CHARITY CORNER…


MILITARY VETERANS TO TRAVEL WITH THE TAXI CHARITY TO ARNHEM FOR THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY


Last month a group of London licensed taxi drivers volun- teered their time to take a group of WWII veterans to Holland for the 75th Anniversary of Arn- hem. Travelling to Arn- hem with the char- ity, for the services of commemoration, will be Ron Johnson, 98 Frank Ashleigh, 94,


and Ray


Whitwell, 100, who all participated in the Arnhem conflict


in 1944. They will be joined by other WWII veterans and four Chelsea Pen- sioners. The Battle of Arn- hem was a major battle of the Second World War at the vanguard of


Allied Operation Market Garden.


the It


was fought in and around the Dutch towns of Arnhem, Oosterbeek,


and


Wolfheze, and the surrounding coun- tryside from 17–26 September 1944. Ron Johnson, Frank Ashleigh and Ray Whitwell landed in September 1944 for


Operation Market Garden. They were part of the daring operation where more than 600 glid- ers were towed into battle in an attempt


to secure the River Rhine crossings and advance into north- ern Germany. Ray Whitwell recalls: “We went nine days without food during


the Arnhem conflict and then snipers shot holes in the bucket we were col- lecting water in.” One of the lucky ones, he evaded capture


as he


crossed the Rhine and made his way back to British lines. Both Ron Johnson and Frank Ashleigh were not so lucky and were taken cap- tive by the Germans and sent to prisoner of war camps. British Ambassador to the Netherlands Peter Wilson com- ments: “Ron, Frank, and Ray are living examples of


the


bravery shown by our armed forces during the Second World War. I’m so pleased they are travelling to the Netherlands in Lon- don cabs thanks to the Taxi Charity, to mark this historic commemoration of Operation Market Garden with us. It is vital


remember


that we those


who fought for our freedom; both to ensure we honour the sacrifices they made 75 years ago, as well as to remind future generations of


the price of peace.” LONDON CABBIES TO MAKE OVER 1,000 FREE JOURNEYS FOR VETERANS FOR ‘POPPY CABS’ INITIATIVE


In 2019, its tenth year, Poppy Cabs, driven by London taxi drivers, will again make it much easier for veterans and especially those veterans


wheelchairs, to plan their


travel,


using to


attend the Remem- brance Service. From just 14 taxis in 2009 to 150 on Westminster Bridge with more taxis waiting to help else-


68


The Poppy Cab service is now an integral part of the annual Remembrance Service in London


where in 2018, drivers and their families are at the heart of Poppy Cabs. Without them the service cannot function. Funded


entirely by the taxi drivers, this is seen as one of the high- lights of the taxi year when drivers make a special effort to pay back


the debt owed to our military veter- ans. Mike Hughes, Inde- pendent Coordin- ator of Poppy Cabs and London taxi driver, said: “The Poppy Cabs service is an integral part of Remembrance Sun- day, involving hun- dreds of proud Lon- don taxi drivers coming together to support our coun- try’s veterans.


In


recent years over 5,000 veterans have used the free service and this initiative perfectly demon- strates the amazing spirit and generosity of kind-hearted Lon- don cabbies.”


OCTOBER 2019


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