Sergeant Percy R L Worrad

Percy Raymond Leonard Worrad was the son of William H and Giovanna (Scalpello) Worrad, of Leicester, he enlisted in the Leicestershire Regiment for boy service on 23 July 1935 and served as such until he enlisted as an adult on 3 September 1939 and was immediately made a Schools Liason Officer, serving at the same establishment as his boy service until 25 August 1940, when he continued studies and courses, at 5th A. A. Div. School until 10 February 1943 and then continued at 2nd Group School until 4 March 1943. During this period he spent some time at Loughborough Technical College.

He then took a course and qualified to instruct live grenade practice with various types of grenade, in the presence of a qualified officer.

He was 5ft 8½ ins, fair complexion, brown eyes and dark hair. He had a medical on 23 February 1944 which he passed A1, and this was probably required due to his volunteering for airborne forces.

Sergeant Worrad successfully completed parachute training at RAF Ringway on course number 126 from 24 July to 4 August 1944. His course report stated “Good temperament, hard worker and good performance.” He was posted to 9th Essex Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, and took part in Operation Varsity (Rhine Crossing).

Sgt Worrad was killed in action on 24 March 1945, aged 24, whilst taking part in the daylight parachute drop into Germany as part of the Rhine Crossing during operation Varsity and was given a field burial near Merr, Germany and was re-interred to Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany, on 20 March 1947.

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