Corporal Sidney L Scott

Sidney Louis Scott served in The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment prior to volunteering for airborne forces in 1943.

He qualified as a military parachutist on course 92, which ran at RAF Ringway from 17 November to 3 December 1943. Another member of the course recallled, 'the weather at  Ringway during November 1943 was indeed very cold; fog and frost were constant companions. At night we slept with our socks on and for extra warmth we used our greatcoats as blankets.'

The course notes record that Sidney was 'steady and dependable throughout, good worker, good para'.

He was posted to HQ Coy, 8th Parachute Battalion, on completion of the course.

8th Para Bn took part in the spearhead airborne assault prior to the main Normandy landings in June 1944, during Op Overlord. Unfortunately a large number of paratroopers were dropped off target and Sidney was captured by the Germans on the first day and held as a prisoner of war (PoW number 84821).

He was initially taken to Stalag XII A Limburg, a transit camp, and then briefly transferred to Stalag IV B, Muhlberg,  prior to a further move to Stalag IV G Oschatz on 16 September 1944.

Oschatz was a work camp and unfortunately Sidney lost an eye while labouring in a nearby stone quarry.

In spite of this Sidney eventually returned to 8th Para Bn after the camp was liberated in the spring of 1945. He was later transferred to 2nd Parachute Battalion in November 1945.

Sidney served in Palestine with 2nd Para Bn prior to demobilisation to the Army Reserve in 1946.