By Aileen Robertson

Former Scottish paratroopers set off for Holland yesterday to help commemorate the 60th anniversary of the battle of Arnhem.

Around 150 ex-Paras boarded the ferry at Rosyth for the journey. Among them was 45-year-old Ken McIlwee of Kirkcaldy, who was with the Parachute Regiment for 24 years until he was injured in 2001.

During the commemorations he will present the mayor of Arnhem with a plaque from the Provost of Fife, Councillor John Simpson. Mr McIlwee said, “There are a lot of ex-soldiers from Fife. This is a gesture to the people of Arnhem to say thank you for looking after the graves of our dead heroes.”

Operation Market Garden began on September 17, 1944, and would see more than 10,000 allied airborne troops fighting in and around Arnhem.

However they met well-prepared German forces and after holding out for more than a week, were forced to withdraw. Fewer than 2500 made it back to Britain.