The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A number of veterans were among those who attended an annual memorial service for a World War Two regiment based in Donington.
The 1st Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers Arnhem Memorial Service took place at St Mary and the Holy Rood Church on Sunday.
The names of the 59 soldiers who were billeted in the village and who lost their lives in the conflict were read out by World War Two veteran, Royal Engineer Tom Gilks.
A wreath was laid by Chris Davis, Officer in charge during the Falklands Campaign, at the altar in the Arnhem corner dedicated to the memory of the men.
Following the service another wreath was laid by the Arnhem Oak, brought back as a sapling from the battlefields.
One of the organisers, Eddie Finch, said: “There was lots of reminiscing of events in Donington during the time the soldiers were billeted here from December 1943 to September 1944.
“The sons and daughters of the soldiers were able to identify unknown faces in the large display of photographs showing the unit.
“The archive contains the details of the many military awards and the soldiers’ prisoner of war records.
“Bunny Smith (95) who was in the Land Army working on Caswell’s farm also shared her experiences of Donington and Swineshead. Thank you to Jill Fearn for the display.”
