Operation Ladbroke was a glider landing by British airborne troops during the Second World War near Syracuse, Sicily, that began on 9 July 1943 as part of Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily. The first Allied mission using large numbers of the aircraft, the operation was carried out from Tunisia by glider infantry of the British 1st Airlanding Brigade, commanded by Brigadier Philip Hicks, with a force of 136 Hadrians and eight Airspeed Horsas. The objective was to establish a large invasion force on the ground near the town of Syracuse, secure the Ponte Grande Bridge and ultimately take control of the city itself with its strategically vital docks, as a prelude to the full-scale invasion of Sicily.
The 1st Airborne Division was an airborne infantry division of the British Army during the Second World War. The division was formed in late 1941 during the Second World War, after the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, demanded an airborne force, and was initially under command of Major-General Frederick A. M. "Boy" Browning. The division was one of two airborne divisions raised by the British Army during the war, with the other being the 6th Airborne Division, created in May 1943, using former units of the 1st Airborne Division.
Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Arthur Montague "Boy" Browning, was a senior officer of the British Army who has been called the "father of the British airborne forces". He was also an Olympic bobsleigh competitor, and the husband of author Daphne du Maurier.
The 6th Airborne Division was an airborne infantry division of the British Army during the Second World War. Despite its name, the 6th was actually the second of two airborne divisions raised by the British Army during the war, the other being the 1st Airborne Division. The 6th Airborne Division was formed in the Second World War, in mid-1943, and was commanded by Major-General Richard N. Gale. The division consisted of the 3rd and 5th Parachute Brigades along with the 6th Airlanding Brigade and supporting units.
Baron Kindersley, of West Hoathly in the County of Sussex, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1941 for the businessman Sir Robert Kindersley, chiefly in recognition of his work as President of the National Savings Committee. His second son, the second Baron, was a Brigadier in the Scots Guards. As of 2017 the title is held by the latter's grandson, the 4th Baron, who succeeded his father in 2013.
Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat, was a prominent British Commando during the Second World War and the 24th Chief of the Clan Fraser of Lovat. Known familiarly as Shimi Lovat, an anglicised version of his name in Scottish Gaelic; his clan referred to him as MacShimidh, his Gaelic patronym. During Operation Overlord, he led the Special Service Brigade at Sword Beach and to successfully capture Pegasus Bridge, accompanied by his piper Bill Millin.
General Sir Richard Nelson "Windy" Gale, was a senior officer in the British Army who served in both world wars. In the First World War he was awarded the Military Cross in 1918 whilst serving as a junior officer in the Machine Gun Corps. During the Second World War he served with 1st Parachute Brigade and then the 6th Airborne Division during the D-Day landings and Operation Tonga in 1944. After the end of the conflict, Gale remained in the army and eventually, in 1958, succeeded Field Marshal The Viscount Montgomery as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
Robert Molesworth Kindersley, 1st Baron Kindersley, was an English businessman, stockbroker, merchant banker, and public servant who organised the National Savings Movement.
The 2nd Parachute Brigade was an airborne forces brigade formed by the British Army during the Second World War.
The 1st Airlanding Brigade was an airborne infantry brigade of the British Army during the Second World War and the only glider infantry formation assigned to the 1st Airborne Division, serving alongside the 1st Parachute Brigade and 4th Parachute Brigade.
Alexander Percival Johnson DSO, known as Johnny Johnson, was a British Army officer.
Major-General Sir John Hugh Bevil Acland, KCB, CBE, DL was a senior British Army officer.
Oliver Brian Sanderson Poole, 1st Baron Poole, was a British Conservative Party politician, soldier and businessman.
The 6th Airlanding Brigade was an airborne infantry brigade of the British Army during the Second World War. Created during May 1943, the brigade was composed of three glider infantry battalions and supporting units, and was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division, alongside the 3rd and 5th Parachute Brigades.
Lieutenant General Sir Napier Crookenden was a British Army General who reached high office in the 1960s.
Brigadier Robert Hugh Bellamy & Bar was a senior British Army officer who commanded the 6th Airlanding Brigade during the Rhine Crossing on 24 March 1945 and in the advance across Germany during the Second World War.
Brigadier Philip Hugh Whitby Hicks, was an officer of the British Army during both the First and Second World Wars.
Robert Hugh Molesworth "Hugo" Kindersley, 3rd Baron Kindersley DL was a British peer, politician and businessman.
Lieutenant-General George Ramsay was a younger son of the Earl of Dalhousie and Scottish professional soldier.
Colonel John Maurice Arthur Tillett was a British Army officer who had a critical role in the planning of the capture of the Caen canal and Orne river bridges on D-Day, 6 June 1944, during the Second World War. He was one of the last surviving British Army officers to have served with the 6th Airborne Division in Operation Mallard, on 6 June 1944, and in Operation Varsity, on 24 March 1945. He later commanded the Ugandan Army.
United Kingdom 
British Army 
