Corran Purdon

Early life Purdon was born on 4 May 1921 in Rushbrooke, Cobh, near Cork, Ireland, during the Irish War of Independence. His father Major General William Purdon worked for the army as a medical officer and his mother Myrtle, from Belfast, was a homemaker. In his autobiography he referred to the family legend that they had their own Banshee which was rumoured to shriek whenever a family member was going to die. This, apparently, led to telegrams being dispatched to family members when the Banshee was heard to find out if everyone was alright.

In 1939, when training in Scotland, Purdon met Patricia Petrie at a dance in Ayr. The couple were engaged within three weeks but did not marry until more than four years later. His training at Sandhurst was cut short and he was posted to the regimental depot in Armagh. Disappointed at being too young to receive an active service posting, he volunteered for No. 12 Commando which was formed in Crumlin, Northern Ireland on 5 August 1940, which the men marched to after gathering in Derry and Belfast. Following extensive training he was deployed with his unit as part of Operation Chariot on the raid on St Nazaire, for which he was awarded the Military Cross. After a year of imprisonment, on 26 March 1943, Purdon and a comrade, Lieutenant Richard (Dick) Fuller Morgan escaped and were on the run for some days before recapture. Both were subsequently transferred (after being caught digging an escape tunnel)

On his return to the UK, Purdon was persuaded to return to 1st Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles as adjutant with the rank of captain. His unit was based at Kiwi Barracks, Bulford Camp as part of the 6th Airborne Division. His friend Dick Morgan, who had transferred from the South Lancashire Regiment to the Ulster Rifles, also joined him there. 6th Airborne was then deployed to Palestine in its entirety.

In 1946, 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. During this time he also commanded the Royal Ulster Rifles component of the Victory Parade in London.

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. Following which he was posted to the London Irish Rifles at the Duke of York's Headquarters in Chelsea in early 1952.

In 1954, he attended Staff College, Camberley and following his tuition there was posted to GHQ Far East Land Forces based in Singapore. Maintaining a hands on approach, Purdon attached himself to several units who were on active duty in the Malayan jungle as part of the counter insurgency approach to the Malayan Emergency. Following the end of his appointment in 1956, finding he had four months to spare before his next appointment, he applied to his commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Roger Wheeler for an appointment with the Ulster Rifles and was given command of Support Company of the 1st Battalion in Cyprus who were then on deployment during the Cyprus Emergency. During this period he again involved himself heavily in operations.

Between 1958 and 1960, Purdon was in command of the Regimental Depot of the Royal Ulster Rifles at St Patrick's Barracks, Ballymena. A posting he relished as it allowed him once again to become involved in riding to hounds, fly fishing, other sporting activities and exploring Northern Ireland and parts of Ireland.

Following his stay in Ballymena, Purdon was posted to Iserlohn in West Germany as second in command of the 1st Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles with his commanding officer being Lt Col Sam Sturgeon. The battalion at that point was part of the 5th Infantry Brigade and shared barracks with brigade headquarters at Aldershot Barracks, a former Luftwaffe Flakartillerie installation. During this time the battalion became the first in the British Army to be equipped with the FV432 tracked, armoured personnel carrier; trialing and training in familiarisation of that vehicle was extensive. In May 1963, the battalion was posted to Carter Camp (which was then in wooden huts) in Bulford, Wiltshire as part of the 51st Gurkha Brigade and converted from a mechanised unit to airportable. Following extensive exercises in Australia, 1 RUR was deployed to Borneo during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation. As a result of his command of the Sultan's forces, he was appointed as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Elizabeth II.

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

Honorary appointments also included: Honorary Colonel of Queen's University Belfast Officer Training Corps, relinquished in 1978. Honorary Colonel D (London Irish Rifles) Company, 4th (Volunteer) Battalion The Royal Irish Rangers, relinquished in 1993. Knight of the most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, 1984. He 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. Jean was previously married to Terence Otway, Purdon's cousin.

Death Purdon died peacefully in his sleep of natural causes at his home in Devizes

The historian James Dorrian said of him: "He was extremely charming, charismatic and incredibly inspirational. He was the sort of person who you would follow into hell." He was also incredibly fit and was still doing 50 press ups a day well into his 80s. "He didn't care about money, his whole life was dedicated to service." "He was one of the most impressive men I have ever known and a true gentleman. "He will truly be missed and the world is a poorer place without him."

In 2007, he appeared in the BBC's documentary The Greatest Raid of All Time presented by Jeremy Clarkson.