John Willdridge | ParaData

John ‘Jack’ Willdridge served in several Army regiments before volunteering for airborne forces.

He undertook parachute training course 142B, which started at RAF Ringway on 18 November 1944. The course report reads ’V good performer. Keen, cheerful and confident’.

Pte Willdridge was posted to Defence Platoon 6th Airborne Division. The Defence Platoon protected the Headquarters of 6th Airborne Division during operations.

Pte Willdridge saw active service in the Ardennes, on the Rhine Crossing and the advance to the Baltic during the Second World War, before going to Palestine in 1945.

Date not known
Defence Platoon HQ 6th Airborne Division (Private)
1940
Welsh R (Rifleman)
1942
Cheshire R (Rifleman)
1942
R Irish F (Rifleman)

Operations

Event

Advance to the Baltic

The airborne soldiers were well suited to exploit the fluid situation that occurred following the collapse of the Rhine barrier defence. Short fierce actions were fought from the tanks of the 4th Tank Battalion of the Grenadier Guards and whatever transport could be purloined.

Event

Ardennes

After the Allied landings in Normandy and subsequent advance through France and Belgium, the German Army had succeeded in stalling the Allied offensive along their line of defence at the German border - the ‘Siegfried Line’.

Event

Palestine

Arab intransigence over the surge of Jewish immigration that followed the Holocaust in Europe led to the forming of extreme dissident Zionist groups such as IZL (Irgun Zwai Leumi) and the Stern Gang, all seeking to promote their aims through violence.

Event

Rhine Crossing (Operation Varsity)

Operation Varsity was the largest single airborne operation in history. On a single day, over 16,000 men were inserted by glider and parachute into western Germany. Around 8000 of those came from the British 6th Airborne Division, flying aboard 243 C47 aircraft and 440 gliders.

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Private John Willdridge

{ Jack }

Service History

Operations

Advance to the Baltic

Ardennes

Palestine

Rhine Crossing (Operation Varsity)

Latest Comments

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Private John Willdridge

{ Jack }

Service History

Operations

Advance to the Baltic

Ardennes

Palestine

Rhine Crossing (Operation Varsity)

Latest Comments

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