IN MEMORY OF

73804477 PTE ALBERT STANLEY HOPE

Who fell at Arnhem Bridge

between the 17th - 25th September 1944 whilst going to the aid of a another soldier from 2 Para 

We had recieved an email out of the blue from Mr Chris Hollis who is the cousin of Albert (Known as "Stan" to his mates) and he told us the story of how he had researched the history and story of his cousin during the WW2 and had himself put together a short book of his cousins story during his time with 16 Parachute Field Ambulance during the War. We are honoured and humbled to be given access to Stan's details, history and story, and are thankful to Chris for allowing us to have this wonderful story.

The story is quite simply called "STANLEY'S STORY AN ODYSSEY TO ARNHEM" and I shall endevaour to post as much of the story as possible here in the very near future as a PDF file.

I have to say that it was widely believed that none of 16 Parachute Field Ambulance ever made it to Arnhem Bridge, but this story is sadly proof that 16 Parachute Field Ambulance in the form of 4 Section (Attatched to 2 Para) did indeed make it to the Bridge, and sadly 5 of these brave medics paid the price the ulitmate price during the battle for Arnhem Bridge whilst helping there fellow soldiers doing there duty as "AIRBORNE MEDICS".

Kenny Morland

23rd May 2009 

 ____________________________________________________________

 IN MEMORY OF

757723 CAPT ALEXANDER WILLIAM LIPMANN-KESSEL MBE, MC, FRCS

16 PARACHUTE FIELD AMBULANCE

 Lipmann Kessel, MBE, MC, FRCS (19 December 1914 – 5 June 1986), was a famous orthopaedic surgeon, often known by his nickname of Lippy. Born in Pretoria, South Africa, he was involved at the Battle of Arnhem where at the time he was a Captain in the RAMC, and is credited with saving the life of Brigadier Hackett when he operated on him for a severe abdominal wound at the St. Elisabeth Hospital in Arnhem.

Kessel had the curious experience of looking out of a window in the St Elizabeth Hospital and seeing the Division’s CO Major General Urquhart, who was in charge of the whole battle at Arnhem, running along the street. It wasn’t until after the battle he found out that the General was just about to enter a house where he would stay surrounded by Germans for over 30 hours.

When he first entered the St. Elizabeth hospital he spoke to the Dutch staff in Afrikaans (which he had learned as a child in South Africa), because he had always been told it was similar to Dutch. The staff took offence at this as to them it sounded like German, and he was told in no uncertain terms to always speak English.

Kessel was taken prisoner at Arnhem, but later escaped and has told his story in his book Surgeon at Arms, published in 1958.

After the war Kessel became a very successful surgeon based in London, and Emeritus Professor of Orthopaedics at the University of London.

When he died on the 5th of June 1986 he was buried, as was his wish, in Arnhem Civil Cemetery, in order to be close to the men who died at the battle of Arnhem, who are buried in the nearby Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery.