Hicks, Terrence George

Date of birth:: June 1920
Date of death:: September 19th, 1944 (Arnhem/Gelderland, Netherlands)
Service number:: 2090980
Nationality:: British

Biography

Terrence George Hicks, (also called Terence in some papers) was from Canton, Cardiff and son of Robert Percy and Annie Hicks. He served in 1st Parachute Squadron RE B Troop and was killed by machine-gun fire from a tank in the Markstraat area of Arnhem, near the Bridge.

He enlisted in the Royal Engineers on 6 June 1939. He was active with the 38th Field Company of the 2nd Infantry Division in northern France from February 1940 and was evacuated from Dunkirk on the British withdrawal.
Being experienced in working in mines, he was transferred to the 170 Tunnelling Company RE to make defence works in the Rock of Gibraltar. During this period, he was awarded a George Medal.

Hicks volunteered for the airborne troops on 27 October 1943 and after his training at RAF Ringway was posted to B Troop, 1 st Parachute Squadron, Corps of Royal Engineers.

On 17 September 1944, he flew into the Netherlands from Barkston Heath at the start of Operation Market Garden. While defending the Rhine Bridge at Arnhem in the Marktstraat near Arnhem, he was killed by a tank.

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing in Groesbeek. His name appears in the Roll of Honour of the 1st Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers Memorial at Donington.

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George Medal

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Sapper
Unit:: B Troop, 1 st Parachute Squadron, Corps of Royal Engineers

“At Gibraltar on 13 th April 1942 part of a fully charged face fired prematurely, injuring the men lighting it. All but one man got out of the tunnel. L/Cpl Hicks of 170 Tunnelling Company RE, hearing that the man was still lying at the face, rushed in, followed by two Sappers. These three men knew that the whole face had been lit, and did not know when the charge would explode. They pulled the injured man to safety just as the face fired. L/Cpl Hicks displayed leadership and courage of a high order which resulted in the life of the injured man being saved. His conduct is worthy of the highest commendation.”