Sapper John Hobbs

Born in 1920 in the east end of London, Jack Hobbs was the youngest of eight children, although his family also included two older half-brothers and four half-sisters.

He joined the Territorial Army at 16 and served with the 5th Royal Berkshires until 1940 when he joined 502nd Field Company, RE and worked in a Bomb Disposal Troop.

In 1941, he volunteered for the newly formed 1st Air Troop RE, and won his parachutist’s wings on course number 4, which ran at RAF Ringway from 17 to 23 December 1941. The course intake contained approximately fifteen Royal Engineers including Lt Vernon, 1st Air Troop's 2ic.

He married his wife, Grace, during a weekend pass in 1942 and didn't see her again for almost two years as he deployed with the 1st Parachute Squadron RE to North Africa, Sicily and Italy, not returning to the UK until December 1943.

Jack was part of Headquarters Troop, and assigned to the follow-up rear party (the ‘sea tail’) for Arnhem and so didn't take part in the actual battle.

Following Arnhem, Jack deployed with the remains of the squadron to Norway in 1945. He was de-mobbed in 1946 at the rank of Lance Corporal.

After the war he worked for a while as a carpenter and then joined Westminster Council. He retired in 1984 and his wife Grace died a few years later.

In 1995, he was one of the party invited to attend the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Norway. It was a subject of great pride to him that he met, and was personally thanked by the King of Norway with a handshake.

He had five daughters and was a great cockney character; always cheerful and larger than life.

Jack passed away in 2010 and will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him.