events which is excellent.

Tip of the week listen to BBC Radio Wiltshire on Friday

From A4 follow signs from Ramsbury from either of the 2 turnings. The route is a country road so please take care.

From the village head south up Springs Hill.

The event will be well sign posted from all directions so just keep an eye out for our arrows.

Please be aware the postcode is unreliable, WHAT 3 WORDS  cookbooks, clock, settle

We have plenty of FREE parking on the site. The flyer will be operating a service from the square or why not stroll on up.