Corporal Gordon Penfold

06 Jul 1925 - 22 Jan 2015

Corporal Gordon Penfold served with airborne forces during the Second World War.

Gordon transferred from the King's Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC) and qualified as a military parachutist on course 17, which ran at RAF Ringway in July 1942. Course records show that he was assigned to the 4th Parachute Battalion.

He later transferred to B Coy, 3rd Para Bn, and deployed for the airborne assault to capture the Rhine crossings at Arnhem, during Operation Market Garden, in September 1944. Gordon was captured during the battle and became a Prisoner of War (PoW).

In 1945, following the end of the war in Europe, Gordon is believed to have rejoined the 3rd Para Bn. He took part in the deployment to Palestine, attaining the rank of Corporal before demobilisation in 1946.

 

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Service History

Operations

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Gary Hart said:
I was told by Gordon that after his capture by the Germans at Arnhem he escaped and was helped by Dutch resistance. They helped him back to Allied lines and he was picked up by the Americans. I know he stayed in the Military after the war and was in the SAS at some point. I am looking for more information about his time in the Paras and the SAS. Any info is much appreciated.
Thabks
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