Private Sydney R Smith

Sydney Ronald Smith was born on the 6 November 1917 and came from South Bank, Yorkshire.

He enlisted into a Hussars Cavalry unit on the 24 November 1939. [1]

He volunteered for Airborne Forces in 1943, and was waiting at a RASC. Pre-OCTU. Course location [2] when he was accepted and after the selection process at Hardwick Hall he was sent to RAF. Ringway. Here he was put on Parachute Course 94/95, which took place between the 6 and 20 December 1943. His Parachute Instructors comments: ‘Efficient and confident, a good leader, average jumper.’ [3]

Upon completion he was sent to the Holding Company, Depot & School Airborne Forces at Hardwick Hall, and then early in 1944 he was posted to the 21st Independent Parachute Company, 3 Platoon.

He served at Arnhem, where he was wounded, but got back across the River, and went on to serve in Norway with the Company.

Ron was discharged to the Z/T Reserves on the 22 March 1946. [4]

OBITUARY. 21st Independent Parachute Company Newsletter, April 1996.

‘Ronald’ Smith.

21st Independent Parachute Company Club greatly regrets that ‘Ron’ Smith died in October [16 August], 1995, aged 78. ‘Ron’ Had been ill and in hospital on oxygen for quite some time, during which he had two heart operations. He lived on his own with a home help, but had been in hospital for fourteen days when he contracted pneumonia and died.

He served with a Cavalry unit, thought to be the Lancers [Hussars], with the BEF. in France, taking part in the withdrawal at Dunkirk, but was at OCTU. when his application to join The Parachute Regiment was approved. He subsequently joined 21st Independent Parachute Company. In the Spring of 1944 his younger brother, Gordon, qualified as a parachutist and was posted to 6th Airborne Division, but was ‘claimed’ into the 21st by ‘Ron’ and both served with the Company at Arnhem and in Norway.

‘Ron’ sustained a gunshot wound in the ankle at Arnhem and found it difficult and extremely painful to walk, but when 1st Airborne Division withdrew across the Rhine, he was still with the Company. Anaesthetising himself with a bottle of wine and with the help of ‘Yorky’ Fryer, the CO’s batman, he managed to get to and cross the river, subsequently having a spell in an American Field Hospital before rejoining the Company.

Married and divorced twice, with a son in Canada, Ron’s last wish was that he should not be buried or cremated, but that his body should be used for scientific purposes. After family and friends had paid their last respects in the Chapel of Rest, his body was taken to the local hospital to be used to train students for the medical profession.

21st Independent Parachute Company Club proffers its sympathy to Ron’s family. He will be remembered.

Follow-up in the 21st Independent Parachute Company Newsletter, July 1998.

We refer to the Obituary in our April, 1996 Newsletter of Ron, who directed that his body be left for scientific study. His wishes having been followed, his remains were finally laid to rest in the Military Cemetery at Aldershot.

NOTES:

[1] This was either the 15th/19th The King’s Royal Hussars or the 13th/18th Royal Hussars.

[2] This is why he has a T/ pre-fix on his Army Service Number.

[3] Parachute Course Report, RAF. Ringway. December 1943.

[4] The Parachute Regiment Transfer & Enlistment Book 15, page 36.