The Officers' Mess, 3rd Parachute Battalion, Spalding, Lincolnshire, 1944.

Note: Information in brackets relates to Arnhem and  was kindly supplied by Lt Len Wright

Officers Mess, 3rd Parachute Battalion. Spalding, Lincs. June 1944.

Standing: L-R: Lts A R ‘Tony’ Baxter (2 Pln, A Coy, wounded in the legs), Collett (A Coy), Archibald (HQ Coy), S W Burnard (QM, 1st Sea tail.), ‘Alex’ Vedeniapine MM, G M ‘Gerry’ Infield (8 Pln, C Coy), S WA Bennett (MTO, 1st Sea tail.), ‘Dixie’ Dean (DCM. HQ-Coy), Stanley Gillespie (Mortar Pln, PoW), ‘Johnny’ Pryce (RSO, PoW), J A S ‘Jimmy’ Cleminson MC (5 Pln, B Coy, awarded the MC), E ‘Jimmy’ James MC (MiD. 4 Pln, B Coy, PoW), L W ‘Len’ Wright (9 Pln, C Coy, wounded and taken PoW at Arnhem Bridge 20 September 1944), Derrick J Bentham (A/ADJT UK based), M J ‘Dickers’ Dickson (MMG Pln, PoW), Gordon Hill (6 Pln, B Coy, KIA) and B P ‘Bertie’ Ash (3 Pln, A Coy, PoW & cited for a Military Cross.)

Sitting: L-R: Capts J ‘Sandy’ Rutherford (RMO taken PoW with the wounded), W H ‘ Chippy’ Robinson (2iC C Coy), G L W ‘Pat’ Street MC (2iC HQ Coy, OC 1st Sea tail), Maj Peter H Waddy (B Coy, KIA 18 September 1944), Maj M Dennison (A Coy), Maj R ‘Dicky’ Lonsdale DSO, MC, Lt Col E C ‘Bill’ Yeldham, Capt Charles Seccombe (ADJT, wounded, lost both his legs), Maj J I ‘Happy’ Houston (OC, HQ Coy, KIA 20 September 1944), Maj Alan Bush (OC C Coy, took over as Bn 2iC, wounded in both legs and awarded the MC), Capts R P C ‘Pongy’ Lewis (2iC C Coy, took over as OC, wounded in the legs and back at the Van Limburg Stirum School), R ‘Roddy’ Thessiger (2iC A Coy, WIA, PoW) and Edward ‘Bill’ Phillips (Padre, taken prisoner with the wounded at St Elizabeth’s Hospital).