230649 Pte. Joseph Holmes British Army 9th Btn. Parachute Regiment from:London My dad, Joe Holmes, was transferred from the Royal Ulster Rifles into the 9th Btn Parachute Regt. He underwent extensive training around Derbyshire and again in the Newbury area of Berkshire.
His battalion were to drop over Normandy and seize the gun emplacement at Merville. This was deemed to be a positive obstacle to the men landing on the beaches as it overlooked the beaches. Unfortunately, many men of the Battalion were dropped wide of the DZ (Dropping Zone) and many of them landed in marshland.
My dad was one of the lucky ones who landed safely and, with others, fought their way back to link up with the rest of the Battalion, who by this time had indeed taken the Merville battery.
After many weeks of action, the Battalion was returned to the UK in September for R&R refitting. However the R&R was interrupted when the 6th Airborne Division was rushed back to take part in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge.
During this time, one of his recollections is of when they were lying up in their trenches awaiting the next onslaught from the German infantry and tanks, and one of the men was overheard speaking to his friend - which was heard by everyone. The conversation went along the lines of "Why don't you tell the Platoon Commander your real age and he can arrange for you to be returned to England?" The other guy apparently thought about this for a few seconds before replying, "No I don't think so, because my dad will kill me". Gales of laughter apparently went around the position as everyone who heard it burst out laughing.
Shortly after this the Battalion were relieved and moved back from the line. Later, my dad took part in the crossing of the Rhine. This, he says, was the most perfect parachute action that ever happened, until they got on the ground that is.
Sometime after this my dad was wounded in a further action when his section was blasted by a grenade attack. He came to and found himself surrounded by German soldiers and with a badly damaged leg.
He, along with others, were then moved through the German lines and eventually placed in POW camp in the north of the country until they were released by an American unit at the end of the war.
He still has the card he filled out in the POW camp that was sent to my mum saying that he was alive, as she had been warned that he was missing in action.
He returned to UK sometime at the end of summer 1945 where he underwent various operations on his leg. He was eventually discharged from the army in 1947.
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