Trooper William B Rew

William ‘Ginger’ Rew was born in 1924 and was the son of John & Margaret Rew of Bannockburn.

He was one of the ‘new’ volunteers to join the Squadron on the return from North Africa and Italy and was sent on parachute course 109 at RAF Ringway. This was the first main Recce Squadron group to attend and it ran from the 24 march to 9 April 1944. His parachute instructors comments: “Tough and keen. A very good parachutist.”

He was assigned to ‘A’ Troop and Lieut ‘Dougie’ Galbraith’s 2 Section.

On the 11 July 1944, he was taking part in a parachute drop exercise, which took off from Barkston Heath. He was killed when his parachute failed to open fully.

Practice jump takes place at Barkston Heath. The weather is not very good and owing to a faulty exit Tpr. Rew of ‘A’ Troop slips and his Bren Gun Valise becomes entangled with his static lines causing his parachute not to open. This resulted in his being killed. [1]

He was just 20 years of age.  

Ginger is buried at St Ninian’s (Bannockburn) Parish Burial Ground,    C 7, Grave 28.

NOTES:

[1] 1 Airborne Recce Squadron War Diary. 11 July 1944.