Private Ronald A F Lansdowne

{ Ron }

26 Sep 1944

Ronald Albert Frank Lansdowne son of Ernest and Alice Lansdowne, of Wells, Somerset enlisted into The Somerset Light Infantry.

Private Lansdowne later served with 2nd (Airborne) Battalion, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. He was subsequently attached to HQ 1st Airborne Division, Defence Platoon and took part in the Battle of Arnhem, during Op Market Garden.

His body was recovered from the river Lek near Vianen on 27 September 1944 and it is believed he drowned during the withdrawal across the river during the night of 25/26 September.

21 year old Pte Lansdowne was buried at Hagenstein by the side of a brickworks chimney stack, a 100 yards from the south bank of the river Lek.

On 27 November 1946 he was reinterned at Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) General Cemetery. Amersfoort is a town 50 kilometres south-east of Amsterdam.

By Wendy George

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Service History

Operations

Ronald A F Lansdowne

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  • Flowers being laid at the grave of Ronald AF Landsdowne
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    Flowers being laid at the grave of Ronald AF Landsdowne

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Guy Harris said:
Through an acquaintance, I came to know of the slightly unusual burial site of one of our deceased brothers from the Battle of Arnhem. The grave is in the military section of the Amersfoort Cemetery, not far from where I live in Holland. However, due to the unusual history, Private Lansdowne's grave is not in the main section, which in this case is exclusively Allied aircrew from WW2, and seems to miss out on the standard maintenance of the other graves, carried out by the local authorities and CWWG.

In conjunction with Stefan Meekers, the Dutch chap that takes care of 'unusual' military gravesites, and huge respect to him, my son and I will be rehabilitating Private Lansdowne's grave, and ensuring it stays in a state fit for such a man. RIP, S&B.

( I should add, I'm trying to let his family know through the SLI / 2LI links - any help is appreciated.)
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