6342801 Private James Sidney Bourne
6342801 Private James Sidney Bourne was born on
17th
October 1916 to John and Lillian May Bourne and baptised on December 31st 1916 in the parish of Ightham, Rochester, Kent
He was on Parachute
course No. 55 at Ramat David in Palestine from 20 July until 01 August 1943. After receiving his parachute
qualification wing Jim was assigned to the Intelligence Section, 11th Parachute Battalion.
He took part
in the
fierce fighting in Arnhem and Oosterbeek. During the fighting around the Old Church in Oosterbeek, he was in one
of the foxholes overlooking the River Rhine, close to a 75mm howitzer.
After Jim had been to the church to eat,
clean his weapon and hear Major Lonsdale's speech, he returned to his foxhole when disaster struck. A
mortar
shell landed close to him and a splinter lodged in his leg. He was taken to Kate ter Horst's house and treated
by a medic. Jim saw Kate ter Horst walking through the house a few times, and she had a kind and encouraging
word for everyone.
On the tenth day (26th September 1944), it was quiet. Deafeningly quiet... and then the Germans entered
Kate's
house and told everyone that the war was over for them. The wounded who could not walk were taken to Apeldoorn
by truck.
After the wound on Jim's leg had healed sufficiently, he was transported in a cattle truck along with many other
soldiers. After a few days, he arrived at a prisoner-of-war camp near Fallingbostel in Germany, named Stalag
XIB. There he was registered and given prisoner of war number No. 118701.
On 3rd November 1945 James was discharged from the Parachute Regiment and, on 21st
December 1946 married Miss Joyce E. Bourne.
On Friday 27th December 1946 he Sevenoaks Chronicle and
Kentish Advertiser reported on the wedding, with the headline "She
didn't change her name".
On 1st July 1948 when he was living in Sevenoaks, Kent Jim was awarded five decorations: the 1939–1945 Star; the Africa Star; the France and Germany Star;
the Defence Medal; and the War Medal 1939–1945.
On 9th June 1989 he was additionally awarded the Italy Star.
Jim and Joyce remained together in Sevenoaks, Kent and in 2003 were living at 1 Littlewood TN13 3EL
Sadly, on 22nd Aug 2003, Joyce passed away. Jim subsequently moved to Brighton, Sussex, where, on 26th September 2010 he also sadly died.