[Extracted with thanks from Jane Staniland’s research report: “War Memorial, Holywell-cum-Needingworth: The men who died in the Second World War 1939-1945”]

In Memory of KENNETH STANLEY MILLS Lieutenant 255204 Glider Pilot Regiment, A.A.C. who died on Saturday, 23rd September 1944. Age 21.
Cemetery: Grave Reference/ Panel Number: ENSCHEDE EASTERN GENERAL CEMETERY, Netherlands Grave 199.

Kenneth Mill’s family moved to the parish when his father became the manager of the Chicory factory, Kenneth being a young adult at the time. He was an only child and they lived in a large house in front of the factory, close to the ‘Manchester Arms’ pub in St Ives. The family were seemingly quite well off and after the war Mr and Mrs Mills moved to Nairobi to become planters.

During the war Kenneth became a lieutenant in the Glider Pilot Regiment and was a Section Commander in ‘D’ squadron when the airborne forces took off for Arnhem . His squadron flew from Keevil and Fairford and were part of No. 1 Wing commanded by Lt. Col. Murray which flew three lifts, on 17, 18 and 19 September 1944. They flew Horsa gliders. Kenneth survived six days of the fighting, dying on 23 September 1944. His Commanding Officer, Captain Ogilvy, was drowned during the night evacuation across the Lower Rhine on 25 September. Almost all the available glider crews had been involved in piloting over 680 gliders to Arnhem. Of the pilots that landed, 229 were killed and 469 wounded or taken prisoner.

…they (the glider pilots) played all kinds of parts but everything they were asked to do they did wholeheartedly. I’m afraid your losses were rather heavy…

Major-General Roy Urquhart, O/C lst Airbome Division, writing to Chatterton, 1944 .

The Glider Pilots, a short history

Glider-borne troops had first been used by the Germans in their successful invasion of Belgium in 1940. Consequently from June 1940 the British began training their own paratroops and glider pilots at RAF Ringway, Manchester. However, the fact that the trainee pilots were army volunteers was a contentious issue.

The idea that semi-skilled, unpicked personnel (and infantry corporals have, I believe, even been suggested) could with a maximum of training be entrusted with the piloting of these troop carriers is fantastic. Their (the gliders) operation is equivalent to forced landing the largest sized aircraft without engine aid – than which there is no higher test of piloting skill. Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, Sir Arthur Harris, 1941
After Germany used a mass glider fleet to capture Britain’s Mediterranean base of Crete on 20 May 1941 (although successful there were terrible casualties), Churchill confirmed that the Army would supply the glider pilots and the RAF take responsibility for training them. Towards the end of 1941 the following notice was posted in Messes and NAAFIs:

THE AIRBORNE FORCES OF THE BRITISH ARMY CONSIST OF PARACHUTE TROOPS AND GLIDER-BORNE TROOPS OF ALL ARMS OF THE SERVICE.
A limited number of officers and other ranks are urgently required for training as glider pilots. Applications for transfer or further information should be made to unit headquarters .

Successful Glider pilot applicants first trained as light aircraft pilots, followed by twelve weeks of glider training for the Hotspurs, and a further course for the heavy Horsas. The ‘Second Pilots’ received twelve weeks of training. Unlike the American glider pilots who were primarily airmen, British glider pilots, picked for their toughness and initiative, were also trained to high standards as combat soldiers The Army Air Corps of two regiments, the Glider Pilot and the Parachute, was formed in February 1942. The Glider Pilot Regiment was formed into Wings, Squadrons and Flights – Squadron commanders were Majors, whilst Flight commanders were Lieutenants or Captains.

Gliders were valuable for their element of surprise, as released near their targets they could glide silently down to crash-land in fields. However, with their flimsy wooden frames and precarious landings they were nicknamed ‘flying coffins’ as they were a dangerous way to go to war Gliders were powerless with little manoeuvring ability, and often difficult to balance when fully loaded with equipment and infantry. The luckiest pilots were the first to land as landing zones could get quickly crowded.