Bombardier Henry Dickens

Henry Dickens was the son of Thomas and Miriam Dickens, of New Basford, Nottingham; and husband of Ethel Dickens, of Bilborough, Nottinghamshire.

His service in the Army included time with 210 Battery, 53rd (Worcestershire Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment RA.

He took off for Operation Varsity, the airborne assault across the Rhine, in a Horsa Mk II from RAF Dunmow. The glider also contained Major GW Culley, his battery commander, Lance Bombardier JE Lord, Lance Bombardier PHH Moore, Gunner ED Lay and Gunner AB Cox. The main load was a wireless equipped jeep, trailer and two light weight motor cycles.

Unfortunately the glider was hit by anti-aircraft fire as it approached the landing zone and crashed 4000 metres to the north of DZ A. All the occupants were killed by machine gun fire.

Bombardier Henry Dickens died on 24 March 1945, aged 29 years, and is now buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.