William Roger Larman enlisted into The Northamptonshire Regiment before transferring to the Royal Signals. He volunteered for airborne forces and qualified as a military parachutist on course 60 which ran at RAF Ringway in April 1943. The course report states: ‘Pte Larman Young, enthusiastic and very efficient jumper.’Signalman Larman was posted to ‘A’ (Wireless) Section, No 1 Company, 1st Airborne Divisional Signals and deployed to North Africa.

He later served in Italy on Operation Slapstick and saw active service on Operation Market Garden at Arnhem where he managed to return across the River Rhine to the safety of Allied lines after the nine day battle.

In September 1946 he was granted a commission with The Northamptonshire Regiment and retired as Captain in 1949.