872964 Corporal Benjamin Sidney George ‘Ben’ Costin was born on 28^th February 1918 in Greenwich, London and baptised on 16^th May 1918 at Saint Andrew and St Michael, Greenwich. His parents were Sidney Edward Costin and Isabelle Costin (née Henderson) who lived at 32 Tunnel Avenue, Greenwich. His father was employed as a labourer.

In 1927 Ben was a pupil at Intermediate School Swaffield Road, Wandsworth

On the 3^rd January 1938 he enlisted into the Royal Artillery . He was serving with a unit of the Royal Horse Artillery in the Middle East when war was declared. Volunteered for Airborne Forces whilst serving with a Royal Horse Artillery unit, with the rank of Gunner, and officially posted to the Army Air Corps 30th July 1943. Assigned to C Company, 11th Parachute Battalion, he did his Parachute Course No. 57 at Ramat David, Palestine, from 01 to 11 August 1943. During the bloody and unsuccessful bid to seize the Bridge at Arnhem Ben got wounded and taken prisoner of war. After the war, Ben moved back to London and in 1945-1947 was living at 81 Woodstock Court, Burnt Ash Hill, lewisham.

Ben married twice: the first time in 1946 to Doreen Driver in Lewisham, London; the second time in 1978 in Redbridge, London to Eileen Mary O'Leary in 1978 in Redbridge.

He was discharged from Regular Army Service on the 5th May 1948. Ben Costin died in Blackpool on the 31st May 1994.