Name: Airborne & Commando General Tour
Start: 2025-09-06T14:00:00+01:00
End: 2025-09-06T16:00:00+01:00
Location: Sainsbury's (Melton Mowbray)

Tour departs Outside Sainsbury’s Supermarket, Nottingham Road, Melton Mowbray, LE13 0UL at 14:00Hrs
Duration 120 minutes (2 Hours)
Cost £5 per person
To reserve your place, please email: [email protected]
During World War Two, Melton Mowbray became home to ‘Red Devils’ when hundreds of paratroopers made the town their home after returning to England from fighting in North Africa and Italy. Whilst in Melton they were based at both the Vet Camp and local hosues/lodges in town whilst training for operations for D-Day and Arnhem.
In the early part of 1944, No 156 Battalion Parachute Regiment set up base in Melton Mowbray and used Staveley Lodge on Nottingham Road, Newport Lodge on Scalford Road and The Spinney on Thorpe Road as their billetts.
Prior to World War Two, Newport Lodge was also the family home of the Laycock family and Robert, one of the children, became Major General Sir Robert Laycock KCMG, CB, DSO otherwise known as the Commando General and Commander of of the Lay Force.