Tod Sweeney
Encyclopedia
Colonel Henry John Sweeney MC
(1 June 1919 – 4 June 2001), known as Tod Sweeney, was a platoon commander in the coup de main
operation by gliderborne troops on D Day, 6 June 1944, tasked to seize two vital bridges before the main assault on the Normandy
beaches. The following day he was awarded the Military Cross for rescuing a wounded member of his platoon while under heavy fire near Escoville.
and educated at Douai School
, Berkshire
. He entered Douai Abbey as a novice monk. At the outbreak of the Second World War he enlisted in the Royal Army Pay Corps
later volunteering to join the infantry. He was commissioned into the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers and shortly afterwards transferred to the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry joining the 2nd (Airlanding) Battalion (the 52nd) in 1942.
In 1943 the battalion transferred from the 1st Airborne Division to 6 Airlanding Brigade, 6 Airborne Division. He was a platoon commander in Major John Howard's 'D' Company coup de main Operation Deadstick
on D Day. The task was to seize Benouville
bridge, now known as Pegasus
Bridge, over the Caen
canal and Ranville bridge, now known as Horsa Bridge, over the River Orne. Sweeney and his No 23 platoon's objective was, with two other platoons, to capture the Ranville bridge.
On D Day his platoon landed approximately 500 yards from Ranville bridge. On arrival at the bridge he left one section on the west bank and crossed the bridge with the other two sections. He met up with Lieutenant Dennis Fox on the far side of the bridge and found Fox's platoon in control of the bridge and surrounding area. By 00.26 hours on D Day both bridges had been secured. The operation to capture the bridges was portrayed in the film The Longest Day (film)
(1962).
Sweeney was awarded the Military Cross for rescuing a wounded corporal of his platoon on 7 June 1944 while under heavy fire near Escoville. Sweeney was wounded in Normandy in July 1944 and evacuated to England. He rejoined the 2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (the 52nd) in October 1944. He served in the Ardennes and Holland from December 1944 to February 1945. He served in Operation Varsity
: the air assault landing over the Rhine on 24 March 1945. He took part in the advance across Germany
to the Baltic sea
. In October 1945 the 2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (the 52nd) was posted to Palestine
.
. He served as adjutant of the 1st Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 43rd and 52nd in the Suez Canal Zone from 1951 to 1953. He commanded the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry guard of honour at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. The senior warrant officer of the guard of honour was RSM, later Major John Stevenson MBE DCM.
He served in Cyprus
as a company commander from 1956 to 1959 and was mentioned in dispatches. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1962. Sweeney commanded the 1st Green Jackets (43rd and 52nd) at Penang
from April 1962 to January 1964. The regiment was deployed to Brunei
in December 1962 following an Indonesia
backed uprising. He was mentioned in dispatches. He commanded the 1st Green Jackets (43rd and 52nd) in Borneo
during the confrontation with Indonesia and was again mentioned in dispatches.
On 1 January 1966 the 1st Green Jackets (43rd and 52nd) became the 1st Battalion, The Royal Green Jackets. He was Defence Advisor to the U.K. Mission to the United Nations
in New York
from 1966 to 1969. He then became Head of Public Relations HQ BAOR, Germany. He was Deputy Commandant of the School of Infantry from 1971 to 1974.
Sweeney retired from the Army in 1974. He was Director General of the Battersea Dogs Home from 1974 to 1988. He was the subject of a This is Your Life
programme presented by Eamonn Andrews in 1985. Sweeney was Chairman of the 43rd & 52nd Old Comrades Association. In retirement he lived in Warwickshire and later in Shepton Mallet, Somerset.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(1 June 1919 – 4 June 2001), known as Tod Sweeney, was a platoon commander in the coup de main
Coup de main
A coup de main is a swift attack that relies on speed and surprise to accomplish its objectives in a single blow. The United States Department of Defense defines it as:The literal translation from French means a stroke or blow of the hand...
operation by gliderborne troops on D Day, 6 June 1944, tasked to seize two vital bridges before the main assault on the Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
beaches. The following day he was awarded the Military Cross for rescuing a wounded member of his platoon while under heavy fire near Escoville.
Early life and World War II
Sweeney was born in Blyth, NorthumberlandBlyth, Northumberland
Blyth is a town and civil parish in southeast Northumberland, England. It lies on the coast, to the south of the River Blyth and is approximately 21 kilometres northeast of Newcastle upon Tyne...
and educated at Douai School
Douai School
Douai School was the public school that was run by the Douai Abbey Benedictine community at Woolhampton, England, until it closed in 1999.- History :...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. He entered Douai Abbey as a novice monk. At the outbreak of the Second World War he enlisted in the Royal Army Pay Corps
Royal Army Pay Corps
The Royal Army Pay Corps was a former corps of the British Army responsible for administering all financial matters. It was amalgamated into the Adjutant General's Corps in 1992....
later volunteering to join the infantry. He was commissioned into the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers and shortly afterwards transferred to the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry joining the 2nd (Airlanding) Battalion (the 52nd) in 1942.
In 1943 the battalion transferred from the 1st Airborne Division to 6 Airlanding Brigade, 6 Airborne Division. He was a platoon commander in Major John Howard's 'D' Company coup de main Operation Deadstick
Operation Deadstick
Operation Deadstick was the codename for an airborne forces operation by the British Army that took place on 6 June 1944 as part of the Normandy landings. The mission's objective was to capture intact two road bridges in Normandy across the River Orne and the Caen Canal providing the only exit...
on D Day. The task was to seize Benouville
Bénouville
Bénouville is the name of several communes in France:*Bénouville, in the Calvados département*Bénouville, in the Seine-Maritime département...
bridge, now known as Pegasus
Pegasus
Pegasus is one of the best known fantastical as well as mythological creatures in Greek mythology. He is a winged divine horse, usually white in color. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa. He was the brother of Chrysaor, born at a single birthing...
Bridge, over the Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
canal and Ranville bridge, now known as Horsa Bridge, over the River Orne. Sweeney and his No 23 platoon's objective was, with two other platoons, to capture the Ranville bridge.
On D Day his platoon landed approximately 500 yards from Ranville bridge. On arrival at the bridge he left one section on the west bank and crossed the bridge with the other two sections. He met up with Lieutenant Dennis Fox on the far side of the bridge and found Fox's platoon in control of the bridge and surrounding area. By 00.26 hours on D Day both bridges had been secured. The operation to capture the bridges was portrayed in the film The Longest Day (film)
The Longest Day (film)
The Longest Day is a 1962 war film based on the 1959 history book The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan, about "D-Day", the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II....
(1962).
Sweeney was awarded the Military Cross for rescuing a wounded corporal of his platoon on 7 June 1944 while under heavy fire near Escoville. Sweeney was wounded in Normandy in July 1944 and evacuated to England. He rejoined the 2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (the 52nd) in October 1944. He served in the Ardennes and Holland from December 1944 to February 1945. He served in Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
: the air assault landing over the Rhine on 24 March 1945. He took part in the advance across Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to the Baltic sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
. In October 1945 the 2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (the 52nd) was posted to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
.
Post World War II
In 1946 Col. Sweeney was appointed instructor at the Infantry Battle School near HaifaHaifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
. He served as adjutant of the 1st Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 43rd and 52nd in the Suez Canal Zone from 1951 to 1953. He commanded the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry guard of honour at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. The senior warrant officer of the guard of honour was RSM, later Major John Stevenson MBE DCM.
He served in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
as a company commander from 1956 to 1959 and was mentioned in dispatches. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1962. Sweeney commanded the 1st Green Jackets (43rd and 52nd) at Penang
Penang
Penang is a state in Malaysia and the name of its constituent island, located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia by the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered by Kedah in the north and east, and Perak in the south. Penang is the second smallest Malaysian state in area after Perlis, and the...
from April 1962 to January 1964. The regiment was deployed to Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
in December 1962 following an Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
backed uprising. He was mentioned in dispatches. He commanded the 1st Green Jackets (43rd and 52nd) in Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
during the confrontation with Indonesia and was again mentioned in dispatches.
On 1 January 1966 the 1st Green Jackets (43rd and 52nd) became the 1st Battalion, The Royal Green Jackets. He was Defence Advisor to the U.K. Mission to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
from 1966 to 1969. He then became Head of Public Relations HQ BAOR, Germany. He was Deputy Commandant of the School of Infantry from 1971 to 1974.
Sweeney retired from the Army in 1974. He was Director General of the Battersea Dogs Home from 1974 to 1988. He was the subject of a This is Your Life
This Is Your Life (UK TV series)
This Is Your Life is a British biographical television documentary, based on the 1952 American show of the same name. It was hosted by Eamonn Andrews from 1955 until 1964, and then from 1969 until his death in 1987 aged 64...
programme presented by Eamonn Andrews in 1985. Sweeney was Chairman of the 43rd & 52nd Old Comrades Association. In retirement he lived in Warwickshire and later in Shepton Mallet, Somerset.