William Conlon | ParaData

William Conlon enlisted into the Pioneer Corps during the Second World War and volunteered for airborne forces in the spring of 1944.

He qualified as a military parachutist on Course 112 which ran at RAF Ringway from 17 to 28 April 1944. The course records states ‘Pte Conlon has completed the course and is now in hospital’, but there is nothing to say why he had been admitted to hospital.

Pte Conlon was posted to the 8th (Midland) Parachute Battalion and served with them until August 1945, when he transferred to the Royal Ulster Rifles.

Date not known
8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion (Private)

Operations

Event

Ardennes

After the Allied landings in Normandy and subsequent advance through France and Belgium, the German Army had succeeded in stalling the Allied offensive along their line of defence at the German border - the ‘Siegfried Line’.

Event

Normandy (Operation Overlord)

Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of occupied Europe commonly known as D-Day, saw the 6th Airborne Division for the first time.

Event

Rhine Crossing (Operation Varsity)

Operation Varsity was the largest single airborne operation in history. On a single day, over 16,000 men were inserted by glider and parachute into western Germany. Around 8000 of those came from the British 6th Airborne Division, flying aboard 243 C47 aircraft and 440 gliders.

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Private William Conlon

Service History

Operations

Ardennes

Normandy (Operation Overlord)

Rhine Crossing (Operation Varsity)

Latest Comments

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Private William Conlon

Service History

Operations

Ardennes

Normandy (Operation Overlord)

Rhine Crossing (Operation Varsity)

Latest Comments

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