Testimony of Sgt Frederick Glover, A Company, 9th Parachute Battalion, 6th Airborne Division.
Testimony: Sgt Frederick Glover. A Company, 9th Parachute Battalion, 6th Airborne Division.
The 9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion was formed from the 10th Battalion The Essex Regiment in December 1942 and became part of the 3rd Parachute Brigade with the 6th Airborne Division in 1943.
The Battalion was widely scattered during the D-Day drop on 6th June 1944 but, nevertheless, succeeded in storming the German gun battery at Merville, in an epic and costly action with a much diminished force. It fought around Breville and then participated in the break-out to the Seine in August. It fought in the Ardennes during the winter of 1944-5 and parachuted as part of the Rhine Crossings during Operation VARSITY in March 1945, subsequently advancing to the Baltic with the 3rd Parachute Brigade.
After the war it served in Palestine with the 6th Airborne Division and was amalgamated with the 8th Parachute Battalion when the 3rd Brigade was disbanded to form the 8th/9th Parachute Battalion in January 1948.
Commanding Officers:
1943-4 Lt Col M Lindsay
1944 Lt Col TBH Otway, DSO
1944-6 Lt Col N Crookenden, DSO
1946-7 Lt Col MAH Butler, DSO, MC
1947-8 Lt Col PC Hinde, DSO
1948 Lt Col JHM Hackett, DSO. (8th/9th Bn)
Group Portrait of 9th Parachute Battalion, Sept 1945
Group Photograph of the Officers of 9th Parachute Battalion 1945
Group Photograph of Warrant Officers and Sergeants of 9th Parachute Battalion
Group Photograph of C Company, 9th Parachute Battalion, 1944
Group photograph of Officers and NCOs of A Coy, 9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion
Group photo of paratroopers, possibly a Platoon of Battalion HQ, 9th Essex Parachute Battalion, 1940s
B Company, 9th Para Btn, date unknown.
Members of 9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion, Palestine, date unknown.
Men of The 9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion, date unknown.
Members of 9th Para Bn, Palestine, date unknown.
Fred Glover with some living historians January 2018
Members of A Coy 9th Bn, Qastina 1947
Members of A Coy 9th Bn, Palestine 1947
Guard Mounting A Coy 9th Bn 1947 Palestine
Members of A Coy 9th Bn, Palestine 1947 preparing to Emplane
Palestine 1947
Quastina, Palestine
Tel Aviv 1947
9th Para Bn Officers April 1944
Glen and Emile
NCOs 9th Para Bn Pre Normandy
Bob Abel and Roy Wrights in later years
Lieutenant Colonel Allen Parry leading a parade during the presentation of colours
Lieutenant Colonel Allen Parry in Palestine
Lieutenant Colonel Allen Parry in Palestine next to a jeep
Lieutenant Colonel Allen Parry leading a column of the 9th Battalion in London
Lieutenant Colonel Allen Parry leading the 9th Battalion through London on parade
Lieutenant Colonel Allen Parry with other officers in Haifa, Israel
A Coy 9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion, early 1944
9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion, London 1943
Captain Paul Greenway with CSM Dusty Miller and cooks.
Pte Leonard Webb with colleagues, 1943
Group photo of A Coy, 9 Parachute Battalion with Para Dog, Bulford, 1944.
Group photo of B Coy, 9th Parachute Battalion, Bulford, 1944.
Members of the 9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion prior to emplaning for Merville Battery.
Group photo of 9th Parachute Battalion Athletics Team, c.1945
Group photograph of officers decorated by Field Marshal Montgomery, Lüneburg Heath Germany, 1945.
Members of A Company 9th Para Battalion pictured in front of SS Ulua, nr Haifa, 28 February 1947.
Recce patrol of B Coy, 9th Parachute Battalion near Marche-en- Famenne, 1945.
Gravestone of E S Corteil and his paradog Glen, Ranville War Cemetery
Grave of Pte James Mander, Ranville War Cemetery.
Members of 9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion, April 1946.
Members of 9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion, Rehovot, January 1946.
Pte Durston with a German Prisoner at the Escarde Crossroads, June 1944.
Pte Durston with a German Prisoner, June 1944.
Temporary grave marker for Alexander W Cossey
Gravestone of WA Cossey, Venray, Limburg
Pte Emile Corteil with Para Dog Glen, 1944
Jimmy Gardner, handler of Para Dog Bereda, 1944
9th Parachute Battalion file past carrying equipment, Germany, March 1945
9th Para Bn Reunion Club honour Charles Strafford, 1994
Memorial stone for 9 Bn Walbury Hill, Inkpen 1993
Harry Holter soon to be Sgt, 1947, Palestine
Philip Ward
Peter Lovett
Philip Ward in Normandy, June 6 2023
Patrick Sheridan in uniform, post war
Closeup of John Gwinnett taken from the 9th Battalion group photo
The pigeon Duke of Normandy, c1945.
Sergeant Philip Ward. Palestine, 1946.
Contents of Officers Blue Book used by Maj. Parry 9 Battalion
Certificate Pte PK Hodgson
POW card for Robert Stoodley
Notifications of the death of Sgt Albert WF Reid 9th Batt
British Legion War Grave Visit form Sgt Albert WF Reid
Letter to parents of Sgt Reid from Airborne Forces Security Fund 1945
Sgt Walford 9th Bn statement
Service summary of Pte Edward Rafter
Letter from the mother of Pte H. Bluck to Major Parry
Letter from W.H Spenn to Major Parry about the death of his son Cyril F. Spenn
Letters from Mrs Taylor to Major Parry about the death of her son B. E. Taylor
Letter from Mrs N. Frith to Major Parry about the death of her husband J. Frith
Letter from Mr & Mrs Walter to Major Parry about the death of their son P. F. Walter
Letter from Mary Witson to Major Parry about the death of her fiance P. F. Walter
Letter from Mrs Wingrove to Major Parry about the death of her son F. Wingrove
Letter from S. Mander to Major Parry about the death of her brother J. Mander
Letter from Mrs I. Mayhew to Major Parry about the death of her husband W. Mayhew
Letter from Mrs Bolingbroke to Major Parry about the death of her son S. Bolingbroke
Letters from Mr & Mrs Adsett to Major Parry about their missing son G. Adsett
Letter from Mrs Ward to Major Parry about the death of her husband A. Ward
Letter from Mrs R. White to Major Parry about the health of her son G. White
Letter from J. Mander's sibling to Major Parry about the death of J. Mander
Letter from Mrs Mawson to Major Parry about the death of her son E. Corteil
Letter from Mrs M. Catlin to Major Parry about the death of her son D. Catlin
Letter from D. Woodcraft to Major Parry about his wounds
Letters from Mrs N. Greener to Major Parry about her missing brother J. Battle
Letters from Mr L. Neal to Major Parry about his missing son P. Neal
Letter from Mrs J. Watkins to Major Parry about her son S. Watkins
Letter to Major Parry from an unknown next of kin about the death of his son
Letters from Mrs Easlea to Major Parry about her missing husband E. Easlea
Letter from Mrs D. Wilkinson to Major Parry about her husband R. J. Wilkinson
Letter from Mrs E. M. Chillingworth to Major Parry about her husband D. Chillingworth
Letter from an unknown next of kin about Sgt Skuse
Letter to Major Parry from a next of kin about the death of their son
Letter to Major Parry from an unknown next of kin about their missing relative
Letter home from Sgt Albert WF Reid 9th Batt
Christmas Card sent home by Sgt Albert WF Reid 9th Para Bn
Letter from Sgt R Jenkins to Mother of Sgt Albert WF Reid
Letter from Lt BR Browne to Mother of Sgt Albert WF Reid
Letters from Maj GE Smith MC to Mother of Sgt Albert WF Reid
Letter from Lt Col N Crooitenden to Mother of Sgt Albert WF Reid
Letter from Padre to Mother of Sgt Albert WF Reid
Letter to father of Sgt Albert WF Reid April 1945
Battle Honours claimed for 9th Battalion, 1956.
Letter regarding Battle Honours 1939-45 for 9th Battalion, 29 March 1956.
Account of Sgt R Walford, Normandy, June 1944
A Stick list with members of 9 Para Bn on Op Tonga 6 June 1944
9 Para Bn Op. Order for Op. Tonga assault of the Merville Bty 6 June 1944
Map showing positions of 9th Parachute Battalion in Normandy.
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