Lance Corporal William Beck

Bill who was miner enlisted in the Regular Army on the 13 September 1932 joining the Border Regiment'

He went to France 5 October 1939 as part of the BEF, The Border Regiment formed part of 125th (Lancashire Fusiliers) Brigade of the 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division. Bill was evacuated from Dunkirk during Operation Dynamo.

Bill's Regiment joined the 1st Airborne Division in October 1941. In 1943 he went to Africa with the 1st Airborne Division in preparation for Operation Ladbroke.

In July 1943 he took part in Operation Ladbroke fighting his way up through Italy before returning to England in Sept 1943. 

In September 1944 he took part in Operation Market Garden with D Coy, 19 Platoon, the role of defending the LZ's for the following drops that were scheduled to happen.

Bill is mentioned in the book 'When Dragons Flew' The illustrated History of the 1st Battalion The Border Regiment. Quote from the book 'L/Cpl Bill Beck ran forward firing a Bren gun from the hip at the tank'. 

During Operation Market Garden Bill received gun shot wounds on the 25 September 1944 and was taken POW. 

Bill spent the remainder of the War at Stalag XIB Fallingbostel.

Bill left the Army 2 November 1945.