Annual trip

D Day Naval Veteran Les Underwood 98 died on Thursday 5 September. On D Day in June 1944, eighteen year old Les Underwood was on a Merchant ship destined for Russia which was diverted to the coast of Normandy. At the time he had no idea where it was going to, as the captain did…

On Friday 6 September, veterans and volunteers from the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans gathered at the Ambassador’s Residence in The Hague for a reception, at which UK Ambassador to the Netherlands Joanna Roper CMG presented Taxi Charity Dutch Adviser Frans Ammerlaan with an honorary MBE. His Majesty King Charles III awarded an honorary MBE…

On 2 July, 70 volunteer cab drivers from the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans drove veterans to Worthing for a day at the coast. Over 100 veterans from London and the home counties enjoyed a day in Worthing courtesy of volunteer cab drivers who support the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans.   After rendezvousing for…

The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans was delighted to take a group of veterans to Normandy for the 80 anniversary of Operation Overlord. On 4 June, London Taxi cabs drove; ten Normandy, two WWII, five post war and two Afghanistan veterans, and a team of volunteers, carers, companions and medics across to France for the…

On 5 May thirteen British and one Canadian veteran led the Liberation Parade through Wageningen applauded by thousands who lined the route.   The British veterans had travelled to the Netherlands with the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, which has been making the annual trip for Dutch Liberation since 2012 and were joined by a…

100 year old WWII veteran William ‘Bill’ Gladden, who flew into Normandy on D-Day, died at home in Haverhill on 24 April. William ‘Bill’ Gladden was born on the 13 January 1924. His parents were both from Yarmouth in Norfolk, but they raised him in Woolwich; his mother having worked in the Arsenal during the…

Taxi Charity Dutch Ambassador Frans Ammerlaan has been awarded an honorary MBE by King Charles for services to commemorations and to British World War II veterans. Frans Ammerlaan has had a long association with veterans. He has a great interest in Operation Market Garden, an Allied military operation during the Second World War fought in…

On 16 November former Essex Regiment and Glider Pilot Regiment veteran Captain Ron Johnson died at home aged 102. Ron Johnson was called up in September 1939 and as the only grammar schoolboy in his group he was sent on many courses during training.  Scoring 100% on an aircraft recognition course he was fast tracked…

WWII Veteran Alec Hall from Southend-on-Sea, died at home on Monday 16 October with his family by his side. Alec Hall, served with the 181 Field Ambulance (Airborne) as a medical nurse and was part of Operation Market Garden in 1944. He returned to the Netherlands on several occasions with the Taxi Charity for Military…

On 14 September, four London cab drivers who volunteer for the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans travelled to the Netherlands for the annual Operation Market Garden Commemorations. Every year the anniversary of Operation Market Garden, which took place between the 17 and 27 September 1944, is commemorated with a series of events in the Arnhem…