Author: Matthew K Barrett

Lt-Col. G. Tilly

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Lieutenant-Colonel Gerald Tilly
4th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment

Tilly and the American both got into a foxhole and, after the firing died down, Tilly told the man he had to be going.

“You wouldn’t happen to have a drink, would you?” the American asked.

As a matter of fact, Col. Till did. He had stocked his armored carrier with a couple of dozen bottles of champagne and brandy in Brussels.

“What would you like?” he asked. “Champagne or brandy?”

The American looked at him incredulously. “You must be joking,” he said finally. “But in case you’ re not, I’ll have some brandy.”

(Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 116, folder 4: Gerald Tilly)

Born on 30 April 1909 in Morecambe, Lancashire, Gerald Tilly was a prewar Territorial Army officer commissioned and mobilized with East Surrey Regiment at the outbreak of the Second World War. He served as a company commander in 5th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment during the battle of Normandy. He took over command of the 4th Battalion at the beginning of August, for which he earned the D.S.O. during heavy fighting over the next day.

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Lt-Col. D.E.B. Talbot

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Lieutenant-Colonel Dennis Talbot
7th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment

Throughout this past year the success rate in eliminations of Communist Terrorists by kills, captures and surrenders has been well maintained in Pahang when it has been dropping in all other States. Statistics show that in the past year it was twice as difficult to eliminate a Communist Terrorist as in the previous year and yet over this period his Brigade has kept up its elimination figures.

(C.M.E. citation, 31 May 1955)

Born on 23 September 1908 in Norwood, Middlesex, Dennis Edmund Blaquiere Talbot was commissioned into the Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment after graduating from RMC, Sandhurst in 1928. He completed a tour in India and completed staff college at Camberley in 1940. He served as brigade major for 30th Infantry Brigade during the Battle of France, for which he earned the Military Cross.

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Lt-Col. D.W.G. Ray & Maj. J.R.C. Mallock

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Lieutenant-Colonel Donald Ray
&
Major John Mallock
7th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment

The Battalion’s casualties in this, its first major action, totalled eighteen officers and two hundred and eight other ranks killed, wounded and missing. Four officers were killed: Captain Terry and Lieutenants T. P. Evans, Sandy and Waddell. Colonel Ray was twice wounded, but remained on duty until wounded again, this time so seriously that he had to be evacuated, and he died on his way home to England.

(D.S. Daniell, The Royal Hampshire Regiment, 233)

Born on 2 July 1903 in Wimborne, Dorset, Donald William Garnham Ray was a first-class cricket player and wicket keeper. He was commissioned into the Royal Fusiliers after graduating from RMC, Sandhurst in 1923. From 1934 he served in India and in 1938 became adjutant to the Ceylon Planters’ Rifle Corps. He relinquished the post on the outbreak of war and served in France with the Fusiliers in 1940.

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Lt-Col. K.T. Darling

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Lieutenant-Colonel Kenneth Darling
12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion

K.T.’s a wonderful person. A great soldiering personality and a man who won’t stand for any nonsense at all from anyone no matter who he is. I always got on extremely well with him. You always knew exactly where you stood and exactly what he wanted doing. In the very early days I always thought he had the necessary personality to rise to the top.

(CSM McCabe-Dallas quoted in Sunday Mercury, 5 May 1963, 11)

Born on 17 September 1909 in British India, Kenneth Thomas Darling was educated at Eton College and RMC, Sandhurst, after which he took a commission with the Royal Fusiliers in 1929. From 1930 to 1938, he served with the 1st Battalion in India. In 1940, he attended staff college at Camberley, becoming brigade major with the 1st London Brigade, 1st London Division. He next served as a general staff officer at the War Office until 1942.

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Lt-Col. W.A.B. Harris

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Lieutenant-Colonel Bill Harris
12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion

During the continuous fighting which took place between 27 Feb and 6 March on which day he was seriously wounded while moving forward at the head of his company under heavy M.G. fire, Binbashi Harris continually displayed the utmost coolness at all times.

(Military Cross citation, 18 Jul 1941)

Born on 14 May 1912 in British India, William Arthur Brooke Harris was the son of a British colonial official, and was a commissioned officer with the Royal Fusiliers since graduating from RMC, Sandhurst in 1932. From 1938 to 1941, he was seconded to the Sudan Defence Force and fought with the Frontier Battalion in the East Africa campaign against the Italian invasion in 1940.

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Lt-Col. N. Crookenden

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Lieutenant-Colonel Napier Crookenden
9th Parachute Battalion

It was an eye-opener for me that you could never foretell how any one man or one person will react under fire. Even the toughest sportsman can collapse … In those days we hadn’t studied battle exhaustion or as they called in World War I shell shock and of course there was no question of counselling or any of these modern developments.

(IWM interview, 2 Jan 1996)

Born on 31 August 1915 in Chester, Cheshire, Napier Crookenden was the son of a First World War veteran. In his words, he “made up my mind to be a soldier when I was six years old.” After educated at RMC, Sandhurst, he took a commission with the Cheshire Regiment in 1935. The next year, he joined the 2nd Battalion on deployment to Egypt and Palestine. He first came under fire during Arab Revolt.

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Lt-Col. G. Hewetson

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Lieutenant-Colonel George Hewetson
8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion

During this period, a glider crashed on his command post, killing the officer beside him, and wounding others. Lieutenant-Colonel Hewetson was himself very badly shaken, but he flatly refused medical aid until not only the securing of the dropping zone but also the capture of his Bn’s next objective had been completed.

(D.S.O. citation, 21 June 1945)

Born on 27 December 1910 in Ireby, Cumberland, George Hewetson was a rugby player, school headmaster and a Territorial Army Officer. He took a commission with the 5th Battalion, Border Regiment in 1938 and mobilized in 1940, serving as adjutant in the Battle of France. In 1943, he volunteered for the paratroops.

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Lt-Col. P. Gleadell

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Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Gleadell
12th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment

Having rapidly manoeuvred his battalion into assaulting positions, Lt. Col. Gleadell led it into the attack with such vigour and determination that Hamminkeln was captured in the face of heavy opposition inside half an hour … Once again he was in the forefront of the battle, where his speed of decision and determination to get forward were outstanding. Very largely due to his efforts, the operation was completely successful with heavy enemy losses and light casualties to ourselves.

(D.S.O. citation, 7 Jun 1945)

Born on 23 February 1910 in Mexico, Paul Gleadell was educated at RMC, Sandhurst and commissioned into the Devonshire Regiment in 1930. He was qualified as a translator in French and Spanish and served a tour on the North-West Frontier in India. By 1942, he was a brigade major with the 80th Indian Brigade stationed on Ceylon. On 30 November 1942, he was enroute to the United Kingdom with his family on board Llandaff Castle when a German U-Boat torpedoed the transport off the coast on Mozambique. The Gleadell family survived to continue the journey home.

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Lt-Col. G.P. Rickcord

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Lieutenant-Colonel G.P. Rickcord
1st Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles

Never have I felt so happy about anything—it is just a wonderful adventure which at one time I though would never turn up for me. Everyone is in terrific form … We are extremely confident and could not feel better. All I want to do is to enjoy and foresee our successes—I am sure they will be—with interest and happiness and for heavens sake don’t worry. I shall be home to tell you all about it and this is something really worthwhile.

(Letter to Mother, 5 June 1944, https://paradata.org.uk/content/4639702-lieutenant-colonel-gerald-rickcord)

Born on 10 July 1913 in Portsmouth, Hampshire, Gerald Percival Rickcord was commissioned into the Royal Ulster Rifles in 1934 after education at Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He served in Hong Kong and India and was aide-de-camp to the governor of Ceylon in 1937. During the early phase of the Second World War, he was adjutant for the 10th Battalion, Royal East Kent Regiment and commanded an anti-aircraft battery during the Blitz.

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Lt-Col. M. Darell-Brown

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Lieutenant-Colonel Mark Darell-Brown
2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry

After an intense bombardment lasting more than an hour the enemy put in an attack on the locality supported by tanks and self-propelled guns. Throughout the bombardment and the attack Major Darrell Brown moved freely and fearlessly round the most exposed positions held by his men encouraging them. By his magnificent example and adjusting their disposition to mete the casualties being inflicted. This officers outstanding leadership and courage were factors of the greatest importance in the successful outcome of the battle.

(D.S.O. citation, 31 Aug 1944)

Born in Elham, Kent on 8 March 1910, Mark Darell-Brown was commissioned into the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in 1930 and before the war served in Burma. By 1944, he had become second-in-command of the 2nd Battalion, which had converted to glider infantry in 1943 and joined the 6th Airborne Division in 1943.

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