Heroic pilot who would sacrifice his life to save comrades in dire need

THIS WEEK is the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem, one of the major encounters of the Second World War. For movie enthusiasts it will always be linked to the 1977 film A Bridge Too Far, directed by Richard Attenborough. Here, LORD ASHCROFT looks back on a real-life story of 'supreme valour and self-sacrifice' from Operation Market Garden.

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BY THE afternoon of September 19, 1944, the situation for many Allied troops had become increasingly desperate. The Battle of Arnhem, part of an audacious attempt to land a final blow against Hitler’s German army, had entered a crucial stage.

Flight Lieutenant David Lord, already an experienced and decorated RAF officer, knew that a large number of British and Allied soldiers were being surrounded and cut off by the enemy.

They were in desperate need of ammunition and other supplies.

As the pilot and captain of a Dakota aircraft, Lord and his fellow airmen were in no doubt of the dangers of their mission.

Yet they undertook it with no regard for their own safety.

They were ordered to fly at just 900ft to ensure accuracy when dropping their parachute re-supply containers.

They were acutely aware they would face a huge onslaught of enemy fire both in the air and from the ground.

This was certainly not for the faint of heart and it was inevitable that many air crew would not return to their British bases.

The battle reached its height from September 18 to 20, so this week would seem an appropriate time to highlight the gallantry of Lord and so many other brave servicemen eight decades ago.

The Allies, on a high after sweeping through France and Belgium in August, decided to embark on a major assault, pushing north towards the Dutch city of Arnhem which was still in German hands.

However, as so often in war, Operation Market Garden, as the mission was codenamed, did not go as intended.

After careful planning, the Battle of Arnhem would finally get under way on Sunday, September 17.

The first arrivals on enemy soil were the 21st Independent Parachute Company, who landed at 12.40pm to mark the landing zones for the gliders and parachutists of the main force. Thankfully these landings were largely unopposed.