Donington remembers unit

Current serving personnel and veterans joined residents as Donington paid tribute to World War II fighters trained in the village.

The annual service to mark the 1st Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers and particularly those who died on the battlefield at Arnhem in 1944 took place at St Mary and the Holy Rood Church on Sunday (September 28).

Alongside the service at the memorial there were displays of military equipment curated by Ady Thorold and Lee Bowden, as well as an archive of photos on display in the church.

There was also refreshments served there by Jill and Charlotte Fearn.

One of the organisers, Eddie Finch, said the service ‘went very well’.

“In attendance were families of the Veterans travelling from all over the country with current serving members of the 23rd Parachute Engineer Regiment and veterans from numerous post World War II campaigns including Suez, Malaya and 9 Parachute Squadron RE who served in the Falklands.

“Falklands veteran Geoff Barlow laid a wreath at the Arnhem Oak Memorial as did South Holland Coun Jan Whitbourn.

“Four Royal British Legions Standards were led by Alan Canham, piper Hugh Berry, bugler Kathy Coupland and names of the fallen read by local resident Tom Gilks.”

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