We are delighted to announce that Prosper Keating has agreed to join Friends of The Tenth as our Editorial and Media Consultant. He has a similar role with the Parachute Regimental Association.

Prosper served with 10 PARA for many years and is a highly respected author, journalist and editor with a wealth of knowledge and experience in this field.

I’m sure that no-one who witnessed the Pegasus Display Team drop onto the DZ behind our Memorial on the day of the unveiling ceremony will ever forget that magnificent spectacle – as Prosper rightly says – ‘A living Memorial’ to those brave young men who fought and died at Arnhem and in many other conflicts.

FOTT fully support the campaign to bring back to the UK – ‘Military Parachuting for the Public’ as so admirably demonstrated on that unforgettable occasion.

This is Prosper’s latest article which can be found on the Parachute Regiment Website

A LIVING MEMORIAL

A recent tree planting session, in the garden of the 10th Battalion Memorial at Burrough on the Hill, marks the start of the joint venture between charities, ‘Friends of The Tenth’ and ‘HighGround’

Left to right David Greaves from David Greaves Landscaping, Alec Wilson Chairman of Friends of The Tenth, Andy Wright of HighGround, Jane Taylor of HighGround and a patient from DMRC Stanford Hall

Horticultural charity, HighGround, who are based at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Stanford Hall, Loughborough, together with David Greaves Landscape Design and Construction, have very generously offered to complete the design, construction and maintenance of the garden surrounding the new memorial to the World War 2, 10^th Battalion, the Parachute Regiment. The memorial is sited at the entrance to the Matt Hampson Get Busy Living Centre, who are also working with both charities.

On Tuesday, the team from HighGround planted three specimen trees. Along with hundreds of maroon tulip bulbs, the trees were donated by former 2 Para, Alan Staff from Great Bowden. Unfortunately, Alan was not well enough to attend the planting.

The garden will ultimately include parachute regiment maroon roses, named ‘Friends of The Tenth’ especially propagated and donated by David Austin Roses. As well as heather from Ginkel Heath near to Arnhem in The Netherlands, this is where the parachute battalion dropped in September 1944. From the 582 men who dropped into Holland, two weeks later only 36 returned to their HQ in Somerby.

Work in the garden will be carried out by patients from Stanford Hall as part of their rehabilitation programme organised and aided by the Friends of HighGround:

https://highground-uk.org/support-us/how-to-get-involved/

Sculptor, Graeme Mitcheson, is currently constructing two stone benches which will soon be installed in the garden, facing the memorial and looking over and across to the valley where the battalion practised parachute drops and training exercises in 1944 prior to The Battle of Arnhem, the battle for ‘The Bridge too Far’

Find out more by visiting the websites of the two charities: –

www.friendsofthe tenth.co.uk

www.highground-uk.org/

On the 28^th January 2020, Friends of The Tenth were given a wonderfully warm welcome by Curator, Jon Baker and his team for the official unveiling of ‘The Last Stand of The Tenth’ and the presentation of Gerry Dimmock’s medals and beret.

Gerry’s daughter, Jackie, presented the medals and beret to Jon Baker. We then decamped to the archive office, where refreshed with tea and coffee, we had the unbelievable honour of a close inspection of Lionel Queripel’s medals, including his posthumous Victoria Cross – NOT a replica but the real thing! Especially poignant today when we remembered that Gerry was Lionel’s driver in the UK during 1943/44.

A huge thank you to Jon and the museum for giving us such an honoured and high-profile presence. Even an edition of Brammall’s ‘The Tenth’ lurking at the bottom of the display – our own ‘shrine’!

In addition to Jackie and Bob Cooper, we were joined by Gerry’s nephew, Simon Dimmock, FOTT trustee and founder member, Jeanie Holland, Paul Allen and Steve Hooper of 10 para and 3 serving lads from Colchester. Unfortunately, Brian Quarendon, who has generously loaned the ‘Last Stand’ to the museum, was not able to be with us.

Statement from Airborne Assault’s Curator, Jon Baker

THE LAST STAND OF THE TENTH: A remarkable painting depicting the final days of the defence of the Oosterbeek Perimeter by the remnants of The 10th Parachute Battalion in September 1944, was unveiled today (28 Jan) at the Airborne Assault Museum in the Imperial War Museum, Duxford.  

The painting is accompanied in the display by the beret and medals of 10th Parachute Battalion and Arnhem veteran, Pte Gerald Dimmock, kindly donated by his daughter Jackie.

The painting was commissioned for The Friends of the Tenth for fundraising purposes and has subsequently been kindly loaned by Mr Brian Quarendon for display purposes.  

Situated next to a display about the multiple airborne operations in 1944 and adjacent to the existing Arnhem display, the painting and medals form a really eye-catching focal point within the gallery. It is sure to prove a poignant and popular display enjoyed by the museums 150,000 a year visitors.

The Airborne Assault Museum wishes to express its thanks to The Friends of the Tenth, the family of Pte Dimmock – and Jackie in particular – and all those who made this display possible.