Jim
was born in Lowestoft in 1925.
He joined
the Army as a boy soldier at the age of fifteen in 1940. He served
in a County Regiment throughout the War to 1945, when he became
Airborne by transfer to Airborne Light Artillery. He also
qualified as a parachutist.
He was with
the 1st Airborne Division, much weakened after Arnhem, in the
occupation of Norway, to take the German surrender. He was then
posted to the Far East, in preparation for the final thrust
against Japan and served in Java, malaya and India.
After the
surrender of Japan, his unit was transferred to the 6th Airborne
Division, then serving in Palestine, trying to keep the peace
between Arabs and Jews.
When the
British withdrew from Palestine, Jim was posted to BAOR, Germany.
he later served with FARELF and in Korea. His final unit was 45
Field Regiment RA, from which he was discharged in 1955 as a Staff
Sergeant.
Jim died on
20th July 1998.
R.I.P.
