STANLEY’S WAR | A Medical Orderly at the Battle of Arnhem

Stanley’s War tells the story of one ordinary man caught up in one of the most extraordinary battles of the Second World War. Private Stanley Biggs served as a medical orderly with 181st Airlanding Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, during Operation Market Garden and the Battle of Arnhem in September 1944. His story has been at the heart of my own interest in Arnhem for many years. Originally created for the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem, this documentary follows Stanley’s journey to the Netherlands and his experiences as part of the airborne medical services, from landing by glider to treating the wounded within the increasingly desperate Oosterbeek perimeter. Stanley was eventually based at the Tafelberg in Oosterbeek. Once a hotel, during the battle the Tafelberg became one of the principal medical centres within the perimeter. Here, medical personnel worked in extraordinarily difficult conditions as casualties continued to arrive and the fighting closed in around them. Stanley was attached to a surgical team and remained at the Tafelberg caring for the wounded. On 25 September 1944, as the Battle of Arnhem entered its final hours, Stanley was killed inside the Tafelberg during an artillery barrage. He was 25 years old. His story did not end there. Decades later, researching Stanley would lead me to Arnhem, to the places where he served and ultimately to the creation of Stanley Biggs Clothiers, which carries his name today. Over the past week on Geek of History, we’ve been retracing the Battle of Arnhem through our Arnhem Diary, filmed during the 81st anniversary commemorations in September 2025. We’ve followed the story from the landing zones towards Arnhem, through the Oosterbeek perimeter and finally to the Tafelberg itself. It therefore felt like the right time to bring Stanley’s War to Geek of History and share his complete story. This is not the story of a general or a famous commander. It is the story of a medical orderly and one of the thousands of individual lives behind the history of Arnhem. Private Stanley Biggs 181st Airlanding Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps Died 25 September 1944, aged 25. We will remember them. Subscribe to Geek of History for more films exploring the people, places, vehicles and stories of the past. #GeekOfHistory #Arnhem #OperationMarketGarden #RAMC #WW2History