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The Gathering of Eagles reenactment weekend
Aldbourne, Wiltshire - 20th to 21st May 2006
Screaming Eagles reenactors pose outside Littlecote House  
Gathering of Eagles, Aldbourne, 20-21 May 2006

We joined WWII enthusiasts and reenactors and historic military vehicle enthusiasts at a weekend event in Wiltshire to commerate and celebrate the 101st Airborne's stay in the county and their contribution to WWII military history.

Special guest this year was the 'A' Company Veteran turned author, Sgt Don Burgett. This was his first return to the UK since 1944.

The Gathering of Eagles Gallery

Day One - The Convoy
Day Two - The Camp on the Green
Videos

Day One - The Convoy
Saturday saw us joining the convoy of historic military vehicles which took us around the Marlborough area and stopping off at points of interest related to the Airborne's encampment in the area between 1942 - 1945.

The evening saw us attending a talk about the Airborne's stay in the Aldbourne area by one of the organisers, Neil Stevens, in the presence of Sgt Burgett. This was made extra special by Sgt Burgett's on-the-spot and often very vivid reminiscences as particular photos came up. The evening was rounded off with a drink in the famous Blue Boar pub on the village green whilst the local LHG lit up the night sky with their authentic WWII searchlights.

A serious Steve in the back of the Dodge First of many many convoy photos One of the GMC trucks The convoy had to ford through some very waterlogged tracks
View back to the convoy across the downs Coming into Ramsbury
Stopping off at Ramsbury where the majority of 101st troops were stationed
Steve on the farm road next to an old airfield were many of the Dakota C-47 aircraft took off from. Up yours Baby!
Memphis Belle
Paradice
Easys Lady
Steve finds his dream truck
 Steve starts to dream Steve keeps dreaming
View across the former airfield
Chris & Josee Josee & Steve in the back of the Dodge The motor-cycle escort
The Screaming Eagle reenactors pose outside Littlecote House The rally point for the convoy - some of the HMV enthusiasts also camped out here.
At the searchlight display on Saturday evening - dont know who this guy is but he was part of the local LHG (home guard I think?).  

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Day Two - The Camp on the Green
Despite the torrential rain that lasted the entire day the LHG enthusiasts managed to set up their encampment on the village green. It was a mixture of 101st and British LHG displays - plenty of replica weapons to please Steve and an amazing collection of military vehicles (well for such a confined space) which ranged from an amphibious landing vehicle to ambulances.

We also got to see the one remaining stable used to house A Company (and later E Company) soldiers, have a drink in the famous Crown pub (opposite the village pond) and every so often the 101st reenactors would form a squad and march around the square.

A fed-up Steve in the rain at the end of the queue for the last remaining stable in Aldbourne Josee outside the last remaining stable
The reenactors on one of their inpromptu parades around the village
One of the caches on display on the village green Diabolical Angel Aint Misbehavin  

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Videos

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Monday, 7 May, 2007