Author: Matthew K Barrett

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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Lt-Col. J.L. Brind

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Lieutenant-Colonel J.L. Brind
5th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment

The swinging brigadier now likes music from Burt Bacharach to the Beatles and composes most of his material on his electronic organ. Ask if spreading the message of peace was compatible with his life as a soldier, the brigadier replied: “The Army is there to keep the peace and to keep the peace one has to love everybody.”

(Evening Post, 29 Aug 1972, 5)

Born on 29 August 1909 in Mettingham, Suffolk, James Lindsay Brind was commissioned into the Somerset Light Infantry after graduating from RMC, Sandhurst in 1928. He served with the 1st Battalion in India where his father, Sir John Edward Spencer Brind (1878–1954), had been deputy chief of the general army staff. He returned to the United Kingdom in 1940.

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Lt-Col. N.C.E. Kenrick

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Lieutenant-Colonel N.C.E. Kenrick
5th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment

Lt Col Kenrick showed no thought of his own safety, personally killing at least two Germans, and frequently visited bn comds escorted in a jeep. He was well aware that all roads were covered by SP guns and innumerable snipers. He refused to allow the attack on Bde HQ to interfere with his plans and by his personal contacted succeeded in reorganising the Brigade and restoring the situation.

(D.S.O. citation, 3 May 1945)

Born on 9 July 1905 in Kent, Neville Cyril Evelyn Kenrick was commissioned into the Wiltshire Regiment in 1925 and served as battalion adjutant from 1935 to 1938. He was promoted to acting major in August 1940. He was appointed commanding officer of the 5th Battalion in 1943, and led it to France as part of the 43rd Division in late June 1944.

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Lt-Col. W.Q. Roberts

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Lieutenant-Colonel W.Q. Roberts
5th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment
4th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment

Lt. Col. Roberts is a very busy man with an important job as steward to the Duchy of Cornwall. That he is much respected in his local town of Bath is evident from the fact that he has been appointed a J.P. Yet he has never failed to spare a great deal of his time for his battalion, and is highly regarded throughout his Regiment, to which he is devoted.

(O.B.E. citation, 5 Jun 1952)

Born on 5 August 1912 in London, William Quincey Roberts was a Territorial Army officer and assistant land steward of the Duchy of Cornwall. He was commissioned into the 4th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry in 1933 and was promoted to captain on mobilization in September 1939. He rose to second-in-command of the battalion but, spent much of the war stationed in England and Ireland, until the 43rd Wessex Division went to France in late June 1944.

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Lt-Col. J.H.C. Pearson

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Lieutenant-Colonel J.H. Child Pearson
5th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment

“I’ve never been so frightened in my life,” were the last words that Lt. Col. J.H.C. Pearson spoke to his signals officer striding forward alone, his customary red rose in his buttonhole and his walking stick in his hand As he crossed over the bridge, urging his men onward with the stick, he fell dead, shot by a sniper in the trees.

(Cited from Douglas Burton, BBC WW2 People’s War, 2004)

Born on 26 July 1913 in West Derby, Lancashire, John Harold Child Pearson was a graduate of Royal Military College, Sandhurst and a Regular Army officer, commissioned with the Prince of Wales Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment) since 1933. By the invasion of Normandy, he had been assigned to the 5th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment as second-in-command. When Lieutenant-Colonel N.C.E. Kenrick was wounded and evacuated on 1 July 1944, Pearson took over.

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