Jack Rixson enlisted into the King's Shropshire Light Infantry and later volunteered for airborne forces in World War II while still serving as a private.He qualified as a military parachutist on Course 97 which ran at RAF Ringway from 3 to 15 January 1944. The course instructors' notes record that Jack was a "good performer, intelligent pupil, morale and reaction good."

He was initially posted to the Holding Company at The Depot and School Airborne Forces and later joined 22nd Independent Parachute Company, the pathfinder unit for 6th Airborne Division, which took part in the Normandy campaign in 1944.