Guest
Guest

Hello Fred, I am forgetting my manners,?

Hello Fred, I am forgetting my manners,? I should have said thank you for all the hours of hard work you have put into making this information available to us all. My interest in the whole Arnhem operation is something I have had for most of my life. I'm 64 and have visited Arnhem and Oosterbeek many times. My uncle XXX was a huge influence in my life and I have waited far too long to try to find out more about him. When he was shot down and made a forced landing at XXX, he was as you'll know, one of the seven aircraft (out of 10) which 190 Squadron lost that day. The squadron were already feeling the impact of the previous losses in experienced crews. XXX was flying that day without a co-pilot - there were so few experienced pilots left on the squadron by then. He had instead a second bomb-aimer in the crew. Another pair of hands and pair of eyes would have bee useful but it's not the same as having two pilots. XXX died a long time ago, but I know that he paid a visit back to XXX, (I think this was in the early 1980's) When he crashed he was found by some of your brave countrymen and rescued. XXX was able to trace the family who helped him. There is near XXX a small enclosure/shrine/monument surrounded by metal fencing, I wonder if this in some way commemorates the crash? I have recently been in touch with some of the other relatives in his family. It is possible that his granddaughter has more information, including photographs. If I can find out more I would be very happy to share this with you. I am very much aware of how easy it could be for all these stories to be lost. By bringing this to a website like yours is a way of preserving our shared history. Thank you for helping me earlier, as I stumbled around with my limited PC skills. Very best wishes and thanks XXX P. S. I served with the RAF for forty years, but that's another story.

Guest
Arnhem,GE,Nederland, 6811 LT
09 January 2017