Private Marshall B Smith

Marshall Barrie Smith, the son of Edgar T. F. and Jane Barrie Smith and husband of Jean C. Smith, of Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire enlisted into the General Service Corps and later volunteered for airborne forces from The Black Watch.

Private Smith qualified as a military parachutist on course 128 which ran at RAF Ringway from 7 to 20 August 1944. The course report states: ‘Pte Smith: Above average, shows leadership.’

He was initially posted to the Airborne Forces Holding Unit and then transferred to the 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion.

Pte Smith saw active service in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge'.

He jumped on Operation Varsity (the Rhine Crossing) on 24 March 1945. He was Killed in Action during that day and is now buried in the CWGC Cemetery at the Reichswald.