Sergeant James S Barnbrook

James Stanley Barnbrook was born in 1919 and enlisted into The Essex Regiment in October 1939. In 1940 he volunteered for No 3 Independent Company part of Special Service Brigade, which later became part of No 1 Commando. He was wounded in Norway.

Sgt ‘Bing’ Barnbrook volunteered for airborne forces and became a military parachutist after attending course 63 at RAF Ringway, which ran from 4 to 17 May 1943. His instructors’ comments state, “Sgt Barnbrook: has maintained a high standard and set a good example.’ Upon completion of the 8 jump course he was sent as a reinforcement to the 1st Parachute Brigade, then based in North Africa, and posted to 9 Platoon, C Coy, 2nd Parachute Battalion.

Sgt Barnbrook saw active service in Sicily, Italy and Arnhem.

During Operation Market Garden, C Coy’s Platoon Officer Lt Peter Barry was wounded at the railway bridge as the 2nd Para Bn advanced to Arnhem Bridge. Sgt Barnbrook carried him off the bridge and left him in the care of the Royal Army Medical Corps. Sgt Barnbrook was later wounded and taken as a Prisoner of War (PoW) and sent to Stalag IVB near Dresden, Germany.

On 17 April 1945, whilst still a prisoner he was painted by a Dutch artist PoW D Hoogen, who used bricks and soil from the camp to make the colours.

Lt Barry and Sgt Barnbrook were reunited at the Airborne Forces Museum, Aldershot, 43 years after Operation Market Garden on 17 February 1988 (Barnbrook’s 69th Birthday), when Sgt Barnbrook donated the paintings and his medals to the museum.