Albert Ormerod

Private 11051708
10th Bn, Parachute Regiment, A.A.C.

Albert was the son of Emmanuel and Margaret Ormerod, of Blackburn, Lancashire.

He was a member of the 10th Parachute Battalion, and died on 23 September 1944, during the Battle of Arnhem.

10th Parachute Battalion was part of 4th Parachute Brigade. Of the 582 men of 10th Battalion who went into Arnhem, only 72 were eventually evacuated. 92 died and 407 were posted as missing in action.

On 23 September 1944, what was left of 10th Battalion were inside the defensive perimeter around Oosterbeek.

Only 60 men of 10th Battalion had actually managed to make it into the perimeter, making a dash through the enemy lines at about 1310 hours on Wednesday 20 September 1944. The remainder of the battalion were captured by the Germans. They had been fighting their way towards Oosterbeek since dropping into Arnhem as part of the second lift on Monday 18 September 1944 - parachuting on to Dropping Zone 'Y', Ginkel Heath.

The men of 10th Battalion that had made it into the perimeter fought between 20-21 September in the houses and gardens in the area of the 'MDS' - Main Dressing Station Crossroads, at the junction of Utrechtseweg and Stationsweg. This crossroads was immortalised in the painting  'Oosterbeek Crossroads' by David Shepherd.

The main dressing stations referred to were situated in the Schoonoord and the Vreewijk Hotels.

Albert has no known grave, and his name is commemorated on the Groesbeek Memorial in The Netherlands.

The Army Roll of Honour 1939-45 records that Albert was born and resided in Blackburn.

	The inscription and panel commemorating Albert on the Groesbeek Memorial
	Memorials on Ginkel Heath - DZ 'Y' - to the landings of 18 September 1944
	Airborne Commemorative Marker No 2 - Oosterbeek This memorial is situated in what used to be the Pastor's garden - in Utrechtseweg, Oosterbeek. The inscription - now shortened - used to read 'In houses and gardens about here 10 Parachute Battalion sorely tried in battle since there parachute landing on Ginkel Heath on 18 September '44, fought to virtual extinction. On 21 September the remnants of the battalion were withdrawn from the Perimeter defence of the division. The battalion had then no officer left and no more than thirty men.'
	The Café Restaurant Schoonoord and the 'MDS' Crossroads - September 2009