Memorials & Monuments
on the Isle of Wight
- Biography -
- Graham John Goulding -

The Times (London, England) Friday, Jan 22, 1954

Inquiry into deaths of paratroopers

From our correspondent Singapore Jan 21

An Army statement issued today says a court of inquiry has been set up to inquire into the death of three paratroopers during an air drop in the Bongsu forest reserve area of Kedah on Monday. The names of those who lost their lives were given today as Lieutenant G.J. Goulding of the 22nd Special Service Regiment; Lance-corporal C.W. Bond R.E., of the same unit; and Captain J.R. Moffat, R.A., a ground liaison officer, from Butterworth. The men, who were dropped into trees, had been trained and equipped for the task and it is known that all parachutes opened.

Isle of Wight County Press 23rd January 1954

Newport Officer's Death in Malaya
Much sympathy is felt with Mrs J Goulding of 171 Carisbrooke Road, Newport, whose younger son Lt. Graham Goulding, R.A., aged 26 died on Tuesday from injuries he received the previous day in a parachute jump, while on operations in Malaya. He was attached to the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment. A former pupil of the Grammar School, Lieut. Goulding was a member of St. Thomas's Bible Class. He passed out from Sandhurst in 1948 and later volunteered for the Special Air Service Regiment. A memorial service will be held to-morrow in the Parish Mission Hall, South Street, at 2.30 pm.

The Straits Times, 21 January 1954, Page 4

Three skymen die in jungle drop

Two were Officers Alor Star Wednesday

Three British paratroopers have died in Kedah's first air Operation. It was carried out in the Bongsu Forest reserve on Monday. Two Officers and a Lance Corporal attached to the 2nd Air Service were killed, their names have not been disclosed. All three were fatally injured when parachuting into the jungle.
The circumstances of their deaths is not known but it is understood that one of the men died from injuries when falling from a tree. Forty paratroopers, it is believed, took part in the operation in support of ground forces. The air drop was part of "Operation Sword".
So far the paratroopers have not contacted any terrorists.
"Operation Sword" launched last July has so far accounted for 70 bandits.

The Straits Times, 22 January 1954, Page 5

Inquiry opens on deaths of three airdrop paratroops

All their chutes opened says Army

Kuala Lumpur Thursday

A court of enquiry is being held into the death of three paratroopers which occurred in an air drop in the Bongsu forest reserve, Kedah, on Monday, an army statement said today. The members will include the Chief Instructor, Parachute School of the Far East Transport Wing of the Royal Air Force and an officer of the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment who has done tree dropping. The names of the three paratroopers were released today.
They were Lieut. G J Goulding RA of the 22nd S A S Regiment, Lance Corporal C W Bond RE, of the same unit and Captain J R Moffat RA ground liaison officer, Butterworth The men were dropped about 1:30pm. It is known that all their parachutes opened, the army statement added.
They were jumping into trees, for which they had been specially trained and equipped.
The bodies were buried in Taiping yesterday,
There were three other minor casualties, who walked out.
Forty Jumped
Forty men dropped in the air drop, which was in support of "Operation Sword" which has been going on since July and has so far accounted for 70 terrorists.
Lance Corporal Bond died soon after the drop, the others later in the evening.
The regimental officer of the 22nd SAS Regiment parachuted with the party and attended to the casualties at once. A rescue S55 helicopter left Kuala Lumpur for north Malaya before daylight on Tuesday.
Until this mishap the regiment had done more than 500 drops into trees - both in operations and during training- without a death.

The Straits Times, 24 January 1954, Page 11

'Search' brought skymen to Kedah

Alor Star Sat

Phase 10 in "Operation Sword" was completed in Kedah this week.
Most significant feature of this phase, was the use of paratroops for the first time in the State.
Forty skymen from A squadron the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment dropped into the jungle in support of ground forces.
Three skymen died in the jump. The operation lasted for four days during which two bandit contacts were made. One terrorist was killed and five bandit camps found.
The operations covered 15,000 square yards. The area east of Bongu forest reserve is now considered cleared.
The 5th Malay Regiment covered the north, the 1st Manchesters struck to the south west, the field force the south east and the area security unit the east. In the centre of this pincer the paratroopers were dropped.