Corporal Richard D Rix

Richard Donald Rix, son of John and Rebecca Rix, of Weybourne, Norfolk, enlisted into the Norfolk Regiment.

He transferred to The Royal Artillery before volunteering for airborne forces Lance Bombardier qualified as a military parachutist on course 76, which ran at RAF Ringway from 2 August to 13 September 1943. There was one fatality on the course. The course instructors’ notes state: ‘L/B Rox [sic] Good except for exits.”

After initially being posted to the Holding Battalion, he was then posted to B Company, The 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion and served as line infantry in Italy and jumped into Southern France on Operation Dragoon in August 1944. 

Corporal Rix went on Operation Manna in Greece. He was Killed in Action on 10 December 1944, aged 23 years old and is now buried in Phaleron War Cemetery, Greece.

Grave image by Dave Finch.