Stanley James Plested was the son of William and Alice Plested of Wealdstone, Harrow, Middlesex.He enlisted into the Essex Regiment, and was serving with the Regiment's 10th Battalion when it was turned over to airborne duties in December 1942 to become the 9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion. It became part of the 3rd Parachute Brigade within 6th Airborne Division in 1943.

Stan attended Parachute Course 47, along with other members of the Battalion, which ran at RAF Ringway from 18 January to 1 February 1943.

The Battalion went into action on 6 June 1944 as part of the Normandy landings, and was tasked with storming the Merville Gun Battery.

Stan Plested died on 6 June 1944, aged 24 years, and is now buried in Ranville War Cemetery, Normandy.

Profile photograph courtesy of Stan Plested, nephew.