Private Joseph H W Ward

Joseph Henry William Ward was the son of Reginald Henry and Rose Milanda Ward, of Southend-on-Sea, Essex, he enlisted in the General Service Corps and volunteered for airborne forces.

Private Ward successfully completed parachute training at RAF Ringway on course number 124 from 10 to 22 July 1944. His course report stated “Nervous at first, keen, cheerful, average”. He was posted to A Company, 3 Platoon 7th Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, and took part in Operation Overlord (‘D’ Day Landings), Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge) and Operation Varsity (Rhine Crossing).

Pte Ward was killed in action on 24 March 1945, aged 19, whilst taking part in the daylight parachute drop into Germany as part of the Rhine Crossing during operation Varsity and was given a field burial at Hamminkeln, Germany and was re-interred to Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany, on 13 November 1946.

If you are part of Pte Ward’s family and would like to complete this biography, you can apply to the Curator to do so. To do this you will need to become a member of ParaData and select the 'friend or family member' option on the registration form.

If you would like to find out more about becoming a member please visit our registration page.

Members of ParaData can submit their material by clicking on the 'Add content to this article' button on the right.