A Special and Deserving Award for an Arnhem Veteran


Wilf Oldham, a Border Regiment Arnhem veteran, was due to travel up to Carlisle tomorrow to be awarded his MBE which he was initially notified of as part of the New Year's Honours List. Wilf, aged 100, lives in Greater Manchester and has had several ceremonies cancelled due to the onset of the pandemic, both nationally and locally. In a last ditch attempt to help, the Museum offered a venue outside the Greater Manchester area - Carlisle Castle, the former Depot and spiritual home of the Border Regiment.

The hastily put-together plan involved meticulous military planning. After an initial phone call with Wilf and his grandson Lee, I started to see what we could do to help the ongoing situation. Emails went flying backwards and forwards to various offices of various Lord Lieutenants to see what was possible. Assisted by Wilf's local Airborne Forces Association, the decision was made to award the MBE on Saturday 26th September at the Castle...in just a week.

It is amazing how people can come together and help in an hour of need. We managed to book the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cumbria, sort out catering, arrange a military guard of honour with 4Lancs, the Regimental Association organised veterans to do 'street lining' and a local business provided a smart car to drive him into Carlisle in style. Phonecalls, emails, online video chats and soon an outline plan was forming to make Wilf's day that little bit special. All working within the current COVID-19 restrictions to ensure that everyone was compliant and, most importantly, safe.

We were looking forward to welcoming him to the Museum, and planned to host the ceremony (weather permitting) outside Arnhem block. Here we currently have a small display to link to the 76th anniversary of the battle. And all the more poignantly, the 26th September would have been 76 years to the day that Wilf was evacuated across the Rhine in the night-time Operation Berlin - the withdrawal of the remenants of the British 1st Airborne Division trapped in German occupied territory.

Sadly, we had to cancel this ceremony yesterday afternoon when Wilf was admitted to hospital with a chest infection. Happily, he has been discharged this afternoon and we wish him well. But at the ripe old age of 100, it is unlikely he would have been able to travel the journey to Carlisle after his illness. So we wish him well, and were happy to try and assist with the award of his MBE in rapid time. It is now likely that Wilf will be presented with his award in his home, when he has recovered. Maybe not quite with the pomp and ceremony that we would like him to have, but keeping him safe and well in the middle of this worldwide pandemic.

Congratulation Wilf from us all.

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