Frederick George Bryant 1915 – 1978
![[ Frederick George Bryant 1915 – 1978 ]](Frederick-George-Bryant.gif)
My name is Jessica Bryant Macdonald. I am 14 years of age and was privileged to be allowed to march with the British Airborne on Anzac Day Thursday 24th April 2008. This was the very first time and did so in honour of my grandfather. I was also very proud to wear his medals.
Although I never met my grandfather I now know that he was a very special person. When I was young my dad told me some stories about my grandfather’s wartime experiences, which were told to him by his mother. I’m afraid to say that these stories never caught my interest. One story that I do remember is my dad being told by his mother that my grandfather was wounded in the Battle of Arnhem suffering a gunshot wound to the head by an enemy sniper and then later being evacuated across the Rhine River.
I have now learnt so much about the wars of the world and having found out that my grandfather was a participant in one of them, I would like to share with you some of my findings on his life and war time service.
My Grandfather was born in London on the 2nd of October 1915. He was the youngest of five children but tragically his mother died when he was only 11 years old. After he left school my grandfather served a seven-year apprenticeship as a stationary binder. In 1953 he emigrated and settled in New Zealand with his wife Doris and their three children. My grandfather, as I am told, was a wonderful piano player and would have enjoyed many social occasions with other airborne friends. Unfortunately my grandfather died of heart failure in 1978.
Before the war my grandfather was in the army reserve. After the outbreak of the Second World War he served in an artillery regiment. He later volunteered
for the Glider Pilot Regiment and commenced flying tiger moths on the 22nd March 1944. He then trained to fly the Hotspur, W.A.C.O, Horsa, Hamilcar and Hadrian gliders.
