Alec Hall

Alec Hall served with the 181 Field Ambulance. He was one of the first to volunteer to join the Airborne Division and was involved in Operation Market Garden.

As soon as Alec landed in Arnhem, his unit headed to a small hotel where they  found three dead soldiers lying in the garden which he assisted the Chaplain to bury. As the battle for Arnhem intensified Alec was stationed in the Hotel Vreewijk which was being used as a medical station and was being constantly attacked.

When the resistance cleared the men, Alec was asked to stay behind to care for the wounded men. Unfortunately,  the Germans put him on an army red cross train where he was taken to Germany and held in a 3,000 capacity POW camp  - the only man in the red beret.

He was held there until February 1945 in which time the only food he ate was boiled turnips. On the 25 February the prisoners woke up to find that the Germans had disappeared,  and the camp gates were open. They vacated the camp, and they spent three weeks wandering until he came across an American tank. Alec was in rags,  with his shoes falling off his feet. He shouted that he was English and was delighted when the American gave him a uniform and a new pair of shoes.

Alec helped with the wounded and ill for three more weeks before he was flown back to England in a Dakota.

Alec sadly passed away 18 October 2023. His funeral was held at the Southend Crematorium 7 November 2023.