Lance Sergeant Sidney A Shorter

Sidney Shorter initially enlisted into the Grenadier Guards in late 1939.

He joined the 1st Airlanding Recce Squadron along with Captain. Thomas Firbank, and they served in ‘A’ Troop together.

Sidney went on to serve in North Africa in 1943.

It is thought he missed the landings and operations in Italy, because he was sick and was hospitalised in the 71st General Hospital, on the 4 September 1943. [1]

Upon return to the United Kingdom, in December 1943, the Squadron was billeted in Ruskington, LINCS.

He successfully completed Parachute Course 112, at RAF Ringway, 16 – 30 April 1944, along with 24 other members of the Squadron. His Parachute Instructors comments: “Good Section Commander. Worked hard, popular, confident and good”. [2]

Sometime after this he was demoted to the rank of Guardsman, and posted to 1st Airborne Corps HQ where he again met up with Capt. Firbank.

In his book ‘I Bought A Star’, Tom Firbank refers to L/Sgt. Shorter as Tpr & then L/Sgt. Longman.

He took part in Operation ‘MARKET’, flying in a Horsa glider (C/N; 409) to LZ ‘N’ near Nijmegen, along with Capt. Firbank, and four others, on Sunday, 17 September 1944. [3]

Sometime after Operation ‘Market-Garden’ he transferred to the Corps of Military Police and then was transferred to The Parachute Regiment on the 17 July 1945. He was released to the Z/T Reserves on the 7 January 1946. [4]

NOTES:

[1] 1st Airlanding Recce Squadron. War Diary. Return of Other Ranks. 4 September 1943.

[2] RAF Ringway. Parachute Course Report. April 1944.

[3] 1st Airborne Corps Advance HQ. Nominal Roll of Personnel. 14 Sep 1944.

[4] The Parachute Regiment, Transfer & Enlistment Book 29, page 116.