Date of birth:

June 13th, 1910 (Quebec, Canada)

Date of death:

December 1st, 2000 (Llanrwst/Conwy County Borough, Great Britain)

Service number:

3

Nationality:

British

Before the war, Firbank worked as a lumberjack until he bought a sheep farm in the shadow of Snowdon.It is there he found inspiration for his best-seller autobiography 'I Bought a Mountain' which was published in 1940.
At the outbrreak of hostilities he enlisted in the Coldstream Guards and after a while volunteerd for the Airborne Force.
Following the action at San Basilio, Firbank returned to England, and was then appointed GS02 (Operations) at HQ 1st Airborne Corps. In this capacity he took part in Operation Market Garden, landing by glider near Nijmegen.
After the war, Firbank took up writing and publishing again but also formed and commanded an Airborne Infantry Training Centre at Shorncliffe, Kent, and later commanded the Airborne Forces Depot on the Isle of Wight. He retired, as a lieutenant-colonel, in 1948.
From 1954, Firbank was employed by a British engineering company, Perkins Diesel and later was, for a while, Secretary of the British Chamber of Commerce in Tokyo.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Temporary Captain

Unit:

1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron, Divisional Troops, 1st Airborne Division, British Army

Awarded on:

January 13th, 1944

Recommendation:
"Lt (T/Capt) T.J. FIRBANK was in command of the leading recce tp in the advance from TARANTO. The tp disembarked at 2100 hrs on 9 Sep and by midnight was in contact with the enemy at MASSAFRA, from which it ousted a rearguard estimated a company strong. Pushing on, he made contact with a German rearguard holding a ridge S.E. of MOTTOLA, which brought accurate crossfire to bear from well-sited L.M.G. posts. Captain FIRBANK decided to attack and the position was taken by spitited left flanking movement in which (?) were used from the hip.

His troop then led the advance trough SAN BASILIO suffering casualties on the way, and was finally pinned by heavy Mortar, 20mm and automatic fire. It was essential to remain in action there as a pivot for a flank attack by 156 Para Bn. Throughout the afternoon, under Captain FIRBANK's personal leadership, the troop engaged an enemy very much (?) superior in numbers and weight of weapons and gave no ground. In the evening the attack was succesfully launched.

Throughout all these operations, whose swift success was vital for the occupation of TARANTO, Captain FIRBANK's courage coolness and dash were an outstanding factor and merits the highest praise"

LG 36327/256

• - Copy of the original recommendation for the Military Cross - STIWOT-archive
  - Supplement top The London Gazette Issue 36327 published on the 11 January 1944
  - The Telegraph - Obituaries