Hundreds of people braved rain and thunder on Sunday 8th September for a service to remember the 80th anniversary of Operation Market Garden and the sacrifices made by the thousands of troops who took part in the mission.
The service was organised by St Mary the Less, Chilbolton, and held at Chilbolton Airfield from where hundreds of airborne troops flew out in September 1944 and many never returned.
A marquee had been set up for the service but it quickly filled up, with many more people standing outside. The event was led by Revd Kevin Rogers from the Downs Benefice.
Revd Kevin said, “I think it’s honouring an era where people really gave everything, but I think it is also a stark reminder that we’re facing incredible challenges ahead and that faith is going to be so important going forward, especially for our younger generations. We want to remember and not let this happen again and so, I just long for people to come to faith, to be able to stand firm and have their hearts warmed by God’s love. I’m really touched by the number of people who have come along to the service, who have no affiliation with the church. There are so many Christians who are praying for this event and that God’s word would go out and that people would hear his message of love and hope.”
The service was attended by a number of serving and retired members of the military, members of the Royal British Legion and the Parachute Regiment Association. There was a parade of standards and a march past, with the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Nigel Atkinson, taking the salute. Music was provided by the band and corps of drums of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Army Cadet Force. The army parachute team Red Devils had been due to drop into the event but were forced to cancel because of the weather. There were hymns, prayers and readings and an act of remembrance with the laying of wreaths.
The service was organised by Andrew Kent, Chairman of Chilbolton PCC who said: “First and foremost, I think it’s important for us as the church to honour and remember people who fought and particularly those who died, to ensure that we have the freedom that we have today. Secondly, it brings together the wider communities of Chilbolton and Wherwell. As the Church of England we take pride in ministering to the whole of our community, whoever they are and whatever their beliefs. The church is a cornerstone of communities like ours and I think this is an important opportunity to try and bring everyone together.”
Among those attending was Peter Richens from the Aldershot branch of the Parachute Regiment Association. “It’s 80 years ago our fore fighters in the regiment gave up so much for us today and the Parachute Regiment throughout the years has faced a lot of adverse conditions and conflicts. We look back at the sacrifices they made and that is why we are here to remember. We’ve also got young cadets here today and they are playing a major part and I hope they will feel that sense of history.”
RAF Chilbolton played a major role in World War II. Opened in 1940, it was used by the RAF and later by the United States Army Air Force. The airfield was a base for Hurricane and Spitfire squadrons during the Battle of Britain in 1940. On 19th September 1944, forty American C-47 Dakotas towing Waco CG-4 gliders, loaded with troops and equipment, took off as part of “Operation Market Garden”.
The aim was for three Allied airborne divisions to drop into Holland and secure territory and bridges around Eindhoven, Nijmegen and Arnhem. This would create a corridor for ground troops to advance into German’s industrial heartland. The mission succeeded in capturing the Dutch cities of Eindhoven and Nijmegen but failed at Arnhem with the loss of thousands of lives.
Andrew Kent added, “Unfortunately a lot of our airborne forces never came back. They were young men aged 18 to 23. In those days a lot of troops and Air Force personal were billeted with families in the village. It had quite a big impact. Chilbolton as an airfield was quite important during World War II. You can imagine villagers coming out of their houses and seeing hurricanes and spitfires taking off over their heads and going off to the Channel to defend the country.”
Attending the service was Major Brad Hoelscher, a U.S Exchange Officer with the Land Warfare Centre. “My previous assignment was 2nd Brigade 101st Airborne Division so being able to represent my old unit at a very special ceremony here is truly an honour. These ceremonies are always extraordinarily important because it carries on the legacy and the story so that we don’t ever forget. The weather could have been better, but it just goes to show you the dedication of those involved, to brave thunder and lightning and pouring rain to participate in this service. It’s a very special year, the 80th anniversary and there are not many veterans left, so I think this is kind of our duty to them”.
