1st Canadian Parachute Battalion Veteran     Lt. Eric L Burdon, C Company, 1 Can Para

The 3rd Parachute Brigade of the 6th Airborne Division was unique within the British airborne forces for having the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion as one of its three battalions. The unit is justly famous for its excellent record during the war, jumping at Normandy in June 1944, fighting in the bitter winter of 1944-45 against the German counter-attack in the Ardennes, and finally jumping over the Rhine into Germany as part of Operation Varsity in March 1945. The Battalion ended the war in the van of the Allied armies in the west, driving to the north coast of Germany and linking with the Soviet forces advancing from the east. Lt. Eric L Burdon (View Large Image) The following article, written for the Moncton Times, paid tribute to Lt. Eric L Burdon upon his return to his home from the war. Lt. Burdon was a veteran of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion and participated in its actions in Northwest Europe. In October of 2001 Mr. Burdon passed away. He was rightly very proud of his service to Canada and his association with the airborne forces. The article below is shown here courtesy of Lt. Burdon's family, who also provided the accompanying family photos. The New Brunswick Rangers, Carlton and York Regiment, Cape Breton Highlanders and the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion at one time or another could claim Lt. Eric Burdon. He was a member of the Rangers before the war, re-enlisted with the Carlton and York Regiment in the Spring of 1940 and went overseas in 1941 with the Cape Bretoners. Next year found him in Brockville Canada taking the officer's training course and in 1943 he became a member of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. After "surviving" the course at Shilo, Manitoba Lt. Burdon went back overseas. Lt. Burdon taking a "pipe break" during a winter exercise in Brockville, Canada during Officer Training in 1942. (View Large Image) On D-Day the Canadian Parachutists dropped behind enemy lines near Ouisterham, Normandy and for eight days were isolated. There was really tough going during the battle of Berreville where the battalion suffered heavy losses. The Paras were pulled back to England but a sudden call for reinforcements sent the 6th Airborne Division into the Battle of the Bulge with the infantry and it was here that the Canadians came up against German parachutists for the first time - also fighting with the infantry. The next trip back to England was to prepare for the airborne crossing of the Rhine. After the initial successes of Operation Varsity the Battalion fought through to the Baltic where they met the Russians at Wismar. In fact Lt. Burdon's batman was the first allied soldier to come in contact with the Russians in the Baltic sector. Taken as an enemy at first and then as a British officer the Russians made up in hospitality for their first error and even held up army manoeuvres the next morning until the batman had had a good sleep! Lt. Burdon's Parachute Certificate. (View Large Image) Lt. Burdon was slightly wounded in Germany and was treated in Belgium in May of 1945 being released just in time to join his Battalion for the trip home to Canada. The 1st Canadian Paras were the only Battalion to be brought back to Canada as a unit. The Battalion was moved to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario where they fully expected to be ordered to the Pacific Theater and the pending invasion of Japan. Lt. Burdon was discharged in September 1945 and returned to his family in Moncton, New Brunswick.