"Utrinque Paratus"
Harold Sands - Paratrooper
“We Win or Die” [ Divisional motto ]
E-mail me -
tjbeachcomber@blueyonder.co.uk
No.6 Platoon,“B” Company
13th. Btn.
6th. Airborne Division
The 13th. Btn.
“Luard’s Own”
Nellie Sands
- Harold’s Mother
Harold Sands was born to John & Nellie Sands
in the Brookfields area of Birmingham on the
17th. March 1925*. He had 2 brothers a sister and a half brother.
The family had a moderately successful coal haulage business,
and like most working families of that era, all of the Sands boys
helped out in the family business. At the outbreak of war, elder half
brother Jim [ Harding ], and brother John Vincent [ Jack ] joined the air
force. Harold was itching to do his bit, and although not yet 17,
persuaded the recruiting officer, that he was in fact 18. He was able to do this
by “losing” his birth certificate and signing an “Attestation” form, declaring on
oath his date of birth. He should have been accompanied by someone who
knew him - but in this instance the name of his “Attestor” is not known, and it
is assumed that it was another Officer at
the recruiting centre.
THE DATE WAS 13th. FEB 1942 *
