Geoff was a paratrooper in the Parachute Regiment, the airborne infantry regiment of the British Army. He describes the time when he was in a glider and had a bumpy descent, landing in an RAF aerodrome strip causing confusion.
After this initial setback Geoff was transported to Brize Norton, the large RAF airfield station and was allocated onto a glider. From there he journeyed with his regiment to Breville Normandy during Operation Overlord (D-Day) taking cover in a ditch overnight and awaking to attacks.
He moved into the woods around Chateau St Combe Normandy where they sent out patrols to see if the location was clear. Geoff recalls going on a two-man patrol with his corporal and being fired upon, knocked down and wounded in the back of his legs. He went to the regimental first aid post and after medical attendance and nearly being mistaken for a German, was eventually evacuated back to England.
Geoff returned to convalesce at the battalion headquarters in Bulford whilst his battalion was still in France. Later he travelled to India for Jungle Warfare training school in preparation for the Japanese war, then on to Palestine where he stayed for twenty months until being demobilised.