In May 2023 Cassie Rust proposed a memorial should be erected to the service personnel who were stationed in Aldbourne during the Second World War and went on to sacrifice their lives.

The Parish Council kindly have their permission, and a small commmittee was formed. This committee raised funds and a stone was donated. This was set in place in April 2024. The plaque was purchased, and fitted in May 2024. A ceremony was held on 1st June 2024 to unveil and dedicate the memorial.

This page exists to give a bit more background about the memorial.

Thanks

The committee would like to thank:

• Aldbourne Parish Council for their permission.
• Rodney Copplestone for the donation and delivery of the stone
• All those individuals who have made donations to fund the work – this memorial was erected without grants of money from official bodies
• Everyone involved in the dedication ceremony and displays on the 1st of June 2024

Cassie Rust would like to thank everyone who served on the committee:

• Anne Deuchar
• Marianne Adey
• Brian Barnes
• Dean & Sharon Hartop

The Military in Aldbourne

The list below shows which units were stationed in Aldbourne. At the start of the war the camp did not exist, but it was built on the site which includes the current football picth during the winter of 1940-1941. So the memorial was erected overlooking the football pitch since this is the area where the focus of military activity was for the majority of the war. The camp has been investigated archaeologically by Operation Nightingale over a number of years.

265 Battery, 67^th Field Regiment R.A.

370 Battery 51^st Field Regiment R.A.

A Company, 6^th Royal Berkshire Regiment

312 Battery, 129^th Field Regiment R.A.

5 Bridge Company R.A.S.C.

165^th Light Field Ambulance

16^th Light Field Ambulance

11 Battery, 3^rd (Ulster) Searchlight Regiment

7^th Light Field Ambulance

1^st Light Field Ambulance

12^th Light Field Ambulance

18^th Light Field Ambulance

2^nd Canadian Armoured Brigade Company Royal Canadian Army Service Corps

554 Battery, 82^nd Searchlight Regiment

34^th Army Tank Brigade Company R.A.S.C.

20^th Armoured Brigade Company R.A.S.C.  (redesignated as 93^rd Armoured Brigade Company R.A.S.C. and then as 93^rd Airborne Composite Company R.A.S.C. )

354 Battery, 69^th Searchlight Regiment

US 506^th Parachute Infantry Regiment

17^th Ordnance Beach Detachment HQ and Ammunition section, R.A.O.C. arrive

US 550^th Glider Infantry Battalion arrive

Where To Find The Memorial

Photographs from the Dedication Ceremony

All photos by Jo Hutchings.