Major John Stanley Rannard Shave

Major John Stanley Rannard Shave was born on the 2nd of August 1922 and was the son of Ethel and Harold Stanley Shave and husband to Peggy Shave.

He completed his jump training with 591 (Antrim) Parachute Squadron, RE on the 1st of July 1943 where he was described thus: "Hard worker. Interested and keen. Make a good leader". By D-Day, however, he had been transferred to the 3rd Parachute Squadron, RE. He was a lieutenant in no.2 troop of this squadron, with whom he served in Normandy. For his actions in destroying and patrolling the Bures and Troarn bridges and cratering nearby roads, Shave was awarded the Military Cross. His citation particularly notes the following action: 

"The patrol passed through the Bois de Bures and located an enemy patrol at the destroyed railway bridge [Troarn]. Moving south to the destroyed road bridge Lieutenant Shave crossed the river and was challenged by some Germans. Lieutenant Shave replied with a 36 grenade killing two and the patrol returned to Battalion".

After the war, Major Shave wrote a compelling account of the history of his unit titled "Go To It" (1947), which recorded the heroism of the 3rd Parachute Squadron with warmth and humour whilst also maintaining a high degree of factual accuracy. He stayed with the parachute regiment and was promoted to Captain on the 2nd of August, 1949 and subsequently to Major on the 2nd of August, 1956. With his wife Peggy he later had three children: Lynne, Graham and Paul. He died on the 8th of October 2009, aged 87.