THE family of a 90-year-old woman from Forton visited the Netherlands for a service in memory of those who died in the Second World War Battle of Arnhem.
Joan Morgan, whose husband Sgt Cecil (Bob) Morgan was involved in the battle, has visited Arnhem on many occasions but feels this may be the last time.
The culmination of the family’s four-day trip was the service of remembrance at the Airborne War Cemetery at Oosterbeek.
Some 1,800 men are buried there, mainly from the British Airborne Division along with some Polish and French.
More than 800 children laid flowers on graves – as children have every year since 1946. The men died trying to take and hold the Arnhem Bridge, now known as the John Frost Bridge.
Joan’s husband was a member of the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Airborne Division and dropped into Genkil Heath, near Ede, on September 17, 1944, about 25 miles from Arnhem.
He made his way to the city with his division and after four days of fierce fighting was captured on the bridge by the enemy.
He was eventually sent to a prisoner-of-war camp but when the enemy retreated was forced to march 400 miles with them.
Joan and her family have visited Arnhem many times, once with Bob, for the remembrance service.
She presented a book to the Museum at Oosterbeek which was sent to her husband after the war.
It contained copy letters of appreciation to the Airborne Division from Winston Churchill, Montgomery, Major Gen Urquhart and others.
It will now be part of the exhibition. The family said: “The whole area with thousands of visitors was given over to remembering the men who died.
“It is truly amazing just how appreciative the Dutch people are – they couldn't do enough for the veterans and visiting families.
“We were very moved and humbled on this.”
Joan married in 1942 and had two children during the war, one born the same week she heard her husband was a prisoner-of-war and not dead.
She looked after Bob when he came home badly ill and they lived in a Nissen hut at Cricket St Thomas before moving to Forton in 1948.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here