Students from St Mary's College in Crosby have been helping to commemorate one of the most important battles of the Second World War.

Members of the school's Combined Cadet Force travelled to Arnhem in Holland to take part in events marking the 65th anniversary of Operation Market Garden.

This exercise - the largest airborne operation of all time - was a bold but failed attempt by the Allies to end the war early.  It involved parachuting thousands of troops behind enemy lines to secure vital Rhine bridges over which the British army could advance.

For the commemorations, the St Mary's party of four officers and 11 cadets were based at the Dutch Army barracks at Harskamp.

They attended several official events including a mass parachute drop of 600 men at Ginkel Heath, one of the wartime drop zones, and a reception at the Airborne Museum at Oosterbeck.

The most poignant part of the trip was a service at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery at Oosterbeck.

Here they laid a wreath on the grave of former St Mary's pupil, Corporal Myles O'Shaughnessy, who died fighting during Operation Market Garden at the age of just 27.

St Mary's College Principal, Mike Kennedy, commented: "It was a great honour for our cadets to take part in these commemorations and we are very grateful to the 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment for inviting us.  The feedback we have received is that our students impressed everyone with their bearing and friendliness.  In fact, the Colonel of the battalion said they were worthy of wearing the Parachute Regiment cap badge, which is praise indeed."

Members of the St Mary's party are pictured at the grave of former pupil, Myles O¹Shaughnessy.