Sergeant Ernest Simion

Sergeant Ernest 'Sim' Simion, son of Eva Simion, of Hampstead, London, was a German-Jew, originally from Berlin. He served as a Sergeant with 16 Flight, F Sqn, 2nd Wing, Glider Pilot Regiment and took part in the Battle of Arnhem, during Op Market Garden.

On 17 September 1944, he flew as second pilot to S/Sgt Ron Gibson in a Horsa Glider to Arnhem as part of the First Lift. The Horsa carried a six-pounder Anti-Tank gun, a jeep, and two members of the Anti-Tank Platoon of 1st Battalion, The Border Regiment.

Later in the battle, as a consequence of the move of the South Staffordshire Regt down toward the road bridge in Arnhem, 2 Wing GPR were employed as infantry holding a section of the 1 Airlanding Brigade area of the Oosterbeek perimeter.  On 19 Sept 44 ‘F’ Sqn were involved in particularly fierce fighting. Ernest Simion was killed in a trench as he fought alongside other Glider pilots and infantry during a well co-ordinated infantry assault mounted by SS troops.

Sergeant Simion died on 20 September 1944, aged 24 years old. He is now buried at Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Arnhem.