The bench has been commissioned.
On 13 June 2026, the board of Remember The XIth formally authorised the commission of a memorial bench for the men of the 11th Parachute Battalion. The order has been placed with Roll and Scroll of Grantham. The memorial is being built.
A milestone reached
The 11th Parachute Battalion fought at Arnhem in September 1944 as part of Operation Market Garden — one of the most celebrated and costly airborne operations of the Second World War. The men who served in the Battalion have no memorial in the United Kingdom. Remember The XIth was founded to change that.
At our board meeting on 13 June 2026, the directors formally resolved to commission the memorial bench and place the order with our chosen supplier, Roll and Scroll of Grantham. That order has now been placed. For the first time, a physical memorial to the 11th Parachute Battalion is being made.
The unveiling: planned for 12 August 2027
Melton Mowbray Town Estate has approved a permanent home for the bench within Egerton Lodge War Memorial Garden. We intend to unveil it there on 12 August 2027 — the birthday of Corporal William "Bill" Larder, the longest-lived veteran of the Battalion. Please treat the date as a firm intention; we will confirm the arrangements as they settle. Read the full story in our news update.
How you can help
The memorial bench itself has now been paid for in full, entirely through the generosity of our donors and supporters and sales through our online store. Thank you.
There is still more to do. Site preparation, installation, ongoing maintenance, and the further development of the memorial all remain to be funded as we build toward the unveiling. Every donation — however large or small — helps get us there.
You can also support us through our online store.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far. This milestone belongs to you as much as to us.