McGLADDERY, Alfred


3595257, Company Sgt Major, Alfred McGLADDERY
Aged 36


1st (Airborne) Battalion, Border Regiment
Died of his Wounds on Friday, 22nd September 1944


Alfred McGladdery was born in Maryport, Cockermouth , Cumberland (Cockermouth Q1-1908 10B:719), son of Robert Alexander and Annie McGLADDERY (née RUTHERFORD).

1911 census...Aged 3, he was at 21 Strands Street, Maryport, Netherhall, Cumberland with his father Robert A McGLADDERY, [40] dock labourer; his mother Annie [38]; sisters Agnes [15], Margaret [10] and Annie [5]; brother Isaac [13]. All were born in Maryport.

He married Agnes Elsie FRENCH (born 23rd Feb.1910) ( married Risbridge Q4-1936). They lived at School Road, Kedington in 1939

His younger brother Robert served in the Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) (3854348 L/Cpl) and was killed at Dunkirk on June 1st 1940, aged 28. He is buried in Dunkirk Town Cemetery.


I found this on the net
Joe Hardy, then the Signal Platoon Sergeant, 1st Bn The Border Regiment, recalled that 'all Airborne soldiers were supposedly Volunteers -it was judged to be a risky business. The way in which they had us volunteer was to announce that in future the Battalion was to be designated an Airborne Unit (glider), and that those men who did not want to take part in Airborne Operations should report to the Orderly Room and apply to be transferred to other units. We had one man in the Battalion who had sufficient guts to say that he did not want to fly; he was transferred out, and the rest of us were deemed to have volunteered.'
The War Diary of 1 Border records that some 30 Other Ranks (OR's) left the Battalion on 30 December 1941 as 'unfit' for the new role.
The emblem of Bellerphon and Pegasus was designed by a Major Edward Seago and authorised to be worn with the title AIRBORNE on the upper arm of the Battle Dress blouse, the maroon berets were issued soon after.




From www.warcemeteries.nl comes the follwing:-
Before World War II McGladdery served with the 1st Battalion Border Regiment. He was recalled at the outbreak of war and took part in the Sicily landings. McGladdery served with B Company, with the Company Headquarters, as Company Sergeant Major. According to the Roll of Honour published by the Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum (Jan Hey 1999 and 2011) McGladdery died of wounds in the St. Antonius Hospital at Utrecht. He was mortally wounded when a group of men, mainly from No 13 and No 14 platoons, tried to retake the Westerbouwing on 21 September.



photo: Commonwealth War Grave Commission



Alfred McGladdery is buried in Utrecht (Soestbergen) General Cemetery, grave 12D:1:9

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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