Albert Alan Pattison was born in Buxworth, Derbyshire on 7th April 1925, the youngest of a family of 10 children. He left school at 14 years old in 1939 to work as a railway station porter.

He was called up in February 1944 (to join his two other brothers who had also been called up to serve, one in the RAF and one in the Army).

With a surname that is common in Ireland (son of Patrick) and being 5 ft 9¾ ins tall (182 cms), Albert was recruited into the newly formed 3rd Irish Guards Battalion.

Under Lt. Col. J.O.E. Vandeleur, Albert landed in Normandy on SWORD beach on 23rd June 1944, fighting in the Caen area and during Operation Bluecoat (30th July – 6th August).

Operation Bluecoat in 1944 during the battle of Normandy

This was followed by fighting through Belgium, Holland, and Germany, playing a key role in Operation Market Garden.

https://www.historyskills.com/classroom/year-10/operation-market-garden/

By July 1945, with Victory in Europe achieved, Albert prepared to travel to the Far East, but Japan surrendered on 15th August 1945, bringing an end to WW2.

Albert was demobbed in June 1947 and in his post war service Albert served as a guardsman at Buckingham Palace for a short while. A senior officer wanted him to stay in the military due to his professionalism, but Albert subsequently went back on the railways, this time as a local signal box operator (and once he was commended as a result of preventing a major train accident).