Rifleman William Gordon

William Gordon worked as an iron fencer before enlisting into 9th Battalion, The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), before volunteering for Airborne Forces.

He answered the call for volunteers on the formation of No 1 Parachute Brigade in 1941 and, after completion of the selection course at Hardwick Hall, was posted to the 2nd Parachute Battalion then in the process of forming up, and assigned to C Company (Coy). C Coy had been nicknamed 'Jock’s' company as most of the soldiers posted to it were from Scottish regiments.

Rifleman Gordon undertook the 1st advanced training course at RAF Ringway with C Coy 4 to 11 January 1942. The first advanced training course involving a night descent from a balloon and aircraft descents with arms containers.

Shortly after returning from their advanced training, C Coy began intense training and preparation for the Bruneval Raid, a daring parachute operation into enemy occupied France to capture components from a German Würzburg radar installation.

Rifleman Gordon was a member of Hardy section for the raid and flew in the second Whitley aircraft numbered Z9425 flown by Sergeant Hughes of the RAF. They landed successfully on the assigned drop zone and moved to the radar post to provide close protection to the Royal Engineers and Flt Sgt Cox of the RAF as they dismantled the radar.

He was demobbed in April 1946.