Private Clifford Dearden

Clifford Dearden was enlisted into the General Service Corps in 1945 and volunteered for airborne forces after basic training

He was sent to the Army Air Corps/ Airborne Forces Depot based at Albany Barracks on the Isle of Wight. Private Dearden undertook parachute training course 175, which ran from 7 to 26 August 1945 at RAF Ringway. He was posted to the newly formed 17th Parachute Battalion at Gordon Barracks, Bulford.

On 24 March 1946 he sailed from Southampton on board SS Oronates to Port Said, a journey which took 9 days. After a few days under canvas in the Canal Zone he travelled by train to Palestine.

In February 1947, Pte Dearden was posted to the Parachute and Airborne Training School RAF Aqir until he was demobbed a year later.

Cliff has lived in Canada since 1952.