Private Sydney F Savage

Sydney Savage was enlisted into the Royal Artillery in January 1941 and from July 1941 to March 1944 served with the Gunners in Malta.

He later volunteered for airborne forces and transferred to the Army Air Corps in May 1944. Sydney qualified as a military parachutist on Course 121 which ran at RAF Ringway from 19 June to 1 July 1944 and it is likely that he was initially posted to a holding unit prior to his eventual posting to a battalion within 5th Parachute Brigade. His family believe he served with B Company, 13th Parachute Battalion, although other records suggest he may have served with 7th Battalion.* 

Sydney joined the latter stages of fighting in the Ardennes before returning to the UK to prepare for the final assault into Germany. He took part in Operation Varsity, the Rhine Crossing, and the Advance to the Baltic. As part of 5th Para Bde his battalion then sailed to India in preparation for war against the Japanese.

Following the Japanese surrender Sydney served on internal security duties in Singapore and then Batavia, from December 1945 until May 1946.

He was demobilised to the Army Reserve shortly after but served as a Trooper with a Territorial Army unit of the Royal Armoured Corps from 1952 to 1954 

*Subject to confirmation from MOD service records.