Thread 🧵 Probably the most poignant letter I will ever read to passengers and someone I always make sure to visit whilst in Arnhem is Ivor Rowberry. Ivor came from Wolverhampton. He didn’t survive. Here is the letter he wrote to his mum 1/ Dear Mum, usually when I write a letter it is long overdue and I must make every effort to get it away quickly. This letter however is different. It is a letter I hoped you would never receive as it is just a verification of that terse black edged card which you received 2/

Thread 🧵 This morning we are off to find as near as damn it the action which afforded Lionel Queripel his VC at Arnhem. Having already seen action at Dunkirk and North Africa with the Royal Sussex he transferred to 10 Para 1/ After dropping on the 18th Sept with 4th Para Bde the 10th Battalion fought to the north of Oosterbeek in an area known as the pumping station. With the enemy closing in 10 Para amongst others were forced to withdraw through this area 19/.09.44 2/

Hercules C-130 a thread 🧵 In 2009 I was living in Germany. My then husband was a serviceman. Late one Friday I had a phone call to say my mum who had dementia was not going to live much longer. The military have systems for getting their service personnel and families home 1/ …at very short notice. It’s called Cat A compassionate. I thought I would be put aboard a trooper flight bringing soldiers home from Afghanistan - stopping in Germany & then on to Brize Norton or possibly the first civilian flight in the morning. After phoning a liaison… 2/