Frederick Parsons, from Berkhamsted. He enlisted with the Army 7 March 1933 and became a member of 2nd Bn. The Ox & Bucks Light Infantry Regiment (OBLI).

During these early days with the formation of 1st Airborne Division, it was decided that a Divisional Defence Platoon was required to defend the Divisional Headquarters. The task of forming this platoon was given to the 2nd OBLI of which Fred was a member.

By January 1944, he along with other members of this battalion joined the HQ 1st Airborne Division Defence Platoon. On 17 September he emplaned for Op. Market Garden. He was fortunate enough cross The Rhine and to safely return home by 29 September. 

Frederick served 'with the Colours' for over 7 years. He served in India, pre war, N. Africa April 1943, Italy, Arnhem and finally Norway between 25 August and 1 November 1945. After being released from regular service 22 November 1945, aged 32, he went on to be a reservist for an addition 5 years. 

His service records his conduct as "Very Good".

Fred went on to have a family of 9. 

Information taken from service records kindly donated by Roger Parsons (son). 

Summary of the Service Of Pte. Frederick Parsons. Written by Sue and Roger Parsons

India 1934 – 1940

The 2nd Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry (OBLI) had been in Burma and India since the early 1930s In 1934 the battalion returned to India, initially to Bareilly and then to Mhow where it remained until it left India in June 1940, arriving home the following month and it was there that Frederick would have joined the battalion.

Merger of 2^nd Battalion, The Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry to 1^st Airborne Division and posting to the Defence Platoon. The 2^nd Battalion, The Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry (OBLI) were recalled from India in 1940 post Dunkirk campaign when the defence of the UK needed all hands to take on the expected German invasion.

In 1941 the 2nd OBLI were among the first units of Infantry to be converted to the new role of being transported into battle by glider and became part of what was to become the 1st Airlanding Brigade in a brand new concept of British Airborne Forces the 1^st British Airborne Division which would eventually consist of two Parachute Brigades each of three battalions of Parachute trained infantry and one Airlanding Brigade initially of four battalions, to be landed in gliders.

During these early days with the formation of 1st Airborne Division, it was decided that a Divisional Defence Platoon was required to defend the Divisional Headquarters. The task of forming this platoon was given to some members of the 2nd OBLI of which Fred was a member.

North Africa and Italy 1943 - 1944

Fred was posted to North Africa 28 March 1943 and onward to Sicily June 1943 to 3 January 1944 In 1943 the 1st Airborne Division went into action for the first time in North Africa, where it fought in an infantry role during the Tunisian campaign over the next few weeks, and when the Allies invaded Sicily in July 1943. The landings on Sicily on 10 July 1943. Parachute and glider borne landings were made by the British 1 Airborne Division.

The first, Operation Ladbroke, carried out by glider infantry of the 1st Airlanding Brigade and the second, Operation Fustian, by the 1st Parachute Brigade, were far from completely successful. The 1st Airborne Division then took part in a mostly diversionary amphibious landing, codenamed Operation Slapstick, as part of the Allied invasion of Italy in September 1943.

In December, most of the 1st Airborne Division (minus the 2nd Parachute Brigade, left behind in Italy) returned to England, and began training and preparing for the Allied invasion of Normandy.

In the event the honour of taking the lead role on D Day fell to the 6th Airborne Division and who captured and held the famous "Pegasus Bridge" much to the envy of the 1^st Airborne Division who were left at home.

Arnhem – September 1944

1st Airborne Division's time would come later with their most famous action when in September of 1944 they were tasked with capturing the now infamous "A Bridge Too Far" at Arnhem during Operation Market Garden.

The whole Division went into action including the Divisional Defence Platoon who defended the Divisional Headquarters from around trenches in the grounds of the Hartenstein Hotel. Fred was among them again indicated by his record from 17^th September to 26th September when he was lucky to be among around 2,000 troops who were evacuated back across the River Rhine and along with other survivors was flown back to the UK on 29th September 1944

Norway – Operation Doomsday – May 1945

Fred was posted to Norway 10th May 1945

In Operation Doomsday, the British 1st Airborne Division acted as a police and military force during the Allied occupation of Norway , immediately after the victory in Europe The division maintained law and order until the arrival of the remainder of Force 134, the occupation force. During its time in Norway, the division supervised the surrender of the German forces in Norway, as well as preventing the sabotage of military and civilian facilities. Force 134 would be greatly outnumbered during this; 30,000 Allied troops would have to supervise the disarmament of more than 350,000 German troops By early May 1945, 1st Airborne Division had been brought up to strength, albeit mainly with inexperienced replacements due to the losses at Arnhem,

The aircraft took off for Stravanger on 11 May, with one crashing on take off and yet another going missing; this one had landed at another airfield in Norway. The aircraft belonging to the next two phases suffered no casualties, although some were again delayed by inclement weather over the Norwegian airfields. The 1st Airborne Division suffered one officer and thirty-three other ranks killed, and one other rank wounded. The 1st Airborne Division encountered no trouble from the Germans, who co-operated with the airborne troops. The Norwegian resistance co-operated with the 1st Airborne Division, often providing liaison and performing guard duties, and the Norwegian population as a whole gave a warm welcome to the airborne troops. The1st Airborne Division was stationed in Norway until the end of the summer. It returned to Britain at the end of August, and its personnel were sent on leave. Fred returned to the UK on the 28 August 1945

1st Airborne Division was still understrength after Operation Market Garden and not fully trained. The division spent the next two months training and transferring troops to the 6th Airborne Division, and then disbanded on 15 November 1945. Fred left the Full time Army for the final time 10 February 1946 but was a Reservist until 1954.