4449319 Lance Sergeant George Arthur Bowers was the son of Richard William and Cecilia Bowers. George's father worked as an out of work Ironstone Miner and his mother's work was Home Duties.

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Born in January 1914, on 8^th March 1913 he was baptised at Saltburn by the sea, Emmanuel Church, Yorkshire. In 1921, aged 7, he was living with his parents and 3 siblings at 27 Charlotte Street, New Skelton, Yorkshire

Between 1935-1939 George was listed in the absent voters list, still living at 27 Charlotte Street, New Skelton and was serving as a Private in the 1st Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry.

Already an experienced soldier at the beginning of World War 2, between 15^th and 28^th July 1943 George successfully completed Parachute Course No. 54 at Ramat David in Palestine, following which he served as a section commander with the Mortar Platoon, Support Company, 11th Parachute Battalion.

On Monday September 18^th 1944 George and his friend Robert ‘Tommo’ William Thompson, boarded a Dakota at the English air base Saltby. Around three o'clock in the afternoon, they jumped out of the plane over drop zone ‘Y’ (Ginkel Heath).

From that moment on, there was only one goal: to advance to the Rhine bridge as quickly as possible.

On Tuesday, September 19^th - the day after their landing — George and Robert found themselves on the west side of the city, in the Lombok area near the Arnhem–Utrecht railway line. Their objective of advancing to Arnhem as quickly as possible and breaking through to the Rhine bridge had failed. The German resistance proved too strong. The unit was pushed back to the Lombok district and became trapped. The 11th Battalion was ordered to cross the railway tracks to make contact with the 10th Battalion, which was attempting to enter Arnhem from the north.

As soon as the first paratroopers attempted to cross the tracks, they came under fire. George also crossed the railway with two men and captured two German soldiers on the other side. He was shot from a higher vantage point. Robert Thompson saw it happen and decided to attempt the crossing with a small group. They succeeded.

A witness account by Joe Berry — also of the same unit — reveals that ‘Tommo’ tried to look over the edge because he thought he heard his friend. At that exact moment, he was hit. Joe saw him roll down. It soon became clear there was no longer any hope of Robert surviving.

Meanwhile, the German fire continued almost uninterruptedly. Joe retreated south of the railway to seek shelter. After the fighting, the German casualties were collected, but the bodies of George and Robert Thompson were left behind.

George died on 19 September 1944, aged 31 years old. Subsequently, a number of men from the neighbourhood decide to bury the fallen Britons at the edge of an allotment garden complex on Callunastraat.

George is now buried at the Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, grave 28.C.9, alongside Robert Thompson. In memory of George Bowers and Robert Thompson, a memorial monument has been placed at this location—where the De Calluna playground now stands; so that we