A World War II veteran and last man standing of the 11th Parachute Battalion, who made a critical difference in Operation Market Garden 80 years ago, paid a visit to Melton Carnegie Museum last week.
Bill Larder and other members of the 11th Parachute Battalion were based at the Welby Lane camp in 1944 prior to being deployed to the Arnhem in the Netherlands as part of Operation Market Garden.
The operation, which liberated much of the Netherlands from Nazi occupation, is being commemorated with an exhibition at Melton Museum until 20 November.
Bill, who celebrated his 100th birthday earlier in August was joined by retired Lieutenant-Colonel Gerrit Pijpers OBE from the Royal Netherlands Airforce. Gerrit plays a major role in the commemoration of the paratroopers at Oosterbeek in the Netherlands and has been involved with many veterans and families of WWII since 1975, including Bill Larder.
“It has been an honour to welcome former paratrooper Bill and Lieutenant-Colonel Gerrit Pijpers OBE to the exhibition at Melton Carnegie Museum which explores the history of Operation Market Garden.
“We’re so proud to be able to put on this exhibition and more than that, welcome families, friends and visitors to explore historical links to the war right here on their doorstep.
“Melton as a town has a rich, vibrant history and I hope Bill’s visit will inspire more people to explore their own heritage and see the exhibition for themselves.”
Person:Councillor Christine Radford, cabinet member for heritage, leisure and arts
Local historian Brian Fare played a fundamental role in making the experience possible for Bill and the retired Lieutenant-Colonel, he said: “It’s been great working with the volunteers and staff from the Melton Carnegie Museum on this exhibition about the paratroopers that were based in Melton prior to flying to Arnhem in September 1944 as part of Operation Market Garden.
“Through the Arnhem Fellowship, I got in touch with retired Lieutenant-Colonel Gerrit Pijpers who has been involved with the 11th Battalion for many years. When he told me he was coming over to Melton to visit Bill Larder, the ‘last man standing’ from 11th Battalion, for his 100th birthday, I asked him if he could bring Bill along to the museum to view the exhibition, which includes photos and stories about Bill and his time with 11th Battalion.
“As a military historian, it is always an honour to meet veterans from World War Two, and especially one that served with units based in our town. It was a real privilege to meet Bill and chat with him about the exhibition and his experiences of serving with the Paras, and also Gerrit who very kindly provided several images of paratroopers from 11th Battalion for the exhibition."
At the exhibition, visitors can see a range of objects and photographs alongside biographies and personal belongings like uniforms and attestation papers.
“It was a wonderful exhibition. Well done! It’s such an important part of the towns history and helps show the vital role it played in the war effort.”
Person:Bill Larder, 11th Parachute Battalion veteran on Operation Market Garden
Lieutenant-Colonel Gerrit Pijpers has dedicated much of his life to exploring and commemorating the 11th Parachute Battalion making this visit alongside Bill a very special one.
Lieutenant-Colonel Gerrit Pijpers, said: “I was impressed by the exhibition about the paratroopers who were stationed in or around Melton Mowbray in 1944. Despite the limited space that the Melton Carnegie Museum has for this temporary exhibition, the museum's staff have managed to provide a clear picture of life in Melton Mowbray during those turbulent war years. This exhibition is definitely worth a visit.
“I would like to thank the museum, Brian and all of the team involved for paying attention to Bill and all his para colleagues. Because of what they did for us and for the peace of humanity, we must never forget them.”
Operation Market Garden runs at Melton Carnegie Museum until 20 November. Entry to the exhibition is free. The museum is open from 10am – 4.30pm Tuesday to Saturday. More information is available on the museum’s website.