Lance Corporal Ronald E Gedge

Ron was called to National Service on 3 July 1947 at Canterbury, Kent and after 4 weeks initial training he was sent to Palace Barracks, Holywood, Belfast, Northern Ireland for 18 weeks on an NCO’s course.

Ron volunteered for the Parachute Regiment and joined “P” company at Aldershot. The training involved ground training, 2 Balloon Jumps and 6 aircraft jumps from Dakotas.

Ron passed out gaining his Red Beret and wings. He was posted to 7th Battalion Parachute Regiment and was sent to Netheravon Airfield, Salisbury Plain to train Canadian Pilots to drop Para’s. This involved 2 jumps a day for 2 weeks.

Ron was then posted in March 1948 to Borgard Barracks, Itzehoe , Hamburg, Germany. Here he joined 3 Para and was employed in the ration stores being promoted to Lance Corporal. This involved collecting rations every day for 600 men and 35 families. He had to drive a 3 ton truck 40 miles every day to an RAOC depot to collect these rations.

Ron continued training with more jumps and one night jump on a NATO exercise at Schleswig-Holstein, Denmark.

After 2 years Ron was offered promotion but decided to leave in August 1949 having completed his National Service and 26 jumps in total.

Ron passed away in his sleep on 29 July 2020 while being cared for at St. Michaels care home, Westgate-on-sea, Kent.

Ron was very proud of his service within the Parachute Regiment and his service history has been taken from a letter he wrote to his family in 2014.

Utrinque Paramus