Onwards into France
Introduction – towards Paris and beyond
Although not strictly part of this website, one of the key missions of 21 BDS was to provide ground control and intercept radar to support the US and Allied Armies as they began their capture of France. Under 21 BDS there were five separate GCI units as well as a number of MSUs and MSSUs. Their task was to be as close to the allied frontline as possible in order to provide close radar support and interception of incoming enemy aircraft.
The first GCI to land in France was 15082 who had the misfortune to suffer severe enemy action at the time of landing but, once re-equipped, this GCI and others under both 21 BDS and 24 BDS provided essential and challenging radar support for the duration of the war.
In this short section we have taken some of the reminiscences and stories of 21 BDS to give a flavour the day-to-day lives of these RAF personnel and some of the more notable incidents that befell them as they chased the Germans out of France.