Op Varsity 80: 100-year-old RAF pilot Walter Martin shares his remarkable story

Today marks the 80th anniversary of Operation Varsity, an historic mission that saw thousands of RAF glider pilots take to the skies during the final stages of the Second World War. Walter Martin, one of the last surviving pilots from this legendary operation, shares his remarkable story of bravery and survival.

Walter, who will turn 101 in May, volunteered for the RAF in 1943, at just 19 years old. His training took him from Devon to Canada and then to Arizona, where he completed his flying course before being seconded to fly troop-carrying gliders.

On 24 March 1945, Operation Varsity aimed to secure a bridgehead over the River Rhine, one of the longest rivers in Europe.

Walter was part of the largest airborne operation, with 1,300 gliders and 2,600 aircraft in the air. His Horsa glider, carrying a jeep, a 6-pounder gun, and nine troops, faced heavy flak as it descended toward a smoke-filled battlefield.

With low visibility due to bombings in the area, Walter skilfully managed to keep as much altitude as possible, one of just 39 pilots out of 600 who landed their gliders successfully.

A rifle shot came through Walter’s windscreen, missing him by just 18 inches. Miraculously, the bullet passed through a packet of Sweet Caprol cigarettes that had been gifted to him by his Canadian tow pilot, which Walter still keeps as a memento of his lucky escape.

On Sunday 23 March 2025, Op Varsity was commemorated at RAF Rivenhall with a memorial unveiling, a band, a march-past by Air Cadets and Standard Bearers from veteran charities and a low-level flying display from Second World War Dakota planes.