Warrant Officer Class 2 Derick W G Leslie

Derick William George Leslie enlisted into The Parachute Regiment at Northampton in August 1966.

Private Leslie served in the Junior Para Company (JPC) until 1968. He completed P Company in 1969 and was posted to A Company (Coy), 1st Battalion The Parachute Regiment (1 PARA) in Northern Ireland on Operation Banner.

Private Leslie served at The School of Infantry in 1970 before returning to A Coy, 1 PARA. By 1972 Lance Corporal (L/Cpl) Leslie had done a further two tours in Northern Ireland, one on Operation Banner and another on Operation Motorman.

L/Cpl Leslie went with 1 PARA as part of the United Nations presence in Cyprus in 1973.

Corporal Leslie served with A Coy, 1 PARA until 1975 which included a residential tour of Berlin. He left 1 PARA when posted to JPC for two years in 1975.

In 1978 Sergeant Leslie completed another tour of Northern Ireland with 1 PARA and was posted to B Coy. He went with to Hong Kong and then on to Edinburgh in 1980.

Sgt Leslie served was again posted to JPC for two years until 1983, when he promoted to Colour Sergeant and served with Headquarters (HQ) Coy as Officers’ Mess Manager for two years. In 1985 he served as JPC CQMS (Company Quartermaster Sergeant) for two years and was posted to HQ Coy, 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (3 PARA).

Promoted to Warrant Officer II in 1988 and was posted as a Senior Permanent Staff Instructor to C Coy, 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment (4 PARA).

WOII Leslie retired from 4 PARA in 1991, after a military career of 25 years which included serving in Berlin, Canada, Cyprus, Germany, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Northern Ireland, Norway and the U.S.A.