From manufacturing the gliders used in the invasion to training the troops ahead of D-Day, West Berkshire played a key role in the Allied invasion of Normandy in 1944, writes Michael Park. The commander of Allied forces even visited Greenham the night before to rally his troops ahead of Operation Overlord. And although there are many examples of the local area playing a key part in the planning and operation of D-Day, RAF Greenham Common’s part is perhaps the best-known. The United States Army’s 101st Airborne Division landed at the Greenham airbase in September 1943 and was largely based arou…
