101st Airborne charity march

On October 11th this 2009 fifty-eight WW2 reenactors marched in full kit from Albourne village in Wiltshire to Littlegate House in Berkshire, to raise funds for the Help for Heroes and the Wiltshire Air Ambulance charities.

This 7 mile march retraced the route marched by the 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), 101st Airborne, US Army, ( Band of Brothers) prior to the Normandy D-Day operation in 1944. 

About Littlecote House and surrounding area

Built in the 1500s, Littlecote House is a Grade One listed building. In 1535 Henry VIII wooed Jane Seymour here. To quote the owners description of the building:

"At Littlecote, history is ever-present. Here we’ve hosted Tudor monarchs, Civil War captains and Regency nobles".

During WW2 Littlecote House, near Hungerford was the Company HQ of the 506th PIR US 101st Airborne Division. The troopers trained and were billeted in the surrounding area.

In 1996 Warner Hotels bought the estate, and it is now a popular hotel.

The Route

Leaving Littlecote House in period WW2 vehicles the reenactors rode in convoy to Alborne village, marching into the village square.

Following an inspection, the squad marched out of Albourne village at 10:00.

Following Loves Lane, the squad were lectured about the history of Loves Copse, were troopers of the 101st Airborne trained. Marching along the lane the squad was shown the site of 'Camp Ramsbury', which features in the book 'Tonight we die as men'.

Breaking for lunch and donuts at Ramsbury Village Hall, the squad were treated to a lecture about the local (WW2) history of Ramsbury by historian and Author, Roger Day at the British Legion before forming up and marching out of the village.

For safety reasons the squad reembarked the vehicles for the climb to the entrance to Ramsbury Estate, where they followed the WW2 airfield road into the woods. Here Roger Day gave a lecture about this now long gone camp.

Following the route taken by troopers back to Littlecote House, the squad saw wood carvings made by US troops stationed nearby in 1944.

After approximately 7 miles of marching, most of it in the pouring rain, the squad sang as they marched through the gates of Littlecote House, to the applause of the waiting crowd.

The Littlecote House Charity March is scheduled for 10 October 2010.

Thanks to:

Everyone who sponsored the walkers or donated to raise money for these worthy charities.

Screaming Eagles Living History Group
First Allied Airborne Association & Air Medical Group
All re-enactors not in the above groups
Mr Roger Day
The Blue Boar Inn, Aldbourne
The Crown Inn, Aldbourne
The Bell Inn, Ramsbury
The Royal British Legion, Ramsbury
Ramsbury Parish Council
Ramsbury Estates
Ramsbury Brewery
Littlecote House Hotel (Warner Holidays)

Photographer Brendon Murtagh

CandA Photography

....... and most importantly the Veterans, who's history we portrayed.

101st Airborne Officers outside Littlecote House, winter 1944

The Great Hall, Littlecote House, 1944

WW2 images of Littlecote House courtesy of John Reeder via the Michel DeTrez Collection

'World at War' Editor Ade Pitman hard at work covering this event. Photo courtesy of CandA Photography