In Chapter 15, pages 7 to 8, there is an account of gliders ferrying radar and crews to the Arnhen area in Holland, in September, 1944.
The book mentions that one of the gliders had to detach from its Stirling tug on take off. The book gives some details of "what happened" to the glider.
Frank Ashleigh, (ex Glider Pilot Regiment) was the co-pilot of the glider. Here are his comments on what happened:
I write with reference to your report on S.Sgt. Cumming's Stirling tug
spinning off etc. Regretfully I have to tell you that it is without a word
of truth. His name was Bernard Cummins, not Cummings (the only one with
either name in the regiment.) Now interred in Oosterbeek cemetery as he was
K.I.A.
I flew with him as his second pilot. Yes, we were carrying a radar set
loaded into a Willy's Jeep/two trailers. We certainly had to pull off on
take-off because our Stirling tug lost one engine; this was before either of
us at had reached flying speed. We were recovered and towed back to the
mouth of the runway. After our compressed air bottle had been refilled, we
subsequently took off behind another Stirling. We reached our L.Z. and made
a safe landing.
Yours in sorrow,
Frank Ashleigh. (ex Glider Pilot Regiment
Last updated April 2014