Sergeant Ernest G Joy

Ernest George Joy or Eric as he was known by his family, was educated at Bounds Green School.  He joined The Suffolk Regiment 1 July 1940.  At the time of enlistment he was working as a factory hand. Later in 1942 he volunteered for the airborne forces.

His records indicate that he did the following courses;

3 inch Mortar course at Hythe - 3 December 1940

Junior Leaders course at Barnsley - 8 April 1941

Qualified Parachutist at Ringway on Course 37. This course ran between 2 and 12 November 1942. However due to bad weather this jump course was delayed until 16 to 20 November.  He is listed with the rank of Cpl. at this time. 

Medium Machine Gun course at Hythe - 15 February 1942

He was a Sergeant in the MMG platoon in 2 Para.

Eric took part in operations in Africa, Italy and lastly at Arnhem where he was taken prisoner.  

While in Africa it is said that Eric had a chance encounter with his father who was serving in the Royal Artillery.

Prior to the Market Garden operation Eric was stationed at Stoke Rochford. At this time Eric was a Section Commander SP Coy MMG Pln. 

Steve Morgan, another MMG platoon member talks about taking off from Saltby airfield in Lincolnshire with Sergeant Joy.  On the side of the aircraft they wrote the legend, "Joy's Boys".  Steve also describes a snipers bullet narrowly missing Eric during the fighting.  Later in the operation when all was lost Steve and Eric surrendered together.

As the Soviets approached the POW camp that Eric was held in, he and the other prisoners were forced to march westwards covering 420 miles in 32 days.  The weather was terrible, food was limited and the German guards were brutal.  Many did not survive the march including Eric's friend Ernie who suffered with malnutrition.  Eric wrote movingly about the loss of his friend vowing to follow through on the plans that they had made together.  Following the death of Ernie, Eric wrote in his diary, "someone must pay!".  Later when he was interviewed by a paper about his exploits he said that "when people have heard my story I hope they will hate the Germans as much as I do."  Eric weighed 13st 9lbs at the start of Market Garden and was around 9st when he returned from captivity.

Eric left the Regular Army 7 October 1946 and joined the Metropolitan Police.  After his Police career, he moved to Grantham. Eric Passed away in 1993.