Staff Sergeant John Hamblett

John Hamblett joined the Territorial Army in 1938 and served in a Searchlight Battery with the Lancashire Fusiliers. In 1942, seeking a more active participation in the war, he transferred to the Corps of Military Police and served with the 1st Airborne Division Provost Company until its disbandment in 1945.

He qualified as a military parachutist on Course 43 which began training at RAF Ringway on 20 December 1942 and completed on 2 January 1943. He arrived in North Africa in May 1943 and subsequently saw service in Sicily and Italy before returning with the Division to Lincolnshire and preparations for the invasion of Europe.

He was part of the Seaborne Provost Section for Operation Market Garden and subsequently deployed for Operation Doomsday.

After the 1st Airborne Division Provost Company was disbanded he went to a Ports Provost Company but found that post-war dock duties did not match up to the excitement of the Airborne Provost and left the Army in 1946.

In civilian life John paved a career as an accountant, mainly with GEC in Manchester, where he subsequently retired.

In 1994 he co-wrote, with Jack Turnbull, 'The Pegasus Patrol: A History of the 1st Airborne Division Provost Company 1942-1945'. Reprinted in 2009 by Tommies Guide (ISBN 978-0-9555698-9-0).