- Stanley Douglas Biggs was a son of George and Lilian Biggs of
Walworth, London. He was married to Florence Irene Biggs of Walworth.
- Biggs landed near Wolfheze on 17 september 1944. On 18 september
cameraman Gordon Walker filmed one of the 181th Field Ambulance's
surgical teams inside the dressing station at Duitsekampweg No. 9.
Stanley Biggs was one of the men being filmed. Later that day, between
1700hrs and 2000hrs the dressing station was moved to the Schoonoord
Hotel in Oosterbeek. Lieutenant-Colonel Marrable, commander of the 181st
Field Ambulance, realised that the Schoonoord was soon going to be
pushed for space and he decided to locate his two surgical teams in the
Tafelberg Hotel, some 200 meters from the Schoonoord.
- Biggs worked in the Tafelberg Hotel. The Germans came
into the Tafelberg Hotel on a few occasions. In the book 'Red Berets and
red crosses' (Niall Cherry) Private Tom Bannister of 181 Airlanding
Field Ambulance said about one of these times: "The
SS marched all the orderlies outside and lined us up with hands on heads
near the garage we were using as a mortuary. It looked as though that
was it. I was standing next to a chap named Stan Biggs, and he looked
across to me, grinned and said 'Well, there is one thing, Tom, they
won't have far to carry us'."
- On 25 september 1944 a stray shell hit the Tafelberg Hotel during a
barrage of the Oosterbeek Perimeter by XXX Corps. It passed through the
roof, the upstairs floor ad exploded on the ground floor. As a result
Stanley Douglas Biggs was killed together with several other already
injured soldiers.
- Biggs was given a field burial in front of the Tafelberg Hotel. He
was later reburied at the Airborne Cemetery.
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Picture:
23-09-2012
Picture:
23-06-2018