Hi, I wonder if anyone can help? I've recently come across a photo of the officers of 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, which was taken at the end of the war. Surprisingly (it's not mentioned in his service records) the image appears to include my grandfather (either attached or on strength). I wondered if any members had a copy of the return of officers from the battalion war diary for April/May 1945 they'd be willing to share to confirm? Any help appreciated.
Post Arnhem Officer Group on ParaData, with full list of names within said web-page. Hopefully you can identify at least some of yours from same. Here's the link: Officers of the 2nd Para Bn, Cottesmore, after Arnhem, winter 1944. | ParaData Good luck with all. Kind regards, always, Jim.
Thanks, Jim - that's great. It's actually a better version of the photo I came across. Pretty sure that's him on there, I wonder if a return of officers would confirm what he was doing there.
Officers on Strength for 19th May 1945 attached. It’s one of the clearer lists but I have others if you cannot find his name
Thanks, horsapassenger - can't see his name (J C Dobson) on there. I wonder if he'd left by 19th May?
Interesting. My father was a platoon commander (7 Pl, C Coy) in the Second Battalion and was captured at Arnhem. He was liberated from Oflag 79 in Apr 45 by the Americans but I’m not sure what he did in the immediate post-war period. Perhaps he was on richly deserved leave so was not present for the photo.
I had the great pleasure of knowing your father and talking with him about his capture at Arnhem. He was in the Museum directing mortar fire for Jack Reynolds’ mortars situated in the dell below when the Germans entered and overran the place. My father was only just able to get away and for years only knew that there was a Parachute officer who had attached himself to their battalion on the floor above him. Through the efforts of a dutch friend they were finally introduced to each other at the 50th
JDKR - Just looked up and your father rejoined the Battalion on 7th July 1945 "pending posting". If memory serves me correct he stayed in the army and rose to high rank
Thank you for your kind words. It was very sad that he suddenly died so soon after becoming president of the Arnhem Veterans Association, a role to which he was much looking forward.
How interesting. Thank you. His next posting was, I believe, to 6th Airborne with whom he went to Palestine. He stayed in the army until 1968 and retired as a Lt Col. He commanded 1 Royal Sussex in Malta, Aden, UK, N Ireland and latterly Germany where the battalion became the third battalion of the newly formed Queen’s Regiment.
Thank you Jim for posting this photo, which I hadn’t seen before. In the photo is Robin Vlasto, my father’s best friend who was also captured at Arnhem and incarcerated with him in Oflag 79. Major Dover was my father’s OC.
Here's a better copy of said photo John. Copies of both photos (with names of officers and without) can be purchased via ParaData should you want better quality copies than the ones I've posted (a few years back photos were a tenner so may be more nowadays). Kind regards, always, Jim.
