This is an extract from Anthony Cotterell's third volume of his wartime biography. Mr Cotterell was a pre war journalist who was called up after Dunkirk and then selected for Officer training, part of which included a motorcycle coarse (see below).

















After receiving his commission he worked at the Army Bureau of current affairs where he wrote books and pamphlets for the war office, as part of his research he took part in an RAF bombing raid over Germany. Later doing the Army parachute coarse at Ringway and then landing at Arnhem and reaching the bridge with John Frost. He was taken prisoner but sadly killed on the way to Germany when two fellow Officers jumped from the truck he was travelling in. I understand he is buried at Enshede in Northern Holland.

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk

Great stuff Rob. Nice to see how some of those officers hated motorcycles.

This must be him ?

COTTERELL, JOHN ANTHONY
Initials: J A
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Major
Regiment/Service: Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
Secondary Unit Text: attd. 1st Parachute Brigade.
Age: 27
Date of Death: 25/09/1944
Service No: 153092
Additional information: Brother of Geoffrey Cotterell, of Eastbourne, Sussex.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Joint-grave 200-201.
Cemetery: ENSCHEDE EASTERN GENERAL CEMETERY

This is the only other casualty in the cemetery with the same date of death and they share a grave:-

Name: BENTING, ALAN WILLIAM
Initials: A W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Pilot Officer (Flt Engr.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 617 Sqdn.
Age: 22
Date of Death: 25/09/1944
Service No: 182038
Additional information: Son of William and Elizabeth Benting, of Acocks Green, Birmingham.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Joint grave 200-201.
Cemetery: ENSCHEDE EASTERN GENERAL CEMETERY

There may be others with 'Known unto God' headstones which don't register on the CWGC database.