Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Eight: Private R. J. Boyle, 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, Army Air Corps, late Royal Ulster Rifles, who was taken Prisoner of War following his battalion’s defence of the bridge at Arnhem

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (3598564 Rfmn. R. J. Boyle, R.U. Rif.); India General Service 1936-39, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1937-39 (3598564 Rfmn. R. J. Boyle, R.U. Rif.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, 1 clasp, 1st Army; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted court style for wear, very fine and better (8) £500-£700

R. J. Boyle served with 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment during the Second World War and was taken Prisoner of War at Arnhem. During Operation Market Garden the 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment dropped at Arnhem on 17 September 1944 and, under Lieutenant-Colonel Johnny Frost, constituted the majority of the airborne contingent which captured the road bridge. The force was soon cut off but held its ground against incessant German tank and infantry attacks for three days and four nights. The division objective was to hold for 48 hours before being relieved by the advancing XXX Corps, which never arrived. By dusk on 20 September Lieutenant-Colonel Frost was wounded and his battalion reduced to a few survivors ordered to break out.

In response to a request for information on R. J. Boyle made in the March 1996 edition of the Para 2 Club Newsletter; the following was printed in the September 1996 edition:
‘In the previous Newsletter a request was made for news or whereabouts of Paddy Boyle. I first met Paddy in North Africa and shared a few slit trenches with him. He was a member of the 2nd Bn. [Parachute Regiment], taken prisoner at Arnhem, and finished up in Stalag 11B along with lots of other lads. He was one of a working party sent to a Factory in Eastern Germany on several occasions by train, quite a luxury. As the Russians advanced we were forced marched for a week or so, and eventually reached a town I think called Annaburgh. The Russians arrived and instead of releasing us kept us locked up in a compound. We didn’t like this at all, so Fred Warrender, Paddy Boyle, Bob Lygo and myself [Sid Blackmore] decided to make our own way home. We ‘borrowed’ a horse and carriage (a cart really) and set off into the sunset, stopping at houses and farms on the way. We were always made welcome by the Germans to sleep in their houses overnight, we acted as protection to their families and stopped the Russians from trying to rape the women. We had a lot of laughs on the way, once we tried to kill a pig, but did not possess a knife, only a hammer, we had a delicious pork supper that night! Eventually we met an American patrol and were taken to their Field Hospital for food and delousing.’

The Newsletter Editor further adds: ‘I also received a letter from ‘Bronco’ Humphries who also served with Paddy Boyle in N. Africa, Sicily, Italy and Arnhem and is sure that he also went to Palestine.’

Sold with copied Newsletter extracts and three copies of “The Prisoner of War” magazine.