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downsmail.co.uk


D-Day Flypast |News D-Day flypast thrills spectators


THOUSANDS of eyes turned to the skies over Maidstone as more than 30 wartime transport planes flewover the county,writes Jade Schopman. The historic flight – comprising


almost every surviving Dakota in the world, plus a few Spitfire es- corts – was heading to France on June 5, in preparation for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day land- ings. The “Daks over Normandy”


spectacular started from Dux- ford Airfield and crossed Maid- stone


en route to


Caen-Carpiquet. News of the flypast fired the


public’s imagination, with cars stopping at random vantage points, people gathering onM20 bridges between Maidstone and Kings Hill, and others packing onto the Downs for a glimpse of the once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. Mote Park, Marden and Loose


Crowds take stables cafe


by surprise A SMALL village riding school came to the rescue of those left waiting to glimpse the delayed flight, by serving up much needed hot drinks. Hayley Squirrell (56), owner of


Squirrells Riding School on Com- mon Road, Blue Bell Hill, said: “Had we known there would be somany vehicles,wewould have happily opened the overflow car parkwe use for shows, but by the timewe knew, the carswere com- pletely blocked in. “We served at least 200 people


and we were just selling cakes, bacon sandwiches and soft drinks. We also had a toilet peo- ple could use.” Mrs Squirrell added: “It’s actu-


ally really lovely, we are a busi- ness that’s pretty tucked away, so to have thatmany people come to us was really nice.We’ve been at this site since 2011, and the café has only been going for just under two years. “We did have to cancel a few


lessons. People trying to get here would have only got trapped in the traffic, so itwas a safety thing. “We were thrilled to accommo-


date the people who were caught in the middle. Most people just wanted a takeaway cup of tea and then went back to watch the flight.”


Helen Ladlow took this picture of the Dakotas over her garden


proved popular locations for the growing number of spectators. At one stage, Kent Police is-


sued and appeal for people to think before abandoning their vehicles in dangerous locations. “Remember it’s in the sky, so is going to be very visible,” a


spokesman said. The traffic is- sueswere further exacerbated by a two-and-half hour delay to the Dakotas’ much publicised take- off, with people waiting around for the best part of the afternoon. However,when the aircraft did thunder overhead just before


5pm, spectators agreed it had been well worth the wait. Helen Ladlow (44), of Boarley


Lane, Sandling, said: “About 35 Dakotas flew straight over my house, we had a really good view. Iwatched the display from my garden with my two daugh- ters, Sophie (17) and Katie (15). “It was really amazing watch-


ing themfly right overmy house. I count myself very lucky.” The planes were carrying 250


parachutists who, like Allied troops exactly 75 years before, flew across the English Channel and jumped into the famous drop zones of Normandy. They all woreWWII-style uni-


forms and used military round parachutes.


Pupils stay late to salute air heroes


MANY students, hoping to see the historic flypast, were defeated by the take-off delay. However,


some Maidstone


Grammar School pupils stayed after school to witness the event. A spokesman for the school said:


“Sadly, due to the delayed depar- turemost of the schoolmissed the flight. Many, however, planned on staying after school to catch the flypast.” Loose Primary School revealed their plans for the flypastwere also


Cadets salute the flypast atMaidstoneGrammar School


disrupted by the long delays. A spokesman said: “We hope the


children eventually managed to see the Dakota flypast. Some of


Gridlock at viewpoints


KENT Policewere forced to issue a statement to urge thosewatching the flight to park responsibly. A spokesman said: “Please park responsibly and not dangerously.


Reports of people stopping in silly locations are coming in. Try to remember it’s in the sky so is going tobe very visible. Don’t risk your safety to get the ‘best’ view.” One spectator contacted


Downs Mail to say: “The whole of Blue Bell Hill vil- lage ground to a halt. It took me an hour just to get from the village to the round- about. “When the delay was an-


nounced, people who needed to pick their kids up from school could not get out of the car park. It was completely gridlocked.”


Cars were parked up on the sliproad from Blue Bell Hill to the country park


the staff did before they went home, but itwould have beenmore special with the children. We had planned to stand in a heart shape.”


Planes backed


up the troops THE D-Day landings, on June 6, 1944, sawan onslaught thatwas to ultimately break Adolf Hitler’s brutal grip on Europe Almost 160,000 Allied troops


stormedontoNormandy’s beaches in a bloody and brutal battle. Those landings were preceded


by 24,000 troops who parachuted into, or used gliders to touchdown in enemy territory. The most sig- nificant aircraft to support the as- sault were the 800 Douglas C-47 Sky trains, also known asDakotas. Organisers of this year’s flight,


said it was most probably the last large tribute to this historic opera- tion. Nearly all the world’s re- maining Dakotas took part to recreate the event.


Maidstone Weald July 2019 19


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