Corporal William TM Bryning

William Bryning was born on the 5 August 1916, in Plymouth. He enlisted into the Royal Army Medical Corps in early 1939.

He volunteered for Airborne Forces and after completing the selection process at Hardwick Hall, he proceeded with ‘C’ Company, 3rd Parachute Battalion to RAF Ringway. He was on Parachute Course No 3, 5 – 13 December 1941, where he completed two descents from a balloon and five from Whitley aircraft. [1]

He would have taken part in the North Africa campaign – Operation ‘Torch’- from October 1942 to May 1943. It is not known if he took part in the Sicily operation, but it is unlikely as only a very few of the 3rd Parachute Battalion’s aircraft actually dropped their troops. He would have taken part in Operation ‘Slapstick’, which was the joint 1st Airborne Division and Naval Task Force landing at Taranto in Southern Italy in September 1943.

He was a Medical Orderly attached to ‘B’ Company, 3rd Parachute Battalion for Operation ‘Market-Garden’, and would have taken off from Saltby aerodrome in Lincolnshire on Sunday, 17 September 1944. He was bound for DZ ‘X’ near Renkum in Holland with the objective of securing the main road bridge over the Lower Rhine (Neder Rijn) at Arnhem.

Officially he is listed as killed in action on the 19 September 1944. This appears to be based on a letter from 4196618. Pte William Peter Davies, ‘B’ Company Headquarters, 3rd Parachute Battalion, where he states: ‘No 7345878 Cpl. WTH Bryning was killed outside hospital at Arnhem on 21 Sep 44, whilst attending wounded who were being evacuated. (approx. 1030 hrs). His height was approx. 5’ 8”, fair complexion and sturdily built. He was of the RAMC attached to 3 Para Regt. ‘B’ Coy, No 16 Field Ambulance. He was a married man, married at Hayland, Nr Barnsley, Yorks.’ [2]

However there is some doubt about this, especially as the dates don’t match and his first burial spot is miles away from Arnhem. It is possible that he was taken prisoner and shot sometime between the 3 – 5 October 9144, along with Sigmn. RC Wiles, J-Section Signals, also attached to the 3rd Parachute Battalion, as they were both found in an isolated grave by the side of the road – Beekhuizenseweg - in a wood at Velp (GR: 793812). This is close to the present day sports ground.

Dutch civilians reported seeing the bodies between the 3 and the 6 October 1944, and they were finally buried on the 9 October 1944.

The two bodies were taken to the Arnhem/Oosterbeek War Cemetery in January 1946, where Cpl Bryning now lies at rest in grave 30. A. 8.

Corporal Bryning was aged 28 when he was killed and the husband of Joyce Bryning of Sheffield.

NOTES:

[1] Parachute Course Report, RAF Ringway. December 1941.

[2] Casualty Reports DSC06879. 3 Para Bn. NWE. 838. 18A. 17 November 1945.