Lot 69
Prisoner of War Group of 4, attributed to Private Roland Davies Bridgewater
Military Medals, Decorations and Orders On Land, at Sea, in the Air | E114
Auction: 7 September 2023 at 10:00 BST
Description
Iconic Arnhem
The Incredible Miniature Arnhem, Prisoner of War Group of 4, attributed to Private Roland Davies Bridgewater, 3rd Parachute Regiment attached 1st Parachute Brigade HQ, Army Air Corps, who was taken Prisoner of War at Arnhem on the 25th of September 1944 but who had been previously photographed during the battle in Oosterbeek, his identification in the photograph later being confirmed by the Imperial War Museum, comprising 1939‑45 Star, Italy Star, France & Germany Star, 1939-45 War Medal, contemporarily mounted for wear, very fine. (4).
Roland Davies Bridgewater was born on the 15th of December 1916 a Bricklayer by trade, he joined The Territorial Army on the 20th of November 1941 serving with G Troop, 271 Battery, 68th Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery. He volunteered for The Parachute Regiment in 1943 whilst in North Africa being posted to the 3rd Battalion. The Battalion took part in Operation Fustian, the attack on the Primosole Bridge in Sicily and Operation Slapstick the landings in Taranto on the Italian mainland. Presumably for one or both of these Operations Roland was awarded the Italy Star. After this the 3rd Battalion was withdrawn to Britain with the rest of the 1st Airborne Division, the next mission was Operation Market Garden.
Roland, landed on the 1st Day of the Battle, the 17th of September 1944, with the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment attached H.Q. 1 Para Brigade, he was photographed in Oosterbeek during the Battle in one of the most iconic photographs from the Battle of Arnhem. Roland was reported “Missing” on the 25th of September 1944 and later reported as “Now Prisoner of War 25th September 1944”. Given PoW Number 91406 he was held at Stalag IVB in Germany until the end of the War.
Being repatriated in 1945 he was released to the W (T) T.A. Reserve on the 12th of November 1945. Roland went on to have a distinguished career with a Steel Company based in India.
Sold with :-
Copy photograph in uniform
Copy Newspaper Cutting reporting Roland was a PoW.
Copy Army Form W.3044 Release to the W Reserve.
Copy Reunion Photograph 1980
Copy Blown up Photograph of the Oosterbeek Photograph annotated to rear “Roland 3rd Bat Para Regiment Arnhem - Blow up of Photo in “A Bridge Too Far” Confirmed to be Roland Bridgewater on Left by Imperial War Museum (1980) - 100 out of 10,000 reached the objective”
See Lot 44 for Full Size Group.
