Lance Sergeant James Durham

James Durham was born in Bedford and lived in Northamptonshire, he enlisted in the Northamptonshire Regiment and volunteered for airborne forces.

Lance Sergeant Durham successfully completed parachute training at RAF Ringway on course number 130 from 21 August to 2 September 1944. His course report stated “Good control, keen, hard worker”. He was posted to 8th Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, and took part in Operation Varsity (Rhine Crossing).

L/Sgt Durham was killed in action on 24 March 1945, aged 28, whilst taking part in the daylight parachute drop into Germany as part of the Rhine Crossing during operation Varsity and was given a field burial at Hamminkeln, Germany and was re-interred to Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany, on 7 November 1946.

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