War - Cumbrian Soldier at Operation Market Garden Arnhem

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Soldier describes D Day Arnhem in The Kings Regiment video

Ambleside Oral history group record a WW2 soldier’s life from Kings Regiment Formby to Arnhem Bridge and Eindhoven Bridge.  

For an impression of the action at Arnhem see Operation Market Garden & “A Bridge Too Far”.  To find out more about the Regiment visit Carlisle Castle Army Museum.

Trained with Kings Regiment at Formby then Kent near Biggin Hill, guarding without ammunition.  Volunteered (involuntarily) for D Day.  Suddenly given ammunition, why, put on boats, oh dear shells coming this way – it was D Day + 1 with half the battalion killed, they being reserve, Fontenay more lost, officers targeted because they had ties, so soldiers were given ties!  But NCOs had black boots and officers had brown boots.  They were supposed to be reserve for Arnhem, but too wet so couldn’t get through the mud to Arnhem.  

So went to Remagen Bridge for 3 months guarding it.

This oral history was recorded for the Voices of Cumbria Millennium Project in 2000 commissioned by Cumbria Archives and was illustrated by Peter Nicholson using various images from various collections in Cumbria. Please re-use freely.

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