TWO Isle of Wight men took part in the 80th anniversary of Operation Market Garden — one of the bloodiest battles of the Second World War — by parachuting into Arnhem.
Terry Guildford, a veteran of 3 Para the Red Devils parachute display team, and Paul Culshaw, the managing director of Airframe Assemblies in Sandown, took part in a commemorative jump in Holland.
Over the course of four days, more than 700 people parachuted into Arnhem drop zones, to commemorate the huge loss of Allied lives during the wartime operation of 1944.
They leapt from 'Drag 'Em Oot', a 1943 Douglas C-47 Skytrain (Dakota), onto the historic former wartime drop zone, known as 'X', at Renkum, near Arnhem.
Paul said the aircraft they jumped from made it all the more poignant.
"It was used during Operation Market Garden, during which, it sustained battle damage," he said.
Operation Market Garden was the largest airborne operation of the war, up to that point — an ill-fated mission, where thousands of Allied troops parachuted into Nazi-occupied territory.
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The operation aimed to seize key bridges using airborne forces, while land forces were to join them.
However, the landing zones were about nine miles from the bridge at Arnhem, losing the element of surprise.
This gave the Nazi troops time to build blockades.
A defensive battle, comprising nine days of prolonged street fighting ensued, until the order to withdraw was given on September 25, 1944.
More than 8,000 British soldiers were either killed, missing or captured during the offensive.
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Terry and Paul followed in the footsteps of the paratroopers who took part, by doing a static line military-style jump from a height of 1,000ft, with the pair dressed in uniforms, the type worn during the operation.
"The jumps were not re-enactments, but a 'living memorial' to the men of the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces who died during the Second World War," said Terry, 66, of Arreton.
The event, organised by the Pathfinder Parachute Group UK, saw the Islanders form part of a group of 109 parachutists who participated.
Terry and Paul, both members of the Island branch of the Parachute regimental Association, completed their jumps on September 20.
Branch chairman Terry, who completed 960 parachute jumps in his 13 years' military service, said the jump was "carried out successfully" and that it was a "great honour" to be part of the commemoration.
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"These commemorations keep the history of the drop zones alive and active," said Terry.
"It was my first jump in about 40 years. It was a fantastic experience.
"It was an honour to follow in the slipstream of those historic jumps made 80 years ago.
"It was about paying my respects to those who lost their lives during the battle."
Following the jump, Terry visited a number of events in and around Arnhem, with the Arnhem Riders/AFR.
They include a memorial service at the Engineers Monument at Driel; the celebrations at Ginkle Heath; and the Airborne Memorial Service, at the CWGC Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, attended by Princess Anne, representing King Charles.
Terry followed his father's footsteps as a paratrooper. His father, Bob Guildford, served with 23 Parachute Field Ambulance.
The Isle of Wight branch of the Parachute Regimental Association was formed in 2022 and has 15 members.
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