Lieutenant Roy E J W Timmins

Lieutenant Roy Edward John Willetts Timmins was the only son of (retired) Captain John William and Amelia Timmins (née Stoppelhardt), and brother of Yvonne Timmins. Roy attended the Henry Mellish School in Nottingham, later taking a degree in Mining Surveying at Nottingham University. After finishing his education he served in the Survey Department of Messrs James Oakes and Co (Riddings Collieries) Ltd.  Although exempt from military service, he volunteered along with his best friend Barry Hardwick for the Sherwood Foresters at the age of 19 years and served for four years. After transferring to the Royal Ordnance Corps, he earned an Emergency Commission into the Royal Engineers and subsequently volunteered for Airborne service. Records indicate he served in North Africa, Sicily and Italy although it is unclear whether this was all with Airborne Forces.  
 
During his time in Italy, Timmins heard that his old best friend Barry, who by this time had become engaged to Roy's sister Yvonne, was also serving in Italy. Timmins set out on a motorcycle in search of him, enquiring at various camps on the way, until he found him after having travelled 400 miles! After the year of separation, the two young officers only spent a short time together. Later, whilst still serving in Italy Roy was injured.
 
Having transferred to the 9th (Airborne) Field Company, Lt. Timmins served in No 2 Platoon during the battle of Arnhem, and emplaned at 1020 hrs on 17 September 1944 at RAF Keevil along with the rest of the Company.  The Coy was assigned a total of sixteen gliders, (Chalk Nos. 381-396, including the ill-fated No.389 which crashed at Double Hills), piloted by members of the D Squadron, Glider Pilot Regiment, and towed by the Short Stirlings of 299 Squadron, 38 Group RAF.  At 13:40 hrs, the gliders of the Company landed on LZ ‘Z’ between Wolfheze and Heelsum about eight kilometres west of Arnhem. and within thirty-five minutes the Company had reached the Rendevous Point (RZ) at the South corner of the landing zone. 
 
Later, during a firefight in the vicinity of the Wolheze Hotel, Lieutenant Timmins made a flanking attack with No 5 Section and men from No 1 Platoon. They succeeded in crossing the road, but in the attack on the Wolfheze Hotel, Lieutenant Timmins was shot in the chest and killed, with Lance Corporal William Takle and Sapper Peter Grieg wounded by sniper fire. Both wounded men were evacuated to the dressing station of 181st Airlanding Field Ambulance, but sadly died of their wounds. The rest of the attackers were ordered to withdraw to the main company positions by Captain Binyon.

Sapper Thorne in No 5 Section at the time of the incident recalled:

“In the afternoon we, No 5 Section, under the command of Lt Timmins were sent away to recce the route to the hotel in Wolfheze through the woods. I was walking ahead, Lt Timmins behind me and another scout on the right of me; the rest of the section was behind Timmins. We had turned left as we came near a crossing point; at the moment we turned left a German machine gun opened fire. When I heard the machine gun I dropped to the ground and saw Timmins was shot through the chest and fell to the ground. He told me, ‘Get back if you can, get back!’ The other scout knew there was no need to come up and had gone back to the rest of the Company, the rest of No 5 section  had already got back. I was left there on my own and spent the night in the woods. The next morning I met a Royal Artillery Officer and we decided to bury Lt Timmins at the place where he was killed.”

Lieutenant Timmins died on 17 September 1944 aged 23 years old. He was initially given a field burial 100 meters west of the Wolheze Hotel, before being reinterred in the Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Arnhem.

When news reached the UK, a Memorial Service was held at St Mary's Church, Westwood on 9 November 1944 at 6.30pm and a table within the church remains dedicated to his memory.

Further reading

Patrick Pronk, Airborne Engineers: The Shiny 9th (2001), R.N. Sigmond Publishing.