Lieutenant William Edward Church volunteered for The Parachute Regiment from the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1943 and attended parachute training course number 45 at RAF Ringway between 4 and 13 January 1943.Lieutenant Church was posted to HQ Company 3rd Parachute Brigade as Medical Officer.

Captain Church saw action in Normandy, and was reported missing in action on 6 June 1944. He was captured and sent to Oflag IX in Germany.

William Church died in March 2009.