Veterans · 25 November 2021

James GOURLAY was born on November 28, 1918 in Greenock, Scotland. He studied at Kelvinside, then at the Edinburgh academy where he was the captain of the pool team. In July 1939, he enlisted in the "Royal Scots", and in October 1940 was commissioned with the "Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders". First incorporated into a machine gun section (341st Machine Gun), he will then be transferred to the 6th and 15th A&SH battalions. In 1941, he married Sybil EDWARDS, before being transferred to the...

Histoire · 21 July 2021

Commander : Brigadier Charles PRITCHARD Deputy Commander : Colonel Tom C.H. PEARSON Brigade Major : Major John L. WILLIAMS Deputy Assistant Adjudant and Quatermaster General : Major John W. PEARSON G3 ( Air) : Captain H.J. FULLER Intelligence Officer : Captain D.S. WEST-RUSSELL Staff Captain : Captain C.P. HEYGATE Brigade R.A.S.C Officer : Captain Joe G. SIBBALD Ordnance Section : Captain R. BARNETT Chaplain : Captain/Reverend B. FENLON Forward Observation Bombardment : Captain A. HARRISON...

Veterans · 01 November 2020

Alex SUTTON was born in Liverpool in November 1923 and was educated at Leamington Road School. In 1939 he joined the Air Cadet Force and later became member of the Home Guard. Aged 17 he enlisted into The Royal Welch Fusiliers in may 1941 and became a member of the airborne forces when 10th Battalion. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Hilary Vaughan Pritchard, the 10th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers was converted to the 6th (Royal Welch) Parachute Battalion in August 1942. It was...

Veterans · 20 May 2020

Sergeant TUCKER and the incredible story of the German Head-Quarter in La Motte. Southern France : He joined the airborne in may 1943, from a Royal Artillery where he was a pre-war TA Sergeant, but willingly dropped a rank to do so. After Hardwick and Ringway parachute school, he joined the 5th Scottish battalion in the summer of 1943 in time to leave for north Africa. Once in the middle East he took part in the 1st Airborne division landing at Taranto in 1943 and fought from november 43 to may...

Veterans · 23 April 2020

Charles Hilary Vaughan PRITCHARD was born 29th November 1905 in London. He was the son of Lt.-Col. Charles Hamerton Pritchard. . He was educated at Cambridge, before joining the royal Welsh Fuliers in 1927. After some various assignements, he became Adjutant of the 53rd Welsh Infantry Division. In August 1942 he was commanding the 10th Battalion The Royal Welsh Fusiliers when it was converted as an airborne unit and became the 6th Royal Welsh Parachute Battalion. In May 43, he let the 6th Para...

Histoire · 22 February 2020

The 5th Parachute Battalion nicknamed 5th "Scottish" was formed from the 7th Battalion The Cameron Highlanders in May 1942. The Cameron Highlanders origin is the reason of the use of the Tam O'Shanter beret, and the official tartan know under the name of Hunting Stewart tartan.

Veterans · 17 January 2020

(Page under construction with courtezy of Spike Nolan daughter Carol and Grand daughter Danielle) James Spike NOLAN, Member of the "B" company, 4th British parachute battalion of the 2nd independent para brigade, part of the First Airborne Task Force division dropped in southern France between villages of La Motte, Le Mitan and Le Muy on Drop Zone "O" at 4.30 am on the 15th of August 1944. The 2nd independent para brigade, was part of the First Airborne Task Force division, the Airborne part of...

Veterans · 17 December 2019

John Henry De Beer, a South African seconded to the British Army, joined the Ist Indep Para Platoon, the pathfinder unit of 2nd Indep Para Bde in Italy in the beginning of 1945 as one of its last batch of reinforcements. When the Platoon disbanded in UK in the late summer of 1945, he joined its parent unit, 21st Indep Para Coy, with which he served in Palestine until his secondment ceased on 29 Dec 45. He was released from service with South African forces on Ist May 46. It is not known which...