Frank Ankrett | ParaData

Private Frank Ankrett served with the Royal Artillery prior to volunteering for airborne forces during World War II.

He qualified as a military parachutist on course 80 which ran at RAF Ringway in September 1943 and was posted to the 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion.

He took part in the campaigns to liberate North West Europe from German occupation in 1944-45, from Normandy through to the Rhine Crossing and Advance to the Baltic. Following the end of the war in Europe he deployed with 5th Parachute Brigade to the Far East in late 1945.

Private Ankrett died on 8 November 1945, aged 25 years, and is now buried at Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore.

Profile photograph courtesy of Geoff Ankrett.

By ParaData Editor

1943
12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion (Private)

Operations

Event

Advance to the Baltic

The airborne soldiers were well suited to exploit the fluid situation that occurred following the collapse of the Rhine barrier defence. Short fierce actions were fought from the tanks of the 4th Tank Battalion of the Grenadier Guards and whatever transport could be purloined.

Event

Ardennes

After the Allied landings in Normandy and subsequent advance through France and Belgium, the German Army had succeeded in stalling the Allied offensive along their line of defence at the German border - the ‘Siegfried Line’.

Event

Far East

The 5th Parachute Brigade was sent to the Far East in preparation for a potential invasion of Japan. However, only the advance elements of the Brigade had reached the Far East prior to the Japanese surrender.

Event

Normandy (Operation Overlord)

Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of occupied Europe commonly known as D-Day, saw the 6th Airborne Division in action for the first time.

Event

Rhine Crossing (Operation Varsity)

Operation Varsity was the largest single airborne operation in history. On a single day, over 16,000 men were inserted by glider and parachute into western Germany. Around 8000 of those came from the British 6th Airborne Division, flying aboard 243 C47 aircraft and 440 gliders.

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Headstone for Frank Ankrett Kranji War Cemetery Singapore

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Private Frank Ankrett

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Private Frank Ankrett

08 Nov 1945

Service History