Sergeant Charles W Sparey

On the 17 January 1940 Charles William “Charlie” Sparey found himself on a train from Bristol Temple Meads bound for Plymouth. He was to join the 4th Battalion Devonshire Regiment and was on his way to Smokey Camp, Marldon via Paignton for training.

This was followed by a 3 year stint on Gibraltar. In 1943 the 4th Devons split with Charlie volunteering for 12th Battalion (6th Airborne) based at Bulford Camp near Salisbury.

‘B’ Company Commander Maj. Wally Barrow recommended him for the Glider Pilot Regiment. He trained at Booker, Bucks, which was where he was on D-Day. He joined up with his mates in Normandy and returned in August 1944. Charlie was awarded the Legion d'Honneur for his time in Normandy.

On 24 March 1945 reveille was at 4.30am. Operation Varsity was underway. Charlie, in Horsa glider no. 198, took off from Dunmow, Essex at 7.30am en route for Hamminkeln, Germany. The glider crash landed with two fatalities, Sgt Higginson killed on landing and best friend L/Cpl Ted Tyler killed while helping another glider to land. 

The airborne division headed north to Wismar on the Baltic coast to link up with the Soviets  briefly diverting to the recently liberated Bergen Belsen concentration camp.

He flew home on 19 May.

On 14 July 1945,  Sgt. Sparey was part of an advance party of officers and NCOs heading for India to train as a jungle warfare trainer. The course began in August and completed in September but the Japanese had surrendered in the meantime! The rest of the battalion was diverted to Palestine. Charlie joined the 1st Devons before being attached to the Queen's Royal Regiment, taking part in the Victory Parade at Poona on 1 February 1946.

He returned home in April 1946.

Charlie’s Release Leave Certificate says

Military Conduct: Exemplary

Testimonial: A good leader and thoroughly reliable NCO. He has a very strong recommendation from his previous Bn. Cmd. which I thoroughly agree with. His good intelligence enables him to grasp any situation quickly and his organising ability is also good.

Charlie died in Weston-super-Mare Hospital 24 May 2017 aged 98.

I received this note from Sarah Gleadell (daughter of Gen. Paul Gleadell)

Dear Mike

So sorry to hear about the death of your lovely father.   What a character he was, and obviously determined to enjoy life right to the end.

You will miss him a good deal, I know.   I don't imagine there are more than a handful of 'Swedebashers' left now....  Sad that he didn't get to celebrate his century and get his telegram from HM The Queen.  He would have loved that.

Great photo of him at Cobbaton.

All good wishes and happy memories.

Sarah Gleadell