Private Cecil C Rusdale

Cecil Charles Rusdale was the son of George William and Daisy Mabel Rusdale, of Old Fletton, Northamptonshire.

He served with 16 Training Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps, prior to volunteering for airborne forces during World War II, and qualified as a military parachutist on course 90, which ran at RAF Ringway in November 1943.

Pte Rusdale later served with HQ Company, 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion, which acted as part of the spearhead force for the Normandy landings, and marked the start of the campaigns to liberate North West Europe from German occupation.

After capturing and holding Ranville against German attacks the battalion moved forward to occupy defensive positions at Le Mesnil where it remained, except for some spells out of the line for rest and training, until the beginning of August. Pte Rusdale was killed later in the month when the battalion mounted an attack on German forces occupying the village of Putot-en-Auge.

Pte Rusdale died on 19 August 1944, aged 19 years, and is now buried in Putot-en-Auge Churchyard.

Profile photograph courtesy of Ernie Rusdale.