Major COLIN LEO BLISS (photo added)


Rank	Major
Forenames	COLIN LEO
Surname	BLISS (photo added)
Initials	C L
Place of Birth	SANDY, BEDFORDSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM
Date of Birth	Saturday, 27 April 1907
Date of Death	Monday, 10 July 1944
Age	37
Nationality	British
Residence or Entered Service From	BEDFORD, BEDFORDSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM
Service Number	253486
Force	British Army
Service/Corps/Regiment	Parachute Regiment, Army Air Corps
Unit / Ship / Battalion / Squadron	12 Parachute Battalion (6th Airborne Division)
Military Honours and Awards
Place of Burial/Commemoration	RANVILLE WAR CEMETERY Roll of honour
Grave/Memorial Location	IA. B. 1.
Previous Place(s) of Burial	Unknown
Epitaph
Family Details	SON OF MR. JOHN WILFRED BLISS AND DORA AMY LOUISA BLISS (neé ANDREWS) OF SANDY, BEDFORDSHIRE. WIFE OF ANNE MAY BLISS (neé MOORE)

Additional Information

Commonwealth War Graves Commission records state his rank as Captain, however, 2 obituaries (see images below) record his rank as Major, one stating that he was promoted in the field while in Normandy, France.

COLIN LEO BLISS was born on Saturday 27th April 1907 in Sandy, Bedfordshire, England, Unmited Kingdom. The 1911 census shows that he was living in Sandy, Bedfordshire. He attended Bedford School. In 1932 he was married in Bedford, Befordshire, to Anne May Moore.¹

Captain COLIN LEO BLISS was commanding officer of A Company, 12 (Yorkshire) Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, Army Air Corps, He was wounded at le Mesnil, some 1.2 miles (2 kilometres) south-east-east of Ranville on Friday 7th July 1944. He died 3 days later on Monday 10th July 1944 from his wounds.²

COLIN LEO BLISS, 1943,

while serving in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment.

From Bedford School Memorial Book.

Obituary for COLIN LEO BLISS, undated.

From Bedford School Memorial Book.

Obituary printed below records he was promted to Major in the field.

Cross grave marker for Major Colin Leo Bliss, 1940s/50s.³

Police Constable COLIN LEO BLISS, undated.⁴

Sergeant COLIN LEO BLISS,

while serving with the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment, undated.⁵

Daily Sketch newspaper article (incomplete),

by Leonard Mosely, 1944. ⁶

Believed to be reporting on COLIN JAMES BLISS, but named as Captain Charles K. Bliss.

No record has been found of a Captain Charles K. Bliss serving in the 6th Airborne Division in Normandy.

Obituary, undated and unknown publication.⁷

Believed to be reporting on COLIN JAMES BLISS, but named as Captain/Major Charles Bliss.

No record has been found of a Captain Charles Bliss serving in the 6th Airborne Division in Normandy.

References
1.	Additional information and photographs, unless otherwise credited, kindly provided by Mary Brennan, cousin of Major COLIN LEO BLISS.
2.	Gale's Eyes. p.86. Private Publication, 2008. by Carl Rijmen,
3.	Photograph provided by James Warick Bliss, son of Major COLIN LEO BLISS.
4.	Photograph provided by James Warwick Bliss, son of Major COLIN LEO BLISS. Also available at Airborne Assault Paradata website.
5.	Photograph provided by James Warwick Bliss, son of Major COLIN LEO BLISS. Also available at Airborne Assault Paradata website.
6.	Newspaper Article provided by James Warwick Bliss, son of Major COLIN LEO BLISS. Also available at Airborne Assault Paradata website.
7.	Obituary provided by James Warwick Bliss, son of Major COLIN LEO BLISS. Also available at Airborne Assault Paradata website.

Acknowledgements and Credits
Source of original data:	Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Headstone photograph:	Carl Shilleto
Cross marker photograph:	James Warwick Bliss, son of Major COLIN LEO BLISS.
Individual photograph:	Mary Brennan, cousin of Major COLIN LEO BLISS and James Warwick Bliss, son of Major COLIN LEO BLISS.
Additional photographs provided by:	Mary Brennan, cousin of Major COLIN LEO BLISS, and James Warwick Bliss, son of Major COLIN LEO BLISS and Carl Shilleto.
Additional information provided by:	Mary Brennan, cousin of Major COLIN LEO BLISS and ames Warwick Bliss, son of Major COLIN LEO BLISS.