Private Raymond Whitehead

Raymond Whitehead was the son of Job Robinson Whitehead and Violet Whitehead, of Oldham, Lancashire;and husband of Lilian Whitehead, of Westwood, Oldham.

Along with his brother, he enlisted into The Lancashire Regiment. He was serving with the 2nd/4th Battalion when it was turned over to airborne duties in 1943 and redesignated as the 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion.

Pte Whitehead attended course 72, which ran at RAF Ringway  in July 1943, for parachute training. The course intake comprised 335 personnel from the 8th and 13th Battalions. 305 men passed the course.

Pte Whitehead initially served in the battalion's HQ Coy and later transferred to the Defence Platoon for 5th Parachute Brigade's Headquarters.

He parachuted into Normandy as part of the spearhead airborne assault which preceded the main landings of Operation Overlord and died in the later stages of the campaign.

Pte Whithead died on 23 August 1944, aged 26 years, and is now buried in Bayeux War Cemetery, Normandy.

Headstone photograph courtesy of Major James Brudenell.