Lance Corporal David Jessie Cheesley

David Jessie Cheesley was the son of Harry Edward and Elizabeth Hannah (Head) Cheesley, of Inglesham, Wiltshire, he enlisted in the Dorsetshire Regiment and volunteered for airborne forces.

Lance Corporal Cheesley successfully completed glider training and was posted to D Company, 24 Platoon (2nd Platoon for the duration of the Coup-de-Main Raid), 2nd (Airborne) Battalion, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, and took part in Operation Overlord (as part of the Pegasus bridge Coup-de-Main Raid) and Operation Varsity (Rhine Crossing).

L/Cpl Cheesley was killed in action on 1 April 1945, aged 19, and was given a field burial at Huttrup and was re-interred to Reichswald Forest War Cemetery on 23 May 1947.

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