Dedication service held for 'last man standing' wartime paratrooper

Victor Gregg pictured in 1945 with his first wife Freda and (left) the Marker Stone installed where he is buried at Burrough on the Hill

A service has been held to dedicate the marker stone at the burial place of a wartime paratrooper who was ‘the last man standing’ in his battalion.

Rifleman Victor Gregg was among 582 members of the 10th battalion, the Parachute Regiment, who were dropped into Arnhem, in The Netherlands, in September 1944.

The Germans inflicted devastating losses on the battalion with only 36 troops returning to billets in Somerby and Burrough-on-the-Hill with the others either killed or taken prisoner.

Victor, who was one of those captured, died in October 2021, just days before what would have been his 102nd birthday.

He was buried at the Memorial Garden created by The Friends of The Tenth (FOTT), at Burrough.

And a service has now been held to unveil and dedicate the Marker Stone at Victor’s memorial and a plaque for Private Jonny Young, of 4th Battalion, the Parachute Regiment.

Victor’s Marker Stone was inscribed, in line with his last wishes, with ‘An Arnhem Paratrooper’ in memory of all the members of the 10th Battalion who were deployed at Arnhem on Operation Market Garden. His name is on the reverse side of the stone.

Conducted by the Rev Brian McAvoy, the service was attended by members of Victor and Jonny’s families, representatives of Parachute Regiment and FOTT members.

FOTT chairman, Alec Wilson, said: “The dedication of Victor Gregg’s Marker Stone together with the memorial plaque to Private Jonny Young, will be sentinels for their comrades who are remembered here, and a reminder of the cost of peace in both generations.”

Following the service Matt Hampson hosted a reception at his nearby Get Busy Living Centre for all attendees.