DOUBLE HILLS (FIRST CASUALTIES OF ARNHEM) MEMORIAL
PAULTON, SOMERSET
PAULTON, SOMERSET
At 10.25 am on Sunday 17th September 1944 a Dakota/Horsa combination took off
from R.A.F. Keevil, Wiltshire, the spearhead of the first lift to Arnhem.
The occupants of the glider were 2 glider pilots of the Glider Pilot Regiment and a unit
of Royal Engineers. At 11.05 am an explosion occurred in the glider which caused it
to break tow and crash to the ground, killing all occupants.
These were therefore the First Casualties of Arnhem.
In the early 70’s a committee was formed by Peter Yeates, who, at the time of the crash
was aged 14 years and lived in the Paulton area, with a view to erecting a memorial on
the site of the crash - known as Double Hills. The dedicated work of the Double Hills
Committee came to fruition when, on the 23rd September 1979 the memorial stone was
dedicated and the first memorial service held. Since that date an annual service is held
to commemorate the tragedy. The land on which the memorial stands is owned by HRH
The Prince of Wales. He generously assigned the land, under Trust Deed, to Peter Yeates,
Chairman of the Double Hills Committee, in company with Lt. Col. Nicholls, Chairman
of The Glider Pilot Regimental Association.
from R.A.F. Keevil, Wiltshire, the spearhead of the first lift to Arnhem.
The occupants of the glider were 2 glider pilots of the Glider Pilot Regiment and a unit
of Royal Engineers. At 11.05 am an explosion occurred in the glider which caused it
to break tow and crash to the ground, killing all occupants.
These were therefore the First Casualties of Arnhem.
In the early 70’s a committee was formed by Peter Yeates, who, at the time of the crash
was aged 14 years and lived in the Paulton area, with a view to erecting a memorial on
the site of the crash -
Committee came to fruition when, on the 23rd September 1979 the memorial stone was
dedicated and the first memorial service held. Since that date an annual service is held
to commemorate the tragedy. The land on which the memorial stands is owned by HRH
The Prince of Wales. He generously assigned the land, under Trust Deed, to Peter Yeates,
Chairman of the Double Hills Committee, in company with Lt. Col. Nicholls, Chairman
of The Glider Pilot Regimental Association.
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Double Hills commemoration Service 7th September 2008
and unveiling of bronze statues of a Glider Pilot & Airborne Royal Engineer
and unveiling of bronze statues of a Glider Pilot & Airborne Royal Engineer
Major General R.E. Urquhart at the unveiling of the memorial
in 1979. Seen here with Major General Cowtan, representing the
Royal Engineers and Peter Yeates who founded the memorial.
in 1979. Seen here with Major General Cowtan, representing the
Royal Engineers and Peter Yeates who founded the memorial.
A poem written by Ruby Bowell, a Paulton nurse who, in 1944, attended the scene of the crash.
“They did not die in battles din
Of world renown,
Or a medal win,
But gave their lives for you and me,
So that we and the whole world might be free”
“They did not die in battles din
Of world renown,
Or a medal win,
But gave their lives for you and me,
So that we and the whole world might be free”
The service opened with a fly past
of aircraft from Middle Wallop
of aircraft from Middle Wallop
The ‘new’ enhanced Double Hills Memorial
(left) the Glider Pilot and (right) the Airborne Royal Engineer
(left) the Glider Pilot and (right) the Airborne Royal Engineer
Sculptor Roy Cleeves seen with his creation and Double Hills President Brig. Mike Dauncey
Brig. D S Short, CBE, ADC, Director of Army Aviation with Major Stephen D. Grace, U.S. Air Force
W/O ‘Lofty’ Linthwaite, AAC
