Peter Stainforth: paintings & drawings

† Peter Stainforth died on 13th December 2017, aged 96

Peter’s ashes were laid to rest under ‘The Arnhem Oak’* at the church of St. Mary and The Holy Rood, Donington, Lincs, on Sunday, 23rd September 2018, on the occasion of the annual 1st Para Squadron Reunion, 74 years after the Battle of Arnhem.

The proceedings were conducted by Rev Charles Robertson. Gordon, John, and Col. Chris Davies (who organises the Donington reunion each year) can be seen on the right.

An article on the remembrance service, with a group photo,
appeared in the local paper, Spalding Today, 01 October 2018.

My tribute picture of Dad that we had projected at his funeral

(Obituary)

The start of the Battle of Arnhem, 17th September 1944

The Battle of Arnhem, September 1944
The First Parachute Brigade, Operation Market Garden, Arnhem, 17th September 1944

Lieutenant Peter Stainforth of the 1st Parachute Squadron, Royal Engineers, fought in Algeria, Tunisia and Sicily, and finally at the Battle of Arnhem, where he was shot through the lung and taken prisoner (so becoming one of the lucky few who survived this notorious military débacle.)

Throughout the war Peter Stainforth had a sketchbook with him, and later made this remarkable pastel drawing of the First Parachute Brigade landing on Renkum Heath, near Arnhem, in the first wave of Operation Market Garden on 17th September 1944.

Other drawings and paintings

‘Flak and Silk’

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‘Flak and Silk, Sicily, July 1943’, from an original pastel drawing by Peter Stainforth, 1946.

Detail from Dad’s vivid picture of jumping in the night in Sicily in 1943. Click image for the full extraordinary original.

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Click for full size images

Peter Stainforth 1988
Peter Stainforth, 1988. Photo: Gordon Stainforth

Wings of the Wind - cover

Peter Stainforth’s account of his war time experiences as a paratrooper: Wings of the Wind, 1954 (1985 edition)

Donington Reunion 2006
Peter at the 1st Parachute Squadron reunion at Donington, 24th September 2006 Photo: Gordon Stainforth