19 Facts About Corran Purdon

Corran Purdon's father Major General William Purdon worked for the army as a medical officer and his mother Myrtle, from Belfast, was a homemaker.

Corran Purdon was educated firstly in India, then at Campbell College in Belfast and, finally, at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

In 1939, when training in Scotland, Corran Purdon met Patricia Petrie at a dance in Ayr.

Corran Purdon was commissioned into the Royal Ulster Rifles in 1939 at the start of the Second World War.

On his return to the UK, Corran Purdon was persuaded to return to 1st Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles as adjutant with the rank of captain.

Corran Purdon's unit was based at Kiwi Barracks, Bulford Camp as part of the 6th Airborne Division.

In 1946, Corran Purdon was appointed as commander, with the rank of major, of the Royal Ulster Rifles Company at the 25th Infantry Training Centre at St Lucia Barracks, Omagh, in Northern Ireland.

Corran Purdon was posted to Egypt in late 1949 on a staff posting for two years before spending a year in Hong Kong with his own battalion, the 1st Royal Ulster Rifles who were then part of the 27th Infantry Brigade and stationed near the border with battalion headquarters at Fanling golf course.

Between 1958 and 1960, Corran Purdon was in command of the Regimental Depot of the Royal Ulster Rifles at St Patrick's Barracks, Ballymena.

Corran Purdon did this through military law and with the backing of the brigade commander.

Corran Purdon became Commandant, School of Infantry in 1970 and following promotion to major general General Officer Commanding North West District in 1972.

Corran Purdon was appointed Honorary Colonel of the London Irish Rifles after his retirement from official duties and later became President of their Regimental Association.

Corran Purdon was President of the Royal Ulster Rifles Association and was a regular at the Regimental Remembrance Pilgrimage to Normandy where, until June 2013, he led the annual tribute to honour the actions and exploits of the 1st and 2nd Battalions of The Royal Ulster Rifles during the Normandy Landings.

In 1945, Corran Purdon married Maureen Patricia Corran Purdon ; they had two sons, Tim and Patrick and a daughter Angela.

One son followed in his father's footsteps and became a soldier, Colonel Tim Corran Purdon, who served with the Sultan of Oman's armed forces for two periods, and was appointed as a Lieutenant of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms.

Corran Purdon died peacefully in his sleep of natural causes at his home in Devizes in the early hours on 27 June 2018 at the age of 97 with his family at his side.

Corran Purdon was very happy on that day for everyone to be together.

Corran Purdon was the sort of person who you would follow into hell.

Corran Purdon published his autobiography in 1993, List the Bugle: Reminiscences of an Irish soldier.