On Sunday 28 March 2010, I had the great honour to be able to participate in the Service of Remembrance at the Reichswald Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery in Germany. I attended with my father and two of his friends and we joined a group that had travelled from Britain, which included Major Jack Watson former commander of 'A' Company The 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion, who at 93 years of age was one of the oldest in attendance. There was also a serving platoon of the 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment on parade. We were there to remember the final and largest airborne operation of the Second World War, 'Operation Varsity'. The whole of the British 6th Airborne Division, commanded by Major-General Eric Bols, and the American 17th Airborne Division, commanded by Major-General William 'Bud' Miley, were to be landed simultaneously on dropping and landing zones around the town of Hamminkeln on the East bank of the Rhine on 24 March 1945. The two Airborne Divisions were part of the XVIII US Airborne Corps, commanded by the very experienced airborne soldier, Major-General Matthew Ridgway.
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