GPR signatures found in book from charity shop.

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by mac657, Dec 4, 2020.

  1. mac657

    mac657 Junior Member

    Hello all, i thought the attached may be of interest.

    I recently bought a copy of 'One night in June' about Op Tonga from a charity shop and found a nice little surprise inside - a list of signatures of GPR pilots !

    My knowledge of individuals within the GPR is limited but i know that there a few well known ones on there. However i am struggling to decipher a few so any help would be appreciated.

    The ones that (i think) i have identified are;

    Bill Higgs
    Jock East
    Patrick Withnall
    Alan Richards
    Louis Hagen
    Bob Randall
    Reg Dugwell
    Jim Eardley
    Dennis Hall
    George R.A. Turnbull
    Sidney Bland.

    Mac GPRsigs1.jpg GPRsigs2.jpg GPRsigs3.jpg
     
  2. Markyboy

    Markyboy Member

    You’ve had a right result there Mate! Very jealous!
     
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  3. Markyboy

    Markyboy Member

    Possibly Victor Miller for the one above Alan Richards?
     
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  4. brithm

    brithm Senior Member

    2nd Pilot Sgt. Dennis Shingleton G Sqn landed on LZ 'W' on D-Day with some 12th Devons his oppo S/Sjt. R. Percival

    S/Sjt. Eardley B Sqn landed 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaisance Regiment on D-Day with Crow on LZ 'N'

    Above Eardley is Arthur Shackleton and between Eardley and Hall I think is S/Sgt. Herridge A Sqn landed LZ W on D-Day with Sgt. Dawson taking either 2nd Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire L.I. or 195th Airlanding Field Ambulance, RAMC.

    Bill Higgs D Sqn landed on D-Day as part of Operation Tonga delivering 6-pdr and its crew, taken prisoner at Arnhem
     
  5. brithm

    brithm Senior Member

    Steve Wright one of the authors of One Night in June said that "...Bob Randall, who I knew well, wasn't a GP. He was RAF ground crew with the gliders. Part of that amazing team that kept the gliders in flying condition."
     
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  6. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

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  7. mac657

    mac657 Junior Member

    Thank you all for your replies, much appreciated.
    I love these tangible links to the past and it seems that i have stumbled on a great one here !

    Steve Wright has been in touch via email which is an added bonus and he states that only a few on the list are associated with the book so it would seem that it was signed at a reunion or similar event.

    I've since identified Eric Kemish from a piece of paper (results of a military flying competition) inserted into the pages of the book although there is next to nothing online about him.

    I've also attached a picture from the book that Bill Higgs has signed and dated as 1994.

    All the best.

    Mac. GPRbillHiggs.jpg
     
  8. mac657

    mac657 Junior Member

    Well, i've done some digging and found some amazing info about the lives of these gents.

    I can't seem to find anything about Sidney Bland, Reg Dugwell, George Turnbull and Eric Kemish (apart from a photo and brief mention in Romsey newsletter).

    I also can't decipher the two signatures upper right below Eric Kemish, one with D Sqn under it and the other Bob ?.

    Any thoughts would be welcome.

    Mac.
     
  9. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    Is Sidney Bland,

    S/Sgt S A Bland 6020324 of 2 Wing taken POW at arnhem
     
  10. mac657

    mac657 Junior Member

    Brilliant, thank you for that.
     
  11. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

  12. Ronny

    Ronny Junior Member

    Cool! Good find.
     

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