1876535 Ssgt Horace James Milton 'Tony' Shorter, Glider Pilot Regiment

Hi there.
I have been trying to trace the history of 1876535 Ssgt Horace James Milton Shorter and this is what I have been able to put together so far.

Horace Milton James Shorter (Tony) was born 23 May 1924, Elham Kent, England.
Ssgt Shorter was a member of the Glider pilot Regiment participating in Operation Tonga.

Ssgt Shorter, as co-pilot and Ssgt Lofty Lawrence as pilot landed approx. 8 miles away from their intended target and had to fight their way back to the original bridges, that been Caen Canal and River Orne in a coup de main operation.

On board their glider were 2nd Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 22 platoon, D company and 249th (Airborne) Field Company, Royal Engineers.

Having successfully fought his way back to England he was again on operations when on the 18 Sept 1944, with “B” Squadron 4 flight out of RAF Manston he flew the 2nd lift into LZ X on Op Market Garden.

Ssgt Shorter is reported as Prisoner of War on the 25 Sept 1944 and on subsequent POW casualty list 1588 as missing on the 25 Sept 1944 and again on POW records as casualty list No 1664.

Tony (32) left Glasgow on the 18 Jun 1957 on board the Captain Hobson bound for New Zealand to take up employment with the New Zealand Army.

Tony died of a heart attack at the Highbury Shopping Center, Palmerston North, New Zealand on the 30 Nov 2000 aged 76 and was cremated at the Kelvin Grove Cemetery & Crematorium.

If there is anyone on this page that can add further to what I already have it would be greatly appreciated.

Tony was my OC with an Engineer plant squadron, Royal New Zealand Engineers back in 75 and my research is to have as much information so as to include it on a Roll of Honour Royal New Zealand Engineers FB page I am developing to honour such great men as Tony.

I wish you and your families a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year from the Gold Coast of Australia.

 

You may already have this entry re Op Tonga, as it appears to repeat what you have: Homepage - Beds & Herts Counties - The Royal British Legion. and D Day - Horsa Bridge - Order of battle

A lucky escape for some:

From: No.1 Wing, The Glider Pilot Regiment

His glider landed at:

From Post 1: Missing gliders of Operation Tonga D-Day

A FB group for the GPR: https://m.facebook.com/groups/gprpublicgroup/?refid=18&__tn__=C-R

Nothing for your subject in Market Garden readily found.

Have you applied for his service record, you may have done?

 

He flew with S/Sgt Lawrence again on 18th September in Glider Chalk 885 carrying members of the 1st Airlanding Light Regiment

 

Thank you for the information. Every little scrap of information helps to paint the word picture for Tony Shorter.
As to his records, no I haven't applied

 

Kiwi Sapper,

One source worth exploring is Paradata: Roll call search | ParaData and contact: Make an Enquiry | ParaData

I am sure someone here from them or knows them appears at times. Horsapassenger is a private collector from memory.

Sgt. Shorter is not on the website though.

 

Dear Kiwas Sapper,

here is a couple of picture regarding the are where CN94 landed on D-Day night
Regards,
Ludo

 

POW Card WO 416/328/242
Name: Horace Shorter
Date of Birth: 1924

 

Sent Kiwi Sapper a PM, as he has not logged on since 11/2022.