Roll of Honour

Stan Holden

Sapper Stan Holden passed away in December 2011, after being in a nursing home with Alzheimer's disease.

In early 1943 he completed his P.Coy at the Airborne Forces Depot at Hardwick Hall. Derbyshire and later completed his Para Jump training at Ringway. He was then posted to the 591 (Antrim) Parachute Squadron RE, 6th Airborne Division at Bulford in Wiltshire. In early January 1944 he was posted to the 1st Parachute Squadron RE at Donington as one of several replacements.

In Mid-March 1944 he was again posted as a replacement to the 4th Parachute Squadron RE, who at that time were based in the village of Glaston near Uppingham, Rutland where he joined 3 Troop. On the 18th September 1944, the squadron took off to Arnhem as part of the 4th Parachute Brigade, during which time spent the next 7 days in our defensive position around the large Dutch house called "Castle Sonnenberg" Oosterbeek.

On the withdrawal on the Monday evening to cross the River Rhine he got separated from the withdrawal party and Tuesday 27th September was captured and imprisoned in a German Stalag.

In 1945/6 he transferred from the army and enlisted in the Palestine Police force and remained there until leaving Palestine in 1948.

For many years he was the Standard Bearing for the Wirral Branch of the PRA. When the 4th Para Sqn RE formed their yearly Reunion held in the 'Falcon Hotel' in Uppingham he became the Treasure of our 1942-1945 Old Squadron Members Club. Stan and his wife Barbara attended the Arnhem Pilgrimage each year and he was also a member of our AEA - but for some reason resigned a few years ago.