Rutledge, W.H.S. Mne.

Personal Information

Dispatch Rider. Wounded 13/14 January 1945. At the beginning of the 2nd World War he was not, initially, old enough to join the Forces, so he was in the Home Guard when he was 15/16 years old and learnt to look after guns at Southwark. On 14/12/43 he joined the Royal Marines and served in Europe and the Far East, including India, China, Japan and Hong Kong. He served with 45 and 47 Royal Marine Commando. It is believed that his unit's mission was destroying V1 launching sites in Holland, and that they found a V2 launch site, saw a V2 launch and shot it down as it left the launch pad. He and his friends 'borrowed' a German half-track and went for a joy-ride at 60mph, flattening the trees all around. He was demobbed the 8th of January 1947.