RAF Balloon Barrage men were among the first Allied troops to land on the beaches at

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RAF Balloon Barrage men were among the first Allied troops to land on the beaches at

RAF Balloon Barrage men were among the first Allied troops to land on the beaches at Salerno, Southern Italy. Their job was to keep low flying enemy aircraft from bombing and strafing the landing barges as they came in ashore. The detachment landed with their balloons in theGulf of Salerno before daylight on invasion day. They waded ashore through three feet of water carrying their balloons, and planted them on the beach in the face of heavy machine gun and mortar fire. The balloons were flying 200 ft high as they came ashore and were let up to operational height on small hand winches as soon as the men stepped onto the mainland.
Picture shows: An airman of the ground crew manhandles a balloon while it is being anchored on the beach. German guns and aircraft shot these balloons while they were being flown to cover the Allied landings.
9th September 1943

Official
Reach PLC
Mirrorpix
Salerno
Italy

Media ID 21898159

© Mirrorpix

1943 Allied Invasion Of Italy Armed Forces Italian Campaign Opertion Avalanche Royal Air Force Services

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