'Memorial pathway' planned for wartime paratroopers

A memorial pathway is being created with more than 20 York stone slabs carrying the names of hundreds of men who served with the 10th Battalion, the Parachute Regiment.

They were stationed in an around Somerby before being dropped 64 miles behind enemy lines in Holland to fight in the Battle of Arnhem.

Of the 582 men who took part in the mission, on September 18, 1944, only 36 survivors returned to the area afterwards.

The Friends of the Tenth (FOTT) charity installed a stunning memorial sculpture in memory of the battalion in 2019.

On the new memorial, the FOTT said: “When we formed our charity, a main objective was to ‘name in tablets of stone all the members of the Battalion at the time of the Battle of Arnhem’.

“This mission will be accomplished by September this year with the installation of a Memorial pathway.

“Each stone will be inscribed with approximately 30 names.

"The total of more than 600 names will identify those who were serving with the battalion from mid to late 1944.

"The path will, of course, include those, already named on the Memorial, who paid the ultimate sacrifice.”

Long-term supporters, Barratt Developments Ltd, has already given a generous donation to cover half the £27,000 cost.

The charity is now asking for donations from the public and other businesses to make up the shortfall.

Go online at www.gofundme.com/f/Fund-the-10th-Battalion-Memorial-Pathway to pledge money to the cause.