4460008 Private John Arthur Barton was born in 1919.

When he joined the Army he was allocated the number 4460008 and enlisted into The Durham Light Infantry.
He was transferred to The Inniskilling Fusiliers before volunteering for airborne forces.

John undertook his parachute jump training at Kabrit, in Egypt and was posted to Support Company, 11th Parachute Battalion.

On Monday September 18, 1944, 11th Parachute Battalion went on the second lift to Arnhem during Operation Market Garden. The aircraft in which he flew to Arnhem (Dakota 42-92839 from the 314th Troop Carrier Group based at RAF Saltby) was one of those aircraft that suffered damage either from flak or enemy aircraft over the Netherlands. This aircraft crashed on the return flight from the DZ close to the river bank west of the railway bridge at Rhenen.


John’s body was found near the Vogelenzang Brickworks at Rhenen. He had been shot several times. It is possible that he was wounded before jumping at Arnhem and may have been on his way home with the aircraft before it crashed.

There is now a road in Rhenen called the Vogelenzang but no sign of a brickworks today.
On September 18, 1944, John died, aged 25 years old.

He is one of 24 casualties from the Second World War now lying in Rhenen General Cemetery in Plot 27 Row A Grave 2.

There are no next of kin details in the cemetery register and his headstone bears no personal inscription.