Captain E. Rupert Teede

Ernest Rupert Teede, who was the son of John and Ruby Teede of Dorking (Surrey), was granted an emergency commission with The East Surrey Regiment in January 1940 and later volunteered for airborne forces.

He qualified as a military parachutist on course 9, which ran at RAF Ringway in March 1942 and went onto serve in the 4th Parachute Battalion.

Rupert Teede, who weighed in at nearly 16 stone and was 6 ft 2 inches in height, became the battalion heavyweight boxing champion.

He fought with the battalion in Italy, the south of France and Greece, where he served as second in command of C Company.

The battalion's initial task in Greece was to harass the Germans’ withdrawal, however the Germans made a stand at Kozani, occupying the high hill on the outskirts, with a considerable force and a night attack was ordered. C Company was chosen to make the attack, and promised guerrillas as guides and fighters. Not a single one appeared, leaving C Company heavily outnumbered by the Germans.

Major Jamie Gourlay MC was Officer Commanding and the men managed to capture the hill, inflicting heavy casualties but were forced to withdraw because of a very strong counter attack. Captain Teede was shot in the throat.

Getting the wounded men off the steep rocky hill in the dark was very difficult and Captain Teede slipped off the stretcher several times during his evacuation, eventually dying later that morning.

Captain Rupert Teede died on 26 October 1944, aged 24 years, and is now buried in Phaleron War Cemetery, Greece.

Grave photo by Dave Finch