Corporal William A A Derry

William Alfred Albert Derry was the son of William Albert and Bertha Derry; husband of Florence Elizabeth Derry, of Brownhills, Staffordshire. He enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps and volunteered for Airborne forces.

Corporal Derry successfully completed parachute training at RAF Ringway on course number 90, from 1 to 13 November 1943. His course report stated “Performance average, lacks imagination, worked hard.” He was posted to 225 Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, and attached to 12th (10th Battalion The Green Howards [Yorkshire Regiment]) Bn., The Parachute Regiment, and took part in Operation Overlord (Normandy).

Cpl Derry was killed in action on 9 June 1944, aged 28, and was given a field burial near Longueval and was re-interred to Ranville War Cemetery, Calvados, France, on 12 June 1945.

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