Born in 1916, Mike Packe was granted a commission with the Royal Army Service Corps Reserve in 1936 and promoted to Lieutenant on 1 March 1939. He took part in the Dunkirk evacuation, and after eighteen months as an instructor training others for battle was accepted in 1942 for airborne forces.
He subsequently qualified as a military parachutist on Course 16 which ran at RAF Ringway from 22 to 27 June 1942 and went on to serve with 1st Airborne Division for the remainder of the war.
Mike Packe initially served as Officer Commanding of 250 (Airborne) Light Composite Coy. By the end of 1943 he had been promoted to Lt Col and Commander of the Royal Army Service Corps (CRASC), 1st Airborne Division.
He flew to Arnhem, for Operation Market Garden, as part of the Second Lift (18 September 1944) gliderborne force, bound for Landing Zone 'X', from RAF Fairford, piloted by Lt Bewley and second pilot Sgt Midgley. The glider (Chalk No 941) carried his small HQ Staff with a jeep and trailer. After a safe landing, both Lt Bewley and Sgt Midgley stayed with 1st Airborne Divisional Headquarters throughout the battle.
Mike Packe was later awarded the Dutch Bronze Cross for his actions at Arnhem and promoted to Acting Colonel in May 1945.
In addition to other books, he wrote two accounts based on his experiences with 1st Airborne Division:
'First Airborne' published by Secker And Warburg 1948
'Winged Stallion' reprint by Blandford Press 1988 presents a fictionalised account of life in 1st Airborne Division based on real events.
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