Men of the 1st Parachute Battalion parading in ‘stick’ order next to a Whitley at R.A.F. Ringway. Late 1941/early 1942.

[1] = Cpl. ‘Reg’ Curtis. ‘R’ Coy, adjusting his equipment.

[2] = Pte. ‘Jim’ Nash. ‘R’ Coy.

The images are:

Men of the 1st Parachute Battalion parading in ‘stick’ order next to a Whitley at R.A.F. Ringway. 1941/42. Cpl. ‘Reg’ Curtis, has finished adjusting his equipment, and pats Pte. ‘Jim’ Nash, on the shoulder.

The ‘stick’ boarding the aircraft. The 2nd man from the left is Pte. S. Ashford, 4th is L/Cpl. B. Murphy, 5th is Pte. J.T. Nash, and 6th is likely to be Cpl. R. Curtis.

Inside the aircraft. First on the left is L/Cpl. B. Murphy, and second on the right is Pte. J.T. Nash.

NOTES: ‘Jim’ Nash initially served in 1 Pln, R-Coy (Aug/Sep 1941), then by Nov 1942 in Reinforcement Coy. 3961163. Pte. Stephen Ashford initially served in 1 Pln, R-Coy (Aug/Sep 1941), then by Nov 1942 in Reinforcement Coy. ‘Reg’ Curtis initially served in 12 Pln, U-Coy (Aug/Sep 1941), then by Nov 1942 in No 2 Mortar Det, R-Coy. (He was a L/Cpl in 1941, then a Cpl, and by Nov 1942 a Pte!) 3775400. L/Cpl. Berry Murphy initially served in 12 Pln, U-Coy (Aug/Sep 1941), then by Nov 1942 in 8 Section, 3 Pln, R-Coy.

Courtesy of Bob Hilton.