RE-SUPPLYING THE ARNHEM PARATROOPS

On the morning of September 19th 1944, Douglas C47 'Dakota' "YS - DM" piloted by Flt. Lt. David S.A. Lord DFC along with others of 271 Squadron RAF Transport Command took off from their base at Down Ampney in Gloustershire to re-supply beleaguered Allied troops at Arnhem in Holland. The Allied Airborne troops had been surrounded and were being pressed into a small area heavily defended by anti-aircraft guns. The air crews were told of this and also of the disastrous circumstances that many were enduring and so to ensure accuracy they were ordered to fly at 900 feet when dropping their containers.

While flying at 1,500 feet near Arnhem the starboard wing of Flt Lt Lord's Dakota was hit twice by anti-aircraft fire, as a result the starboard engine was set on fire. He would have been justified to leave the main stream of aircraft and either tried to return to his base in England or even abandon the aircraft altogether, but on learning that all his crew were un-injured and that the dropping zone was just 3 minutes away he decided he would complete his mission as the troops on the ground were in such dire need of supplies.

By now the starboard engine was burning furiously, Flt. Lt. Lord came down to 900 feet where he was singled out by all the anti-aircraft guns and fire was concentrated on his aircraft, un-daunted he held his Dakota level and on course while the supplies were dropped. At the end of the run he was informed by the dispatchers that 2 containers remained. Although he must have known that the starboard wing would collapse at any time, he circled, rejoined the stream of aircraft and made a second run to drop the remaining containers. These manoeuvres took eight minutes in all and all the time the aircraft was under heavy anti-aircraft fire . His task completed Flt. Lt. Lord ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft, making no attempt to do so himself, thereby giving his crew members the best chance they had of successfully baling out . By this time the plane was down to 500 feet. A few seconds later the starboard wing finally collapsed and the aircraft fell in flames. There was only one survivor who was flung out while assisting other crew members to put on their parachutes. His name was Harry King , who survived the war.  He died a few years ago and his ashes were scattered under the memorial window of Down Ampney church.

As for Flight Lieutenant D.S.A. Lord DFC, for continuing with his damaged and burning aircraft doing two dropping runs and remaining at the controls thereby giving his crew their best chance a escaping he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. He lies buried alongside his crew and the dispatchers in the cemetery at Oosterbeeck.