Trooper Edward James Gorringe

Trooper Edward James Gorringe, son of William John and Mary Elizabeth Gorringe, of Cattistock, Dorsetshire, served with C Troop, 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron, Reconnaissance Corps. He took part in the Battle of Arnhem, during Op Market Garden.

Trooper Gorringe died during the Battle. For many years, Arthur Barlow of the 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron Association had worked tirelessly to ensure the recognition of the 'Unknown Soldier' buried other members of the C Troop as Ted Gorringe at Oosterbeek War Cemetery.

After years of fruitless effort, in 1986 Jan Hey, the Dutch author who had compiled the 'Arnhem Roll of Honour' added his weight to Arthur's evidence and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. A year later, on 8 December 1987, Jan Hey advised Arthur that the War Graves Commission had finally agreed that on all the evidence Tpr.E.J.Gorringe was the occupant of grave 16.B.7 alongside his companions and friends. His headstone was replaced in 2004 (albeit with the wrong unit title!), before being recut with the correct unit details in 2006.

It is for this reason that he is one of a relatively few Airborne soldier commemorated with a grave at Oosterbeek and also on the Groesbeek Memorial to the Missing.

Trooper Gorringe died on 17 September 1944, aged 22 years old. He is now buried at Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Arnhem.

With assistance from Bob Hilton