Major John A Cotterell

John A Cotterell was commissioned in the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), and volunteered for airborne forces.

Major Cotterell successfully completed his glider training, and was attached to 1st Parachute Brigade as a war correspondent and took part in operation Market Garden (Arnhem).

Major Cotterell was captured in the Rhine Bridge area at Arnhem, and subsequently was put on a truck to be taken to Zutphen, along with other members of 1st Airborne Division, on 23 September 1944. They were shot at by an SS soldier at Brummen, when some of the para’s tried to escape. Major Cotterell was wounded, and eventually taken to the Roman Catholic Hospital at Enschede where he died on 25 September 1944, aged 27. He is buried at Enschede Eastern General Cemetery.

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