Bernard Salt enlisted into The Gloucestershire Regiment and later volunteered for airborne forces in World War II.He qualified as a military parachutist on Course 101 which ran at RAF Ringway from 31 January to 13 February 1944. The course instructors' notes record that Bernard was "very confident and a good stick jumper."

By September 1944, he was serving as a Bren Gun No 1 in Larry Ansell's No 8 Section in 6 Platoon, B Company, 2nd Parachute Battalion.

He jumped with the Battalion as part of the 1st Airborne Division's assault to capture the Rhine Crossings at Arnhem during Operation Market Garden on 17 September 1944.

Bernard was photographed by Sem Presser, a press cameraman, on the Monday after they had landed, having just captured a German soldier. The image later became well known and features prominently in the exhibition at the Hartenstein Museum.

Bernard was shot through both legs while fighting at the bridge and was later held as a POW in Germany.

Further Reading:

'B Company Arrived' by David G van Buggenum RN Sigmond Publishing 2003

Profile under development.