Private Clinton Harvey "Dave" "Lofty" Dawkin

Army number 79451, No.1 Platoon, 21st Independent Parachute Company. "Dave" or "Lofty" Dawkin, as he was known throughout the Company, was born in Portsmouth in August 1919 and was educated at Wimbourne School. He enlisted in the Royal Marines upon leaving school at the age of 14 and served as a Bandsman on HMS Cumberland and HMS Nelson. Whilst with HMS Nelson he suffered concussion when the ship was hit. After leaving the Navy in 1941 he enlisted in the Army, serving with the Hampshire Regiment, Hussars and Cameronians before qualifying as a parachutist and joining the 21st Independent parachute company in the early part of 1944. He served with No. 1 Platoon at Arnhem, Norway and Palestine He was demobbed at Woking in 1947 and rejoined the Royal Marine Bands at Deal and later Portsmouth. He additionally served with the TA for ten years after the war. He died on the 19th September 2003.