Sunday, 25 January 2026

Part 10: The Pegasus Bridge Hero: Denis Edwards

 

The Bridge for Part 10: From Shop Floor to Front Line

Up until now, we have looked at the 'Hush Hush' shop as a place of industry—a hive of precision joinery, volatile chemicals, and '8-stitch' perfection. But the true weight of that work wasn't measured in man-hours or material costs; it was measured in lives.

While the women of Lancing were stretching linen and the men were reinforcing timber floors, a local boy from just down the road was preparing to put their craftsmanship to the ultimate test. His name was Denis Edwards, and on the night of June 5th, 1944, he wasn't just a neighbour; he was a passenger in the lead glider of the most daring 'coup de main' raid in military history. The quality of the work done in the Lancing Carriage Works was about to become the only thing between Denis and the cold reality of the French soil.

The Lancing "Liberation" Links

1. The Pegasus Bridge Hero: Denis Edwards

In a truly incredible local connection, a young man named Denis Edwards lived in Lancing and was a member of the 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.

  • The Mission: He was a 19-year-old Private in the very first of the three Horsa gliders to crash-land at Pegasus Bridge in the early hours of D-Day.

  • The "Lancing" Circle: Imagine the moment: Denis was sitting inside a Horsa glider—a machine likely containing floor sections and tail units built and doped by his neighbours in the Lancing Carriage Works—as it plummeted toward the Caen Canal. He survived the crash and the fierce battle that followed.

2. The "Sussex Sappers" (Royal Engineers)

The 1st Sussex Engineers (part of the 44th Home Counties Division) had a huge presence in the area, with 263 (Sussex) Field Company based just down the road in Steyning.

  • The Rhine Crossing: These "Sussex Sappers" were the ones tasked with the "heavy lifting" of the liberation. When it came to the Rhine Crossing (Operation Varsity), they would have been the primary users of the Bailey Bridge Pontoons—those very same "plywood boxes" being manufactured in the Hush Hush shop.

The search for Denis Edwards has yielded absolute historical gold. He wasn't just a "witness" to history; he was one of the 180 men of the Coup de Main force—the very first Allied soldiers to touch French soil on D-Day.

And yes, he was a proud resident of Lancing.

The Man: Private Denis "Eddie" Edwards

Denis was born in 1924 and joined the army at just 16 (lying about his age, as many did). He was part of 25 Platoon, D Company, 2nd (Airborne) Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.

  • The Lancing Connection: After the war, Denis lived in Lancing for decades. He was a key figure in the Glider Pilot Regimental Association and the local veteran community. He died in 2008, having spent much of his later life sharing the story of what happened that night.

  • The Glider: He was in Glider No. 1 (the lead glider). When it hit the ground at 00:16 am, the deceleration was so violent it threw the men forward with enough force to snap the safety harnesses.

  • The "Lancing" Circle: Think about the geography. While Denis was training for a "suicide mission" in Exeter, his neighbours in the Lancing Works were likely finishing the very floors and tail units of the gliders he would fly in.

The "Liberation" Timeline: Where Lancing Met the Front

EventDateDenis's ExperienceThe Lancing "Work" Link
D-Day (Normandy)6 June 1944Captured Pegasus Bridge in Glider No. 1.Sitting on floors built in the Lancing Shops.
The ArdennesWinter 1944Fought in the "Battle of the Bulge."Glider parts being frantically repaired in the Works.
Rhine CrossingMarch 1945Operation Varsity: Landing near Hamminkeln.The "Lancing Plywood Pontoons" carrying the tanks behind him.    

The "Full Circle" Proof

Denis actually recorded his experiences in a famous book called The Devil’s Own Luck: Pegasus Bridge to the Baltic.

A "Nuts and Bolts" Detail from the Book: Denis describes the Horsa as a "great wooden bird" that creaked and groaned in the wind. He often mentioned how the internal structure was surprisingly sturdy—a direct nod to the high-quality joinery of the railway carriage builders who assembled those frames.

Link to a book review 


For many in Lancing, Denis was more than just a name in a history book. He was the man in the maroon beret standing at the War Memorial every November 11th. He didn't just carry the memories of Pegasus Bridge; he carried the pride of the village that helped build the 'wooden birds' that took him there. 

Denis was a familiar figure in the annual Remembrance Sunday parades, marching from the Legion Hall to the South Street Memorial. For those who saw the maroon beret passing by, he was a living link to a time when Lancing's industrial skill and its young men's bravery were the frontline of European liberation.
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A Personal Connection: The Driver’s View

While Denis Edwards was falling through the night in a wooden Horsa, thousands of men like my father were waiting in the wings. As an RASC driver in a 'Dodge Beep' (marked with the unit code '83'), he was part of the massive supply chain that moved across the very bridges Lancing built. Every time he drove onto a Bailey Bridge, he was trusting the plywood pontoons—built in his own backyard—to keep 4 tons of truck and cargo above the water.

"My father was an RASC driver—one of the thousands of men who kept the Allied advance moving. Like so many of his generation, he didn't speak much of the war. But looking at the photo of him beside his truck, I realise he was likely one of the men depending on the strength of those Lancing-built pontoons to get his cargo across the rivers of Europe."


DetailHistorical FactLocal Link
TruckDodge WC-51RASC Workhorse
Unit 83Infantry Brigade TransportThe "Heavy Lifters" of the Division
Bridge Plate 4/8Weight RatingThe "Pass" for Lancing Pontoons

Decoding the Markings on the Truck

  • The "83" (Unit Serial Number): This is the most significant clue. In an Infantry Division of the 21st Army Group, the number 83 on a Red and Green diagonal background was the code for the RASC Transport Company attached to the Infantry Brigade. Specifically, it usually identified the company supporting the Senior Brigade of the division.

    The technical markings on my father’s wartime truck reveal a hidden connection to the very bridges Lancing helped build. His vehicle carried a yellow 'Bridge Classification' plate marked 48, a code used by the RASC (Royal Army Service Corps) to signify a truck and trailer combination with a total laden weight of around 8 tons. Every time he drove his Dodge 'Beep' across the Rhine or the Maas, he was placing his life and his cargo in the hands of his Sussex neighbours. He relied on the strength of those Lancing-built plywood pontoons to keep his 8-ton load buoyant and stable as he moved vital supplies toward the heart of Germany.
The "Nuts and Bolts" of the RASC Driver

  • The Bridge Connection: The Royal Engineers would arrive at a river (like the Rhine) and launch the Lancing-built plywood pontoons.

  • The Crossing: Once the Bailey Bridge was secured, the RASC drivers were the very first to take the heavy loads across.

  • The Load: A "Squad" usually focused on specific supplies. Given the Lancing connection to gliders, it’s worth noting that the RASC also transported the spare parts and "dope" lacquers needed to keep aircraft in the field.

  • The "Beep": The truck itself is a Dodge WC-51 (often called a "Weapons Carrier" or "Beep"). These were American-built and highly prized by RASC drivers because of their four-wheel drive capability, allowing them to scramble through the mud of Holland and Germany where larger trucks would flounder.

"To truly understand the scale of the challenge faced by the Royal Engineers and drivers like my father, one only has to look at the 'Grand Shunt' across the Rhine in 1945. The following film shows the incredible momentum of Operation Plunder, featuring the very type of floating Bailey bridges that relied on thousands of Sussex-built plywood pontoons to span the water and carry the weight of the Allied liberation."

[Watch: The Rhine Crossing - Bridging the Gap (External Link)]

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Did you know? The Green Turtle (Railwaymen’s Club) on South Street, where many of these veterans later socialised, was originally built in 1928 by Mr Tom Lance at a cost of £6,500—long before it became the heart of the village's wartime social life.

Special thanks to Margaret Sear for her fantastic research in the Worthing Herald archives, uncovering the 1939 clipping that finally identified Mr Tom Lance as the original builder of the Lancing Club (The Green Turtle) in 1928.
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Saturday, 24 January 2026

Part 2b - The Secret of the "Hush Hush" Shop

 

Part 2b: The Secret of the "Hush Hush" Shop

While many in Lancing knew the Carriage Works as the heart of the Southern Railway, few realised that during the height of the war, a section of the works had been transformed into a high-stakes aeronautical factory. This was the "Hush Hush" Shop.

While men like Mr Warr (whose story we tell in Part 3) were training as the first line of defence against incendiary bombs, Evelyn and her team in the 'Hush Hush' shop were fighting a different kind of battle—one of precision and volatile chemicals."

Evelyn Steadman was one of the few transferred from the Upholstery department to this secret world. Her task wasn't just to "sew"; it was to engineer the wings of the Airspeed Horsa Glider. These weren't standard railway repairs; these wings were built to a staggering precision of 0.001”.

Evelyn’s transition from the Upholstery department to glider production was a natural fit. The Trimmers at Lancing were world-renowned for their work on luxury railway interiors; the same steady hands that stitched plush velvet and leather were now tasked with the '8-stitch' precision required for Grade A Linen aircraft skins. It was a shift from the comfort of the commute to the survival of the soldier."

Evelyn Steadman and her workmate Ada
"We had to stretch calico over the frames with eight stitches to the inch and a double knot every six inches," Evelyn recalled. "Once stitched, it went to the 'Dope Room' to be hardened until the fabric felt as solid as plywood."

Note the rhythm of the workers and the scale of the wings as they are finally loaded onto the trucks—the very moment Evelyn and her colleagues handed their precision work over to the front line.

The precision required for this work was absolute. While the men in the same shop constructed the wooden frames for the wings and elevators to a staggering tolerance of one-thousandth of an inch (0.001"), it was up to Eve and her friend Ada to provide the "skin."

The technical requirements were staggering:

  • The Woodwork: The men crafting the wooden wing frames worked to a tolerance of one-thousandth of an inch (0.001").

  • The Stitching: Calico was stretched over these frames and secured with buttonhole stitching.

  • The 8-Stitch Rule: The standard was exactly 8 stitches to the inch—never 7 and never 9.

  • The Security: A double knot was required every 6 inches, with a long needle and string used to stitch from top to bottom and back again to prevent any movement.

Once the 'Dope Room' treated these wings, they became as hard as plywood. Evelyn and the other girls never saw them again, but their work was the literal fabric of the D-Day invasion."

The girls from Lancing Carriage works/"Hush Hush" shop. Evelyn Steadman front centre left. 

The Fortress in the Garden: From Coaches to Gliders

"With the arrival of the 1940s, the Lancing Carriage Works was pulled into the heart of the war effort."The site—often celebrated as a 'factory in a garden'—found itself repurposed as a vital military fortress. The video at [33:45] illustrates this transition perfectly, showing how the Southern Railway’s engineering shops were unmatched in their versatility.

The skilled hands that once polished the mahogany of luxury coaches were suddenly turned to the production of Horsa glider frames, aircraft tail planes, and even small ships. The 'saw-tooth' sheds of Lancing provided the perfect environment for these secretive projects, where the precision of the railwaymen and the newly trained 'Railway Girls' met the urgent demands of the front line.

As the narrator notes at [34:25], the women literally 'sewed the fabric' onto the gliders and applied the foul-smelling dope, working alongside veterans who remembered the peacetime works. This wasn't just industrial work; it was a high-stakes race against time. The very tracks that once carried the Lancing Belle now bristled with anti-aircraft guns, defended by men like Dixy Dean and Mr Maple, who stood ready to protect the 'Fortress' they called home."




"To see the end result of the 'Hush Hush' shop's labour, you can watch this footage of the Horsa Gliders in action. Notice the fabric-skinned tail units and fuselage sections—this is exactly how the Lancing-produced components looked as they headed for the front line."


E

The Longest Floating Bailey Bridge

A notable example is the bridge constructed across the River Maas at Gennep in February 1945:

  • Scale: This was the longest floating Bailey bridge ever built during the Second World War, stretching nearly 1,400 metres.

  • Construction: It required a vast amount of Bailey bridge equipment and pontoons, which were assembled in sections and floated into place.

  • Strategic Role: This bridge was essential for bringing over troops and supplies for the final push into Germany. After the river levels dropped, the pontoons and bridge equipment were collected and moved to the Rhine for the massive river crossings in March 1945.

The Role of the "Hush Hush" Shop

The floats identified in the wartime footage were the critical components that made these crossings possible:

  • Pontoon Manufacturing: The shop at the Lancing Carriage Works was a key production site for these airtight floating pontoons.

  • Precision Engineering: Each float had to be perfectly manufactured to remain buoyant under the weight of heavy military vehicles, a task that required the skilled workforce of the "Hush Hush" shop.

    The Bailey Bridge Floats

    The Bailey bridge was one of the most critical engineering feats of WWII, but it wasn't always a fixed structure. To cross wider rivers like the Rhine or the Seine, the modular bridge panels were supported by floating pontoons.

    • Materials & Design: While the main bridge was steel, the "floats" (pontoons) were often large, airtight metal or rubberised containers. The metal versions required high-precision welding to ensure they remained perfectly watertight under the immense weight of crossing tanks.

The Lancing Connection: It is now a recorded historical fact that the Lancing Carriage Works was a key site for constructing both Bailey bridges and the tailplanes for Horsa gliders.

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Did You Know?

  • At the height of the Second World War, 105,743 women were employed on the railways and in workshops across the country, working side-by-side with men to keep the nation moving.

    Right here in Lancing, the secret "Hush Hush" Shop at the Carriage Works was a hive of this female-led industry. While some were meticulously stitching fabric onto Horsa Glider wings, others were involved in the manufacture of massive Bailey Bridge floats.

    These airtight pontoons were the unsung heroes of the Allied advance; as seen in the footage, they provided the buoyancy needed for floating bridges to carry tanks across the great rivers of Europe, like the Maas and the Rhine.



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Friday, 23 January 2026

Part 1b - Philip Fry Collection

Philip Fry Aug 1948 Lancing Belle rail ticket





The Passport to the Works: > "Before the first whistle blew at the Carriage Works, the day began on the platform. This 1948 Third Class Workman’s return ticket—popularly known as a pass for the 'Lancing Belle'—was the daily companion for thousands of workers commuting from Brighton. At a cost of 11½d, it was more than just a fare; it was the entry requirement for the 'Steel Ring' community. For many, the camaraderie of the Works didn't start at the factory gates, but in the shared carriages of the morning train."

Philip Fry collection
From the Philip Fry Collection

"Group photo of Lancing Coachworks Paint Shop staff c. 1910, featuring Foreman Mr Leppard in a bowler hat."
From the Philip Fry Collection (gently enhanced)

The Philip Fry Collection: Industrial Pride (c. 1910)

This rare photograph captures the workforce at a pivotal moment in the history of the Lancing Works. Initially, the site was dedicated solely to the construction and repair of wagon stock, but by 1910, the mission had expanded to include the complex construction and repair of railway carriages.

  • The Foreman: Standing out on the far left, distinguished by his bowler hat, is the foreman, Mr Leppard.

  • The Crew: Pictured outside the Paint Shop, these men were the predecessors to the painters we see in the 1940s ledgers, establishing the high standards of finish that the Lancing Coachworks would become famous for.

Interior of Lancing Works Wheel Shop showing early wood-block and steel-rimmed railway wheels."
From the Philip Fry Collection

The Wheel Shop: Engineering Precision (c. 1910)

While the Paint Shop staff focused on the finish, the men of the Wheel Shop were responsible for the very foundation of the railway. This area was dedicated to the high-stakes task of machining wheels between centres on a massive wheel-turning lathe.

  • Standard Profiles: Every wheel seen here was machined to a precise gauge. This ensured a standard profile that allowed for safe, smooth running on the railway tracks.

  • Industrial Scale: The image captures the transition of the Lancing Works into a major hub for the construction and repair of carriages, where the heavy lifting of the wheelsets met the fine-tuned machining of the lathes.

The Wheelshop c1910 - The Inner part was wood the outer, steel
From the Philip Fry Collection

This second view of the Wheel Shop captures a fascinating era of experimental engineering. At this time, Lancing was producing "wood block wheels"—a hybrid design featuring a steel outer rim with a wooden interior.

  • The Steam Era Standard: These wood-centered wheels were perfectly adequate for the steady pace and braking of steam-hauled trains.

  • The Impact of Electrification: The arrival of electric trains changed everything. Faster speeds and more frequent, forceful braking caused the outer steel rings to heat up dramatically.

  • A Fire in the Works: This heat was so intense it began to char the inner wooden blocks, eventually forcing the Works to transition to the all-steel wheels that became the standard for modern carriage construction.


Rolling out the wheels fitted with axles
From the Philip Fry Collection

The Final Roll-Out: Logistics of the Coachworks (c. 1910)

In this perspective, we see the finished wheelsets being manoeuvred out of the Wheel Shop. The shop floor was a hive of activity where the heavy engineering of the lathes met the careful logistics of the assembly line.

  • The Flow of Production: The wheels are seen here on the main tracks, being moved toward the next stage of carriage construction.

  • Specialised Infrastructure: Note the smaller "inner track" running between the main rails. This was designed for a trolley truck, which carried the heavy axles as they waited to be fitted with their respective wheels.

  • A Community of Skill: The men pictured here represent the teamwork required to move these multi-ton components safely and efficiently through the works.

Part 1b: The Philip Fry Collection – Industrial Pride

We are incredibly grateful to Phil for trusting us with these high-resolution originals from his private archive. By sharing them here, we ensure that the legacy of the Lancing workforce is preserved for future generations.

The Precision of the Wheel Shop (c. 1910)

These images capture the sheer scale and technical discipline required to keep the Southern Railway moving.

  • Machining the Monster: The work involved machining massive wheels between centres on a wheel-turning lathe. Every wheel was machined to a strict gauge to ensure a standard profile for safe running on the tracks.

  • The Shift to Steel: Early wheels used a steel outer rim with a wooden interior, which worked well for steam. However, the faster speeds and fiercer braking of electric trains caused the steel to heat up so intensely that it charred the wood, forcing a transition to the all-steel wheels Lancing became known for.

  • The Workflow: Finished wheelsets were manoeuvred out of the shop on main tracks. A clever "inner track" was used for trolley trucks, allowing a few skilled men to move heavy axles with precision.

The Human Element: Paint Shop Staff

In this 1910 staff photo, we see the faces of the men who established Lancing’s reputation for excellence. Standing on the far left in the bowler hat is the foreman, Mr Leppard. At this time, the works were expanding from wagon repair to the full-scale construction of passenger carriages.

The Payday Ritual: The Payment Tin

Phil has shared a rare survivor of the Works’ daily life—a Payment Tin.

  • The Process: After handing in their pay slip, workers were handed this tin, which contained their wages.

  • Identity: The lid featured a brass plate stamped with the worker's unique works number (this one is 2446).

  • The Cycle: Once the wages were removed, the tin was returned to the pay clerk to be prepared for the following week.


Southern Railway payment tin number 2446, used for distributing weekly wages at Lancing Works."
From the Philip Fry Collection

Philip Fry Derek Fry 1950 Payslip

The Friday Exchange: 54 Hours and a Heavy Tin

"This 1950 Pay Ticket belongs to Derek Fry (Works No. 2381), and it tells a story far beyond simple pounds and pence. Looking closely at the 'Chief Mechanical Engineer’s Dept' stamp and the 54½ hours clocked, you can almost feel the pace of the Lancing shop floor.

The ritual was unchanging: Derek would sign his counterfoil and hand it to the pay clerk. In return, he’d receive a heavy brass Payment Tin, much like the one pictured here (No. 2446). Inside would be his week's wages, minus small but vital deductions for the 'Railway Convalescent Homes' and the 'H.S.A.'—a reminder that the 'Steel Ring' was a community that looked after its own long after the whistle blew."


ItemFocusKey Figure
1950 PayslipChief Mechanical Engineer’s DeptDerek Fry (No. 2381)
Payment TinThe Physical RewardWorks No. 2446
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See Also: To see the faces of the men who operated these "monsters of steel" during their downtime,
 visit [Part 9: The Social Heart of South Street], where we look inside the Railwaymen’s Association (The Green Turtle) and the payday rituals of the Lancing workforce.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Deepen Your Research: The Philip Fry Bibliography

If you would like to delve deeper into the rich history of Lancing and the technical evolution of the Carriage Works, we highly recommend the following titles by Philip Fry. Part of the acclaimed "Britain in Old Photographs" series, these volumes offer a comprehensive look at our village through the lens of the McCarthy Brothers (1908–1931) and beyond.

Whether you choose to buy your own copies or borrow them from the local library, these are essential resources for any Lancing history enthusiast.


Lancing and Sompting First collection
Lancing & Sompting
ISBN 0-7509-0940-4

Lancing & Sompting 2nd collection
Lancing & Sompting a second selection
ISBN 0-7509-1363-0


Lancing A photographic History
Lancing: A Photographic History
The McCarthy Brothers 1908 - 1931
ISBN 978-1-3999-7048-8


Book TitleAuthorFocus
Lancing: A Photographic HistoryPhilip FryThe McCarthy Brothers 1908 - 1931
Lancing & SomptingPhilip FryBritain in Old Photographs series
Lancing & Sompting: A Second SelectionPhilip FryFurther archival selections









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