Marine. Eric Sykes Preston
Royal Marines 28th Btn.
from:Horbury, Wakefield
Eric Preston joined the Royal Marines on the 2nd of November 1943 aged 20 and was allocated the home Division of Portsmouth. He undertook his basic training at Lympstone Depot qualifying in small arms being able to proficiently use a rifle, light machine gun and Sten gun.
Eric served in various Battalions in UK and abroad notably the 22nd, 28th and Home Based Ledger Office (HBL) spending time at the Royal Marines Infantry Training Centre and the Royal Marine Holding Company preparing for deployment in mainland Europe which occurred on the 18th February 1945 when he disembarked two days later on the 20th February 1945. Eric saw active service during this time where he remained until the liberation of Europe before returning to the UK on the 28th June 1945.
After the European theatre of war ended Eric embarked on the H.M.A.S Australia on the 17th December 1945 heading for Australia, however, he had to be taken off ship on the 9th January 1946 in Durban, South Africa due to contracting Typhoid Fever and he remained at Springfield Military Hospital at HMS Kongoni Naval Base until the 25th April 1946 before resuming his duties at the said base.
Eric received the following medal during his time in the Marines, France and Germany Star, the Defence Medal and the War Medal. His conduct was considered to be very good, although he did have one minor infraction for presenting with a dirty bayonet on the 14th February 1944.
Eric was discharged from the Marines on the 3rd October 1946. He received a sum of 40 pounds 16shillings for war gratuity and post war credit of wages. He returned to Horbury, Wakefield, W. Yorkshire where he lived with his parents until getting married to Nora Cassidy in September 1949.
