Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of Operation Varsity

Operation Varsity was the codename for the largest single airborne operation conducted on a single day and in one location, and was also the last one of World War II. On 24th March 1945, 16,000 paratroopers and several thousand aircraft from East Anglian air fields crossed the northern Rhine River to secure towns that could otherwise have been used by German forces.

Markshall, serving as the headquarters for RAF Squadrons 296 and 297, played a pivotal role in this operation. A total of 60 gliders were flown from the nearby Earls Colne Airfield.

Markshall’s military history began in the early 1940s when the mansion house was requisitioned by the Air Ministry for the creation of the Earls Colne Airfield and the area we now know as the Arboretum served as a base for RAF Squadrons 296 and 297. To facilitate this, prefabricated units were set up across Markshall, along with the creation of roads, a hospital, and even a cinema to show the latest American films! There were also Nissen huts, air-raid shelters and workshops to facilitate the 3,000 personnel that were stationed there.

The Operation was considered a success, however the operation came at great cost, with 102 of the 440 glider pilots losing their lives and another 102 sustaining injuries. Every year, a special service at Markshall’s memorial space in the North America zone commemorates the events of Operation Varsity and acknowledges the sacrifices made by those involved. The memorial at Markshall includes an obelisk and a one-tenth scale replica of the original runway layout of the Earls Colne airfield.

Markshall today looks dramatically different to how it would have looked during World War 2. Nevertheless, eagled-eyed visitors will be able to notice the evidence of Markshall’s military history, such as the concrete paths that snake through the Arboretum today. The paths were built to ferry people and supplies around the base.

A number of the air raid shelters have now been converted into bat huts to provide a safe habitat for the bats that call Markshall home. You can spot these on the Bench Meadow Wood Walk by following the yellow markers. This route takes you past Marygolds, the old dower house and the site of the former hall. The conversion of the shelters into bat huts is part of a project that has been running for the past 25 years. Click here to find out more about the diverse habitats of Markshall