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Straight From The Horsa's Mouth

by Ted Hold

116 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #06-2296; ISBN 1-4251-0538-6; US$17.30, C$19.90, EUR14.21, £9.95

An entertaining and enthralling account of the author's experiences and escapades in the Church Lad's Brigade, Home Guard, and 6th Airborne Division from Pegasus Bridge to Palestine.

Ted Hold went into action twice by Horsa Glider with the 6th Airborne Division: into Normandy in the early hours of D-Day and across the Rhine into Germany in the vanguard of Operation Varsity.

Straight from the Horsa’s Mouth is his entertaining and enthralling account of his experiences and escapades in khaki from his early days in the Church Lad’s Brigade through to his eventual de-mob in 1946.

His impressive recollection of original dialogue, used with narrative skill throughout, enables the reader to visualize the humorous, frightening and poignant events of over sixty years ago with first-hand clarity.

After a evocation of the halcyon days of his pre-war childhood Ted recalls his time as a member of Sunderland’s Post Office Home Guard, whose characters and exploits would not have seemed out of place in 'Walmington-on-Sea'.

He then moves on to his basic army training in Ossett, his subsequent trades training with the Royal Corps of Signals in Huddersfield, and his preparations for D-Day with the 6th Airborne Division in Bulford.

Attached to Divisional Headquarters, Royal Artillery, Ted was at the heart of the 6th Airborne's operations in Normandy and the Ardennes, across the Rhine to the Baltic and, finally, in Palestine.

He provides a unique record of life in the Division during this period and recounts many episodes which were, quite literally, peculiar to him. These include how he: listened very carefully to the French Maquis; discovered where the Dutch had hidden their bulbs; became a guest of Belgian Royalty; and accepted the surrender of a German 'Admiral'.

Incredible maybe, but this isn’t fiction - this is Straight from the Horsa’s Mouth.

Ted Hold was born in Sunderland in 1921. He left school at 14 and after various jobs was employed as a labourer by GPO Telephones just after the outbreak of World War 2.

He immediately joined the Sunderland PO Home Guard but, despite repeated requests, it was not until 1942 that his employers finally released him to join the regular army.

On completion of trades training with the Royal Corps of Signals he volunteered for the 6th Airborne Division and subsequently saw service with them in Normandy, the Ardennes, across the Rhine to the Baltic and in Palestine.

Although gifted with a fine tenor voice, which could have led to a professional career, he chose to put his family first and returned to his civilian occupation of Telephone Engineer after his de-mob in 1946. He was awarded the Imperial Service Medal on his retirement in 1986.

He satisfied his love of music and passion for singing through amateur operatics and played the leading role in many productions for over twenty five years.

Since joining Freemasonry in 1963 Ted has contributed his vocal talents in support of Masonic charities, not only in the North East but also throughout the country, and his services continue to be much in demand.

He is a founder member of Pegasus Forces Lodge, has been a member of the Fellowship of the Services for sixty years, and is life member of both the Royal Signals and American 82nd Airborne Associations. He is also President of the of the Sunderland Branch of the P.R.A.

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