An appeal has been issued for anyone with pictures of a squadron which trained at Donington in World War Two ahead of a memorial to them this weekend.
The annual service to mark the 1st Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers and particularly those who died on the battlefield at Arnhem in 1944 takes place at St Mary and the Holy Rood Church in Donington at 11am on Sunday (September 28).
This memorial service includes the presentation of the standards and the names of the fallen soldiers are read out.
In the church Arnhem corner is a book of Remembrance with the Battle Honours Bruneval France, Tamera north Africa, Primosole Bridge Sicily, Taranto Italy and Oosterbeek Arnhem Holland where there is the laying of the wreaths followed by a bugler with the last post.
The service will then move outside to the churchyard where wreaths are laid at the at the memorial beneath the Arnhem Oak Tree brought back as a sapling from the battlefields of Holland.
Edward Finch is among those who organises the event.
“Everyone is very welcome to attend the service and refreshments are then served in the church hall,” he said.
There is a display of photos and information about the soldiers who were billeted in Donington under going intensive training for the nine months before Operation Market Garden depicted in the film A Bridge Too Far.
“Many of the soldiers did not return and are buried in the Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery in Oosterbeek near Arnhem.
“Those with no known grave are remembered on the memorial panels at Groesbeek War Cemetery.”
If anyone has any stories or photos of the Parachute Regiment Veterans to share can they please contact Edward via email at [email protected]
