Bird, Alan Curtis, brother of John Henry Benbow Bird (qv); b. 20 Jan. 1910; adm. Jan. 1924 (A); left Apr. 1928; Roy. Ulster Rifles 1939-45 (Maj.); MC 5 Apr. 1945; killed in action (Germany) 26 Apr. 1945.
Alan Curtis “Dicky” Bird was born at Richmond, Surrey on the 20th of January 1910 the third son of Sidney Arthur Bird OW, director of a public company, and Norah Agnes Sarah Jane (nee McClory) Bird of “Longfield”, Christchurch Road, East Sheen in Surrey, later of East Molesey in Surrey. He was christened at St Matthias’ Church, Richmond on the 9th of April 1910. He was educated at Westminster school where he was up Ashburnham from January 1924 to April 1928. He was a member of the 2nd Rowing VIII in 1927, where he rowed at No. 2. He was a member of the Colts Football XI in 1925 and 1926 and of the 1st Football XI, where he played at right back, in 1926, 1927 and 1928. The Elizabethan wrote the following on his 1927/28 season: - “Has shown more consistent good form than any other member of the team. We have scarcely seen him play a poor game. A relentless tackler, and a beautiful kick with either foot. He is always in the right place, and he should, we think develop into a great player. The side owes to him a very great deal of any success they may have had.”
He attended the 163rd Officer Cadet Training Unit (Artists Rifles) from where he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Ulster Rifles on the 10th of November 1939. He was posted to the 2nd Battalion of his Regiment based at Lezennes in March 1940 where he joined D Company as a Platoon Commander. He was evacuated from Dunkirk. He was later appointed as the second in command of A Company.
On the 4th of June 1944, the 2nd Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles left their base at Waterlooville and proceeded to Southsea where they embarked on boats for the invasion of Normandy the following morning. They moored off Southsea that night and, after an uneventful crossing of the Channel, they landed on the beaches at noon on the 6th of June 1944. Following the death in action of Major John Richard St Leger Aldworth on the 10th of June Alan Bird was appointed to the command of D Company.
On the 30th of November 1944, the Battalion was ordered to make an attack on German positions between the villages of Blitterswijk and Helling. The attack began at 5am, with C Company leading the attack on the right and with D Company on the left. They were held up for a time by thick barbed wire entanglements which had been booby trapped with mines. These were quickly cleared by the Pioneer Platoon and the advance continued. At 5.45am the leading Platoon from C Company was advancing along the Wanssum road when it came under heavy enemy machine gun fire from an orchard on their left and from houses in Helling on their right, which proved to be more strongly held than had first been thought. Another Platoon was ordered forward but this also came under heavy fire and both Platoons were ordered to fall back while artillery and mortar fire was called on to bombard the enemy stronghold. C Company had suffered casualties of six men killed, with four wounded and twelve missing.
Meanwhile D Company, under the command of Alan Bird, began moving forward from Blitterswijk at 4.15am and passed through the enemy barbed wire at 5.45am. Their first objective, an enemy machine gun post, brought the leading Platoon under fire but, when they rushed forward, they found that the Germans had abandoned it, leaving a machine gun and a Panzerfaust behind them. The second Platoon also came under fire from an enemy position in some woods. They threw a grenade at it and rushed it but found the enemy position had also been abandoned. Alan Bird then ordered a third Platoon forward which advanced without opposition and took the Company’s first objective. The advance continued and the second objective, a wood to the north west of a windmill, was taken without casualties in spite of enemy fire. Two or three German machine gun positions were located and attacked with 2” mortars and PIATs before a frontal attack was made and these were all destroyed. The Germans then began falling back in the face of D Company’s attack but remained in a perimeter around Wanssum. Helling was also still strongly held. D Company remained in their new positions throughout the day from where they brought the enemy under sniper fire while the commanding officer of the Battalion was planning a second attack to take place that night. D Company remained in their positions until they were withdrawn to rest on the afternoon of the 2nd of December.
The attack began at 1am on the morning of the 1st of December 1944 in “brilliant” moonlight. B Company began the advance by passing through the enemy wire but quickly found themselves on flat, open ground and, with the bright moonlight, the Germans had no trouble in bringing them under heavy fire. D Company suffered the same fate as they joined the attack by crossing the Wanssum to Blitterswijk road and soon became pinned down and leading the Battalion commander to call off the attack.
For his actions during the attack on Wassum and Helling Alan Bird was awarded the Military Cross which was announced by the War Office on the 5th of April 1945. The recommendation for his award read as follows: -“On 1 Dec 1944 operations to mop up a pocket of enemy in the Wanssum area were started. In connection with these, D Coy, 2 RUR, commanded by Major A.C. Bird was ordered to attack and capture a strongly held enemy position between the villages of Blitterswijk and Helling. This position was in an area of high ground and commanded the approaches from the two villages. In front of the position ran a wire obstacle which was booby trapped. At 0500 hrs the leading platoon breached the wire but immediately came under heavy machine gun fire. Major Bird urged his Company through the gap and then dealt methodically with each enemy post. By his splendid example of coolness and determined leadership, he succeeded in establishing his Company on the objective and drove the enemy off. The enemy withdrew in disorder, leaving behind six Spandaus, six Bazookas, and a considerable amount of small arms ammunition and equipment. The enemy brought down intensive artillery, mortar and machine gun fire but Major Bird conducted the consolidation of the position without any regard for his own safety. By his drive and skilful leadership, Major Bird was largely responsible for the success of the attack on this position which was the key to the whole of the German pocket in the Wanssum area. During the following two days the objective was continuously shelled, mortared and machine gunned, and at night strong enemy patrols attempted to enter the position but were beaten off every time. During these two days, Major Bird was continually round his men encouraging them to stand firm in this exposed position to which it was not possible to approach in daylight without drawing heavy enemy fire. He never spared himself, and had no sleep until the enemy withdrew two days later. Throughout the operation Major Bird acted with great bravery and determination and his strong fighting spirit was an inspiration to all ranks.”
In April 1945, the Battalion was involved in the capture of Bremen. After the town had been cleared and the fighting had died down Alan Bird and other men from D Company were killed by the explosion of a sea mine which had been planted by the retreating Germans. They were buried in a meadow close to an inn later that evening but their bodies were later exhumed and moved to their present location.
The Battalion historian wrote of him: - “..... in the many attacks and actions he seemed to bear a charmed life. Wherever danger threatened or he was most needed, Dicky was always to be found, cheering and encouraging his men with no thought to spare himself. Dicky had seen the thing through from beginning to end. He had died in the hour of triumph, and has probably missed the disillusionment of post-war years. To his friends he will be a memory of a well known figure, pipe in mouth, up with the leading platoon working his Company forward, or the centre of a party, seated at the piano, playing the old tunes he loved so much.”
He is buried at Becklingen War Cemetery Plot 8, Row G, Grave 11.
