Richard George Wilson was an apprentice maintenance fitter in Burntisland, in Scotland, when he enlisted into the Gordon Highlanders, on the 6 May 1943 [1941]. [1] He gave his age as 19 although he was only just over 17 years old. He was later posted to the Royal Artillery in Kent and was trained as a Gun Position Officer’s Assistant. He then requested a transfer to the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) and was posted to the 141st Regiment, RAC.

Trooper Wilson volunteered for The Glider Pilot Regiment and by the summer of 1944 he was a 2^nd Pilot serving in 25 Flight, ‘E’ Squadron, based at RAF Down Ampney.

His 1st Pilot was S/Sgt. William Shearer Dunbar, and they would take part in the 2nd Lift of Operation ‘Market-Garden’, Monday, 18 September 1944, flying to LZ ‘X’, near Heelsum in Holland. In a Horsa glider (C/N’s: 837 – 842), and they carried men and equipment of the RHQ 1st Airlanding Light Regiment, RA.

They landed successfully, joined up those who had flown in the day before, and moved towards Oosterbeek.

On the night of the 25/26  September he manged to withdraw back over the Lower Rhine and reached the main Allied lines, and then returned to England. When he arrived back at his hut at Down Ampney only five of the thirty pilots that were based in that hut had returned. He wanted to send his fiancée, Rita Kean, a telegram, telling of his safe arrival. The original of this telegram is now held by the Imperial War Museum.

In December 1944, he was sent to India as part of a combined Army and RAF glider force (where he joined 669 Squadron) to prepare for an invasion against the Japanese in Burma. In March 1945 the ‘Wing’ moved south to Belgaum for jungle training. Having completed jungle training he moved to the Delhi area to await an invasion of Burma. But before that could happen the Japanese capitulated.

He also saw service in Palestine, 1945 – 1947.

He transferred back to the Royal Armoured Corps on the 28 August 1947. [1]

He continued his service in the Army and ended up in Egypt in the MPSC and was evacuated in November 1951. He then went into the RASC.

(Water Transport) which then became the RCT. he ended up a WO1 navigator on the LCT’s.  and completed two tours in Singapore, 1958-61, and 1963-66, when he was on the LCT’s, going round the coasts of Singapore, Malaya, Borneo, Brunei, etc. [2]

Richard retired after 27 years service in 1968, having attained the rank of Warrant Officer Class I. [2]

In September 1994 on the 50th anniversary of Arnhem, a letter was published in the Fife Free Press, asking for information regarding a name and address scratched on the door lintel in the cellar of a house in Arnhem. Richard had scratched the message while sheltering in the cellar

Richard Wilson died on the 19  March 1997.

Written and researched by Robert Hilton.

NOTES:

[1] The Parachute Regiment, Transfer and Enlistment Book 18, page 36.

[2] Information from his daughter, Lynne Copping. 1997 and 2026.