ANTHONY COTTERELL - A Newspaper Man in Service Harness
Chronology
19th December 1916
Born in Plymouth, first child of Graham and Millicent Cotterell
24th November 1919
Birth of his only brother, Geoffrey
After the First World War ends, the family move to Lowestoft, where Graham is an assistant in the dental practice of Mr Brittain, the father of Benjamin.
In the 1920s, the family move to Wanstead in Essex, where Graham starts his own dental practice and makes a great success of it.
1929
September - having won a scholarship, Anthony begins at Kings School, Rochester
1935
Anthony wins another scholarship, and begins combined medical and dental studies at Guy's Hospital, London
At a summer school in Oxford, he meets George Edinger, a feature writer and political correspondent on The Daily Express. Inspired by his example, Anthony works very hard - and very successfully - at freelance journalism.
April 1936
The young journalist - Anthony is taken on the permanent staff of The Daily Express
1939
His first book is published: The Expert Way of Getting Married
1940
15th March - Anthony is conscripted into the Army
9th April - the Germans invade Denmark and Norway
10th May
Belgium and Holland are invaded
Churchill becomes Prime Minister
Anthony's initial training course finishes
12th May - France is invaded
15th May - The Netherlands surrender
28th May - Belgium surrenders
25th June - Hostilities end in France
29th June - Anthony begins four month Officer Training course
August - Battle of Britain
7th September - London blitz starts
12th October - Anthony finishes Officer Training and receives the lowest grade possible - D
19th October - moves to Royal Fusiliers as 2nd Lieutenant
1941
January 1941 - publication of What? No Morning Tea!
Publication of Oh, It's Nice to be in the Army
14th May - posted to Guards Brigade for duties as a Motor Coordination Officer
1942
17th April - posted to the War Office, and thence to Army Bureau of Current Affairs (ABCA)
Publication of She Walks in Battle Dress
1943
Publication of Roof Over Britain
3rd June - becomes a Major, the highest rank he will hold in the Army
Late 1943 or early 1944 - publication of RAMC
1944
6th June - D-Day
Anthony is the official War Office observer, he crosses in a steamer and lands soon after the first wave. He writes about D-Day in 'WAR', and subsequently covers some 6 weeks of the Normandy campaign
Mid-July - returns to England
September
1st - he goes on attachment to 1st Parachute Brigade HQ of the British Airborne forces.
17th - Operation MARKET GARDEN commences
Anthony parachutes into Holland with 1st Parachute Brigade HQ, and is with them at the battle for the Arnhem bridge.
For Arnhem background, see the excellent Pegasus archive:
http://www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/main.htm
21st - Anthony - who is with the Brigade Major for 1st Parachute Brigade, Tony Hibbert - is captured by the Germans.
The Tony Hibbert page on the Pegasus archive gives some details concerning Anthony:
http://www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/tony_hibbert.htm
23rd - Anthony is seriously wounded when an German SS officer shoots into a crowd of unarmed prisoners.
25th - alleged last sighting of Anthony in the X-ray department at Zutphen Hospital.
Disappears without trace.
October
4th - German-controlled radio in Holland puts out a message saying that Anthony has been severely wounded 'trying to escape'
5th - publication of An Apple for the Sergeant
1945
8th May - the war in Europe ends
The search for Anthony and thousands of others missing in Europe commences, but the truth is never discovered.
His service record notes "Presumed for official purposes to have died in Europe on or since 25th September 1944".
1962
His father Graham finally puts affairs in motion to settle Anthony's estate. However, Anthony's mother never accepts that he is dead.
Late 1970s, early 80s
A gravestone is erected near Anthony's possible place of burial in Enschede in Holland.
2008
An annual memorial service is instituted to commemorate Anthony and the other airborne soldiers shot by the Germans at Brummen on 23rd September 1944.
Born in Plymouth, first child of Graham and Millicent Cotterell
24th November 1919
Birth of his only brother, Geoffrey
After the First World War ends, the family move to Lowestoft, where Graham is an assistant in the dental practice of Mr Brittain, the father of Benjamin.
In the 1920s, the family move to Wanstead in Essex, where Graham starts his own dental practice and makes a great success of it.
1929
September - having won a scholarship, Anthony begins at Kings School, Rochester
1935
Anthony wins another scholarship, and begins combined medical and dental studies at Guy's Hospital, London
At a summer school in Oxford, he meets George Edinger, a feature writer and political correspondent on The Daily Express. Inspired by his example, Anthony works very hard - and very successfully - at freelance journalism.
April 1936
The young journalist - Anthony is taken on the permanent staff of The Daily Express
1939
His first book is published: The Expert Way of Getting Married
1940
15th March - Anthony is conscripted into the Army
9th April - the Germans invade Denmark and Norway
10th May
Belgium and Holland are invaded
Churchill becomes Prime Minister
Anthony's initial training course finishes
12th May - France is invaded
15th May - The Netherlands surrender
28th May - Belgium surrenders
25th June - Hostilities end in France
29th June - Anthony begins four month Officer Training course
August - Battle of Britain
7th September - London blitz starts
12th October - Anthony finishes Officer Training and receives the lowest grade possible - D
19th October - moves to Royal Fusiliers as 2nd Lieutenant
1941
January 1941 - publication of What? No Morning Tea!
Publication of Oh, It's Nice to be in the Army
14th May - posted to Guards Brigade for duties as a Motor Coordination Officer
1942
17th April - posted to the War Office, and thence to Army Bureau of Current Affairs (ABCA)
Publication of She Walks in Battle Dress
1943
Publication of Roof Over Britain
3rd June - becomes a Major, the highest rank he will hold in the Army
Late 1943 or early 1944 - publication of RAMC
1944
6th June - D-Day
Anthony is the official War Office observer, he crosses in a steamer and lands soon after the first wave. He writes about D-Day in 'WAR', and subsequently covers some 6 weeks of the Normandy campaign
Mid-July - returns to England
September
1st - he goes on attachment to 1st Parachute Brigade HQ of the British Airborne forces.
17th - Operation MARKET GARDEN commences
Anthony parachutes into Holland with 1st Parachute Brigade HQ, and is with them at the battle for the Arnhem bridge.
For Arnhem background, see the excellent Pegasus archive:
http://www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/main.htm
21st - Anthony - who is with the Brigade Major for 1st Parachute Brigade, Tony Hibbert - is captured by the Germans.
The Tony Hibbert page on the Pegasus archive gives some details concerning Anthony:
http://www.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem/tony_hibbert.htm
23rd - Anthony is seriously wounded when an German SS officer shoots into a crowd of unarmed prisoners.
25th - alleged last sighting of Anthony in the X-ray department at Zutphen Hospital.
Disappears without trace.
October
4th - German-controlled radio in Holland puts out a message saying that Anthony has been severely wounded 'trying to escape'
5th - publication of An Apple for the Sergeant
1945
8th May - the war in Europe ends
The search for Anthony and thousands of others missing in Europe commences, but the truth is never discovered.
His service record notes "Presumed for official purposes to have died in Europe on or since 25th September 1944".
1962
His father Graham finally puts affairs in motion to settle Anthony's estate. However, Anthony's mother never accepts that he is dead.
Late 1970s, early 80s
A gravestone is erected near Anthony's possible place of burial in Enschede in Holland.
2008
An annual memorial service is instituted to commemorate Anthony and the other airborne soldiers shot by the Germans at Brummen on 23rd September 1944.
