BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.3.1//EN TZID:Europe/London X-WR-TIMEZONE:Europe/London BEGIN:VEVENT UID:39@historyfare.co.uk DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250906T140000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250906T160000 DTSTAMP:20250725T095035Z URL:https://historyfare.co.uk/events/airborne-commando-general-tour-3/ SUMMARY:Airborne & Commando General Tour DESCRIPTION:During World War Two\, Melton Mowbray became home to ‘Red Dev ils’ when hundreds of paratroopers made the town their home after return ing to England from fighting in North Africa and Italy. Whilst in Melton t hey were based at both the Vet Camp and local hosues/lodges in town whilst training for operations for D-Day and Arnhem.\n\nIn the early part of 194 4\, No 156 Battalion Parachute Regiment set up base in Melton Mowbray and used Staveley Lodge on Nottingham Road\, Newport Lodge on Scalford Road an d The Spinney on Thorpe Road as their billetts.\n\nPrior to World War Two\ , Newport Lodge was also the family home of the Laycock family and Robert\ , one of the children\, became Major General Sir Robert Laycock KCMG\, CB\ , DSO otherwise known as the Commando General and Commander of of the Lay Force.\n\nThe 10th Battallion set up base around Somerby\, Burrough on the Hill and Twford and the 11th Battalion who were originally at Glen Parva near Leicester but moved to Melton in May 44 and set up base on the Vet Ca mp (Remount Depot).\n\nThese units made up the 4th Brigade and during thei r time in Melton\, the Paras trained for operation as part of the D-Day ca mpiagn\, but due to changing circumstances in Normandy and the Allied adva cnce through France\, they were not used.\n\nTheir time finally came in Se ptember when they took part in Operation Market Garden and the Airborne la ndings at Arnhem in Holland.\n\nAfter arnhem\, the survivors of 10\, 11 &a mp\; 156 Battalions returned to their bases in the area. In December 1944\ , the 1st Airbiorne Division was re-organised and the 4th Division and 10\ , 11 &\; 156 Battalions was disbanded.\n\nAs part of this re-organisati on\, No 3 Battalion Parachute Regiment came to Melton and set up base on t he Vet Camp. In 1945\, the Melton Paras were sent to Copenhagen as part of the force to Liberate Denmark from German Occupation.\n\nAs part of this& nbsp\;Airborne Tour\, we will visit some of the locations in Melton Mowbra y used by the Paras as billets\, for training and where the enjoyed downti me relaxing when off duty.\n\n\nTour departs Outside Sainsbury’s Superma rket\, Nottingham Road\, Melton Mowbray\, LE13 0UL at 14:00Hrs.\nDuration 120 minutes (2 Hours)\n\n\nTour group size – maximum 20.\n\nCost £6 per person or £20 for a group of 4\nTo be paid prior to the start of tour.\n  \;\n\nTo reserve your place\, click on the link above or emaill:  \;meltonhistoryfare@gmail.com\n \;\n\nYou will recieve a booking confi rmation that will include details of how to pay.\n ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://historyfare.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/202 4/05/horsa002.jpg CATEGORIES:Guided Tour,Local History,Walking Tour LOCATION:Sainsbury's Supermarket\, Nottingham Road\, \, Melton Mowbray\, \, Leicestershire\, LE13 0UL.\, United Kingdom X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Nottingham Road\, \, Melton Mowbray\, \, Leicestershire\, LE13 0UL.\, United Kingdom;X-APPLE-RADIUS=1 00;X-TITLE=Sainsbury's Supermarket:geo:0,0 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/London X-LIC-LOCATION:Europe/London BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20250330T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR