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Charles James Cobbold F/Mc Married: 1908 Ethel Kate Baker F/Mc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Frederick Arthur Cobbold [CFT #9256] Born: 1914 Died: 1992 |
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| b Ipswich, Suffolk d Suffolk. Cremation: Ipswich Crematorium. Ashes scattered in Garden of Rest. FRED'S WAR Fred was called up in May 1940 and joined the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. That year Winston Churchill gave orders for the creation of an airborne corps of at least 5,000 troops. Fred, a fit and able infantryman and an excellent marksman was 'volunteered' in May 1943 for the formation of the 6th Airborne Division. Only those who could reach the very highest standard were selected. This was of course before the days of the SAS. On 24th April 1944 the entire 6th Airborne Division took part in an exercise which, though they didn't know it at the time, was a dress rehearsal for D Day. Just before 11 pm on June 5th six gliders full of Ox & Bucks men took off and crossed the French coast just after midnight. Led by Maj. Howard they achieved the first objective; the capture of the Caen Canal Bridge, later renamed Pegasus Bridge by the French. The main force of 6th Airborne which included Fred landed later that day and immediately took on the task of defending the newly won ground as a means of protecting the build up of forces behind them. 6th Airborne held the half circle round Ranville, Le Mariquet and Herouvillette against the best formations that Rommel could throw against them. Interestingly, because he too is on the family tree (# 2342), Lord Lovat's 1st Special Service Brigade Commandos arrived at the Caen Canal Bridge, about lunch time that first day having marched from the beaches. Characteristically and with typical bravado, Lord Lovat's piper, Bill Millin played them in to 'Blue Bonnets Over the Border'. Monsieur Georges Gondree the owner of the cafe next to the bridge realised he was witnessing the first action of liberation and dug up 97 bottles of Champagne he had hidden. The Gondree cafe still exists as a favourite watering hole for visiting veterans. Two months later 6th Airborne, reinforced by Dutch and Belgian regiments swept up to Le Havre fighting day and night in a series of leap frogs, on one occasion going 48 hours without sleep. Later still Fred's Ox & Bucks in conjunction with the Royal Ulster Rifles landed with pin point accuracy for the critical Rhine crossing and within a day of securing that objective they had linked up with the 21st Army Group. Fred's war finished when he was demobbed after one further tour in Palestine and he should then have hung up his red beret but the story is that it continued to serve him as a cover for the saddle on his cycle! The help of David Cobbold in providing information for the writing of this piece is gratefully acknowledged. Anthony Cobbold November 2015 |
1: 1938 David Douglas Cobboldc W/C 2: 1943 Kay V Cobboldc H 3: 1945 John Michael Thomas Cobboldc W/C | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 Children | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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