William G Stevens

William “Bill” Stevens was born in 1913. He enlisted into the army on 26 June 1940, the 12th Battalion, The Devonshire Regiment.

He took part in the landings on D-Day, arriving at the Pegasus Bridge area on 7 June. He took command of his platoon on 13 June after their commanding officer became a casualty. He was in Normandy for three months, returning to England in the first week of September.

Bill returned to Europe on 23 December 1944, taking part in the operation in the Ardennes. He returned to England in February 1945, before taking part in Operation Varsity in March 1945. He continued on to the Baltic area, where he was positioned when the war in Europe ended in May.

He was released from the army in January 1946. His release book states his military conduct was “Exemplary”, adding, “Sergeant Stevens is reliable, trustworthy and has proved himself a first class instructor and manager of men. Willing and hardworking.” He returned to Ilfracombe in North Devon, where he lived his whole life.

Bill was later the curator of the Ilfracombe Museum, and wrote a book on the Civil War in Devon. He died in Ilfracombe in 1991.

Created with images and information kindly donated by Tim Stevens (grandson).

1940
12th Battalion The Devonshire Regiment (Sergeant)

Operations

Event

Advance to the Baltic

The airborne soldiers were well suited to exploit the fluid situation that occurred following the collapse of the Rhine barrier defence. Short fierce actions were fought from the tanks of the 4th Tank Battalion of the Grenadier Guards and whatever transport could be purloined.

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.