The RUN TO PEGASUS is an epic tribute to the men of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry who spearheaded the entire D-Day invasion with a daring midnight raid on two bridges in Normandy.

Loaded into six Horsa Gliders, 180 men from the Oxf & Bucks, Royal Engineers, Glider Pilot Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps and The Parachute Regiment, took off from Tarrant Rushton Airfield in Dorset, towed by Halifax Bombers flown by the Royal Air Force.

Their objective was to capture and hold two vital bridges which spanned the Caen Canal and Orne River. These bridges were crucial to the success of D-Day and had to be secured at all costs.

This operation became the stuff of legends and is now one of the most celebrated British Military operations of all time.

We need 186 runners to represent the ‘Coup de Main’ Group and to take part in the Run To Pegasus.
Leaving Tarrant Rushton on the evening of Tuesday 4th June, the group will follow a 62 mile route, overnight, to Portsmouth. Once arrived at the ferry port, the group will sail at 22:00hrs on Wednesday 5th June to Normandy.

The ferry arrives in Normandy at 06:45 on Thursday 6th June – around the same time that men began to land on the beaches, 75 years earlier!
After a brief and well-earned rest at the ferry port, the group will then gather to complete the journey to the legendary Pegasus Bridge.

Once assembled at the Landing Zone, the group will be transported to the River Dives where a commemorative plaque will be unveiled at the spot where the men of 22 Platoon, on no4 Glider, landed having been towed off course.

The group will then take part in a fitting and poignant tribute to 22 Plt by completing the 10 mile route they had to take on D-Day to rendezvous with their comrades. This will take the total distance covered to 75 miles for the 75th anniversary of D-Day!

This promises to be a very special and memorable event indeed.

Almost 70 places have already been snapped up but we need many more in order to be able to represent the heroes of the Coup de Main.

You can help us to achieve this goal by registering to take part yourself or by sharing the detail with friends, family and colleagues who might be interested.

Each runner is required to raise sponsorship for The Veterans Charity as part of their participation. All funds raised will of course make a huge difference and enable us to deliver even more vital suppor tto Veterans who are facing hardship and distress.

Full details including a detailed Info Pack can be found at www.veteranscharity.org.uk/rtop

VC