Personalities

Images of four soldiers who passed through the Kennet Valley (L to R): Private Donald Clifford McArthur volunteered for The Parachute Regiment from the Royal Artillery and served with the Mortar Platoon, 9th Parachute Battalion, and parachuted into Normandy on D Day. He was one of those dropped wide, and was subsequently taken prisoner. Major Joe Thompson USAAF commanded the 67th Reconnaissance Group's 109th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron. He was a prolific photographer and took some wonderful images whilst in England. Reed Pelfrey, who was the 15th US Pathfinder to parachute out of the first plane over Normandy on D-Day, deployed with the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. Colonel Michaelis was executive officer of the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, and took command of the unit after the CO, George Van Horn Moseley Jr., broke his leg in the drop into Normandy. Later, Michaelis was severely wounded in the Netherlands. He served as chief of staff of the 101st Airborne Division during the Battle of Bastogne and ended the war as a colonel