Lance Corporal Thomas W Medlicott

Lance Corporal Thomas William Medlicott was the son of Samuel Thomas Medlicott and Mary Elizabeth Medlicott, of Bootle, Lancashire; and husband of Mary Ann Medlicott, also of Bootle.

He originally enlisted into 2nd/4th Battalion, The South Lancashire Regiment. This was turned over to airborne duties in May 1943 to form part of the 5th Parachute Brigade of the 6th Airborne Division. L/Cpl Medlicott attended Parachute Training Course Number 72 at RAF Ringway, which ran from 12 to 23 July 1943.

The course was attended by 335 trainees from the 13th and 8th Battalions and between them completed 2.507 descents. One member of the 13th Battalion died on the course when his parachute failed to open. The instructors  recorded that L/Cpl Medlicott "worked hard and completed a successful course".

L/Cpl Medlicott parachuted into Normandy  and took part in Operation Overlord in June 1944.

L/Cpl Medlicott died in fighting, aged 25 years, on 23 August 1944 and is now buried at Ranville War Cemetery, Normandy.

Cemetery photograph reproduced by kind permission of CWGC.