Lance Corporal Paul O'Neill

Lance Corporal Paul O'Neill, son of Peter O'Neill and of Annie O'Neill, of Northwich, served with 8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion, Signals Pln.

Paul was 'jump' trained at RAF Ringway on Course 44. This course ran between 28 December 1942 and 8 January 1943.

On 13 June 1943, members of 8th Para Bn were on training Exercise Bluebell, and jumped at 15:55 hours over the Firth of Tay in Scotland. The Battalion's war diary records that eight men from this jump landed in the river. Another man, RSM Parsons landed on a sand bank was able to get ashore with help and reported to the police. Initially, no trace of the others was found and they were presumed drowned. This included Paul.

He was eventually laid to rest at Northwich Cemetery, Cheshire. 

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