Peeps into the Past: Remembering two Alton men who gave their lives fighting in The Netherlands

There was a wave of commemorations earlier this summer for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings - but of course Normandy was only the first stop on the Allies' march to Berlin.

After the break-out from Normandy, the British Second Army entered the Netherlands in late-summer 1944 and their next aim was to cross the Rhine into Germany.

In today's Peeps, we tell the tragic tale of two young soldiers from Alton who gave their lives in those efforts to set foot on German soil.

Harry Frank Williamson Parker was awarded the Military Medal for his part in Operation Torch in North Africa in 1942, and in 1943 saw active service in Sicily and Italy with the 3rd Parachute Battalion.

In September 1944, he dropped into Holland for Operation Market Garden as part of the forlorn attempt to take the 'bridge too far' at Arnhem.

Having landed on September 17, tougher-than-expected German resistance and problems with supplies and reinforcement forced the British airborne forces to form a perimetre at nearby Oosterbeek which they held stubbornly until September 25, when it was decided to withdraw the remnants of the division across the lower Rhine.

Harry Parker was one of the unfortunate few not to return, and is buried at the Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery.

Just a few weeks later, another Alton man, Lieutenant Eddie Rapkins, would also give his life in the attempt to liberate the Netherlands at Overloon, just south of Nijmegen.

Lt Rapkins had traipsed many weary miles with his anti-tank platoon from northern France to the low countries, and platoon-mates recalled he never failed to see the bright side of life - insisting he was fine even after being injured by shrapnel.

Tragically though, Lt Rapkins died of his wounds on October 14, 1944 and is buried at Mierlo War Cemetery in the Netherlands.