Remembering Today Casualty Details | CWGC COLLINSON, MAURICE Rank: Private Service No: 4456733 Date of Death: 14/07/1943 Age: 20 Regiment/Service: 2nd Bn. Parachute Regiment, A.A.C. Cemetery: CATANIA WAR CEMETERY, SICILY Grave Reference: I. G. 25. Additional Information: Son of Robert and Alice Collinson; husband of Joan Collinson, of Breedon-on-the-Hill, Leicestershire. Personal Inscription: JUST GOOD-NIGHT BELOVED NOT FAREWELL. LOVING WIFE JOAN AND BABY CLIFF
Pte. Maurice Collinson died during Operation Fustian. The 2nd Bn Parachute Regiment (of 1st Parachute Brigade), were tasked with holding three small hills to the south of Primosole Bridge (near Catania, Sicily) whilst other elements of the Brigade captured and held the Bridge, removed demolitions, protected the bridge from the north, etc. The Brigade was hopelessly scattered during the drop and the 295 officers and men who reached the bridge found themselves facing the German 4th Parachute Regiment, and lost the bridge until the arrival of the 8th Army. The 50th (Northumbrian) Division were fighting towards them from the south and eventually, the 151st Infantry Brigade - 6th, 8th and 9th Bns Durham Light Infantry - arrived at the Bridge and had to retake it through some savage fighting with the German Paratroops (now reinforced). The loss of life on both sides was immense, but the Bridge was retaken; and permanently. Coincidently, Pte. Collinson's service number is from the Durham Light Infantry batch of numbers meaning he must have served with the regiment previously. One Lt-Col. John Frost of Operation Biting and Operation Market Garden fame was the OC, 2nd Bn Parachute Regiment.