Last Arnhem veteran who told his story in Theirs is the Glory Passed Away

By Allan Smith on 16th October 2018

“Sapper Alan Gauntlett, no.3 Troop, 4th Parachute Squadron, Royal Engineers. Arnhem veteran and the last, as far as we know, of the 120 veterans who returned to Arnhem in the late Summer of 1945 to tell their story in Theirs is the Glory passed away yesterday evening”.

Alan fought at Arnhem at the age of 19, was wounded on the 23rd September, taken POW on the 26th September and escaped from the Apeldoorn Barracks Hospital on the 1st October. Alan returned across the river on 25th October as part of Pegasus 1 after being secreted by the Dutch resistance. Alan survived the war and the opportunity to appear in Theirs is the Glory arose when he was stationed in Norway allowing him to return to Arnhem and Oosterbeek once again. He then went on to be a successful Chartered Surveyor and is now greatly missed by his loving family and friends.

Alan presented Theirs is the Glory at a unique screening of Theirs is the Glory at the Astra Cinema at IWM Duxford in September 2014 to mark the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem. The audience, including General Lorimer of 16th Air Assault, fellow veterans and friends were held in absolute silence listening to Alan’s story of Arnhem and the making of the film. Alan was clear, eloquent and funny and the applause was thunderous at the end of his talk. Alan became, to me, a talisman for the young soldiers who fought at Arnhem. Rest in Peace.

– Allan Smith.

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Last Arnhem veteran who told his story in Theirs is the Glory Passed Away