Company Sergeant Major John Smith

John Smith enlisted into The King's Own Scottish Borderers (KOSB) and volunteered for airborne forces during The Second World War.

He attended RAF Ringway for the Second Advanced parachute training course which ran from 14 to 19 January 1942. The purpose of the advanced training was to raise the men's proficiency in quick exits in larger sticks with arms containers. In addition to ground instruction the men were required to perform a night balloon jump and two aircraft descents in sticks of 10 with containers (the maximum size that could jump from the converted Whitley bombers).

Company Sergeant Major Smith was then posted to the 4th Parachute Battalion and went to North Africa on Operation Torch. He also served in Italy and on Operation Dragoon in Southern France.

CSM Smith was demobbed in February 1946.