Lance Corporal Francis T Whale

Francis Thomas Whale was born in Staffordshire and lived in Birmingham, he enlisted in the Royal Engineers and volunteered for airborne forces.

Lance Corporal Whale successfully completed parachute training at RAF Ringway on course number 69B from, 21 June to 1 July 1943, his course report stated “Excellent morale, stick jumping very good”. He was posted to 591 Parachute Squadron, Royal Engineers, and took part in Operation Overlord (Normandy).

L/Cpl Whale was killed in action on 9 June 1944, aged 23, and was buried in Ranville War Cemetery, Calvados, France.

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