- David McPhee was born on 24 june 1924 in Greenock. He was a elders
child of David and Florence. Before the war McPhee worked for a
tobacconist.
- McPhee served with the
Defence Platoon of 4th Brigade HQ. On 18 september 1944 he landed with
his unit on Ginkel Heath. Together with the rest of the brigade he moved
towards Arnhem, but was stopped at the Dreyenseweg. On 20 september he
reached Oosterbeek and was send to the area of the MDS crossroads.
- David McPhee swam across the Rhine during the withdrawal of the 1st
Airborne Division. On the website http://4thparachutebrigadearnhem1944.eu
a personal account of McPhee is published. About the evacuation he wrote
the following: "We made our way down the river with many stops
and starts, crossing the low road near the old church was tricky owing
to spandau's firing. We were called to board the boats, but after
waiting about an hour an officer asked what we were waiting for and told
to get across the river as the boats were sunk. I stripped off and made
my way into the water and made for the other side. The crossing was
under fire from the German positions on the high ground at Westerbouwing
and I thought I wasn't going to make it when suddenly my feet touched
bottom and I stood up and tried to climb the embankment." When
McPhee reached the other side of the river he found two other men of the
Brigade HQ, sergeant Edwin Argent and captain Harkess. They were both
injured and McPhee called for medics to see to them. He was then taken
to Nijmegen and back to England.
- After the war McPhee returned to work for the same tobacconist that
he worked with prior to the war. On 26 february 1946 he married
Catherine McLaughlan of Greenock. They moved to Kilmarnock, where David
ran a wholesale business.
- David McPhee developed an interest in scuba diving and he became
one of the first five first class diving offficers in Scotland. He was
at different times diving officer and then chairman of the Scottish
Sub-Aqua Club.
- David McPhee was the chairman of the Arnhem Veterans Club for many
years. On 18 september 1998 he unveiled a monument near the Airborne
Cemetery at Oosterbeek. This monument was a gift of the Arnhem Veterans
Club to all the children who are laying flowers on the graves every year
during the remembrance service at the cemetery.
|
