Alfred Stewart RSM Parachute Regiment

Hi all,
I watched a TV programme last night about the life and career of Patrick Stewart (AKA Jean-Luc Picard of Star Trek fame). During the show Patrick said that his father served with the Parachute Regiment during WW2 and was demobbed in 1945 having reached the rank of RSM.

"He was a soldier. By the time he was demobbed in 1945, he'd risen to be the regimental sergeant major of the Parachute Regiment. Which in those days made you a superstar in the army if you were working class. He jumped twice into occupied Europe. It was his re-telling of his war stories that gave me my first taste of the dramatic. He was an instinctive story-teller."

I have tried to find out more about him but so far have drawn a blank and I was wondering if anyone here knew more?

Cheers.................

 

Much has been said about the strict manner in which Alf ran his family and I am not going to dispute any of this. Alf was a career soldier, a Regimental Sergeant Major. He served with the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and later the Parachute Regiment before being demobbed in 1945 at the end of World War II.
He was used to instilling discipline in his men and expected it of his family when he came home on leave. Alf was prone to violent rages and Geoffrey, being the oldest, must have borne the brunt of this along with Trevor and Gladys herself. Patrick, being the youngest, came along when Alf was perhaps mellowing a little and was able to get away with things that his brothers would never have dared to try.

In the BBC documentary "The Best of British", Patrick spoke of his father and how he ruled the family but there was no mistaking the pride he obviously felt for his father when he spoke of Alf's "exemplary" army record as listed on the back of his paybook. When he had recounted this story he gave a sigh and a smile lit up his face as just for a brief moment he was once again Patrick, son of Alf Stewart. He has also stated that despite the violence at home his father never beat him and I never saw anything at any time to contradict this.
While on the subject of this documentary, I will say that it was generally informative and well done. However, I feel that the early black and white scenes were subject to a degree of artistic licence because the townscape used wasn't from any Mirfield that I have ever known.
There was another side to Alf, however, in that he was able to use his authoritative manner in a kindly way for the good of others. Several years after Alf left the army he worked as a commissionaire at Firth's Carpets, Heckmondwike, where my wife Barbara also worked. Now Barbara has had difficulty walking since she caught polio at the age of 4 (it was known as Infantile Paralysis in those days) and likes to do things discreetly because of her pronounced limp. She would park her car in Firth's carpark, which was across a busy road from the mill, and would peep out of the entrance waiting for a gap in the traffic so that she could cross. Today there is a pedestrian crossing but at that time the workers had to fend for themselves. However, Alf had the trained soldier's eye and would invariably spot her trying to be invisible just inside the carpark, whereupon he would march out into the road, resplendent in his smart uniform, hold up his hands to stop the traffic, and would wave her across. Now she was the centre of attention which was just what she hadn't wanted, but at least she was able to cross safely. Alf passed away in 1980.

SOURCE : Patrick Stewart

 

Phil,

That was a super post.
Thank you.

Regards
Tom