W. P. Greenslade enlisted into the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry and then volunteered for airborne forces.He qualified as a military parachutist on course 81 which ran at RAF Ringway from 9 to 16 September 1943 and served in A Company, 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion.

Pte 'Swede' Greenslade was wounded in Normandy.