Guy Lechmere Blacklidge was born in Farnham, Surrey on November 22, 1914, the son of Frederick Charles Blacklidge and his wife, Sheila (née Mosse-Robinson) and was survived by them, his wife, Patricia (née Macken) and their infant daughter, Gay.

On 21 February 2015 he was baptised in Mortlake St Mary The Virgin, Surrey.

On August 23, 1941 Guy was commissioned in The South Staffordshire Regiment.

On May 4^th 1943 he transferred to the Parachute Regiment, aged 29 and serving in the 11th Parachute Battalion as the Officer Commanding B Company.

On the 13th September all members of the 11th Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, which was based at Melton Mowbray, were allowed 48 hours’ leave.

On September 18, a day after the Advance Party had set out, the remainder of the 11th Battalion flew out of Saltby, being dropped over the landing zone in the early afternoon. After several days of heavy fighting, on Thursday 21^st September 1944 Guy was sharing a slit trench North of the old church in Oosterbeek with Lieutenant ‘Dinger’ Bell when a tank attack came in. After some heavy shelling Major Dickie Lonsdale, second-in-command of the 11th Parachute Battalion, came to tell them to withdraw to the church. Guy and Lieutenant Bell went over the road and back to the church.

It was a few days later when the Germans opened fire with their 88mm guns directed at the old church aiming for the church spire. During the barrage an enemy shell hit the spire which came crashing down into the church itself, shrapnel and wood splinters spraying downwards were the men were sitting on the church floor cleaning their weapons. B company second-in-command, Lieutenant ‘Jock’ Blackwood, reports that he had to take over B company because Major Blacklidge had been severely wounded by a large splinter which had penetrated his chest. Stretcher bearers removed Guy from the church, who at that time was still alive to the Regimental Air Post at Mrs. Kate ter Horst’s house, next to the church. On arrival in the house it was noted that Guy had died of his wounds at the age of 29.

Sadly his body was never found and he is remembered at Groesbeek War Cemetery Memorial on panel 8.