A WAR veteran who re-visited Arnheim where he was taken prisoner in 1944 was shocked to find himself featured in a book about the Parachute Regiment.

Frank Collipy, aged 81, of Betjeman Close, Latchford, was in the paramedics during the war and parachuted into Arnheim in Holland.

Frank re-visited the city for the first time at the end of last year with his daughter Margaret and as a result joined the Friends of the Airbourne Museum.

He said: "I always wanted to go back but I didn't want to go with the Army so my daughter came up with the idea of going on holiday, but I didn't know what to expect."

Frank went on a tour, visited the museum and managed to find the grave of his former friend Sid Cooksey who served alongside him.

He said: "I have never cried so much in my life. I found my mate's grave and we placed some flowers there."

Through the organisation he joined, Frank was surprised to receive a book written by the British representative Niall Cherry, called Red Berets and the Red Cross.

On page 36 was a picture of Frank with his friend Sid Cooksey while they were on leave in Palestine.

Mr Cherry had spoken to former friends and colleagues of Frank, and had found out that his nickname during the war was Kid Collipy, because he often said: 'I'm not kidding' and 'Eh, kid'.

Frank said: "He didn't write about what happened in Arnheim because he didn't know about it. But I have been in touch with him and we might meet up one of these days to do an interview. But he already seems to know more about me than I do!"