Trafford

Attended Victoria Park School, Stretford.   Lived at Davyhulme before
joining the RN.  Employed as a Cutter at a Manchester firm of Garment
Manufacturers.

Had joined the RN in May 1939, serving mostly on Convoy duties.  Attached
to a landing craft for the D-Day landings, he was lost on the first day.   
His assembly point and time of departure was Spithead at H-9h.45m, being
part of Convoy S7, which comprised - H.M.S. Largs, 4 LSI (L), 1 LSI(S), 1
LSI (H), 1 LCI(S), 1 H/S Launch and 3 USCGCs. They were escourted by:-
H.M.S. Virago, H.M.S. Verulam, H.M.S. Kelvin and H.M.S. Eglinton plus 5
MTBs.     Concoy S7's time of arrival at lowering position in Normandy was
H-1h.55m.

L.C.I. (S) were classed as Major Landing Craft, their full title was -
Landing Craft Infantry (Small).  They were designed to carry 96 fully
equipped men below deck and18 bicycles on the upper deck.   Troops
disembarked by 4 ramps that were manhandles over bow sponsons.   They were
104ft 8ins long and had a speed of 11½ knots.   A total of 39 L.C.I. (S)
were allocated to the Eastern Task Force and were for use by the
Commandos.

H.M.S.O - "Operation Neptune - the D-Day Landings" section 55 states
"Eastern Task Force "S" - Sword area - the eastern most in the British
assault area, had been considered the most vulnerable to enemy attack, both
from the heavy batteries in the vicinity of Le Havre and from light craft
based on that port.  For this reason very powerful bombarding forces had
been stationed on its eastern flank.   Actually these forbodings had proved
groundless in the early stages beyond the loss of the Norwegen Destroyer -
the M.S. "Svenner and one L.C.I.(S) which was hit by shell fire and was
blazing from stem to stern, the opening stages of the assault were
unbelievably unnoposed".

The 01/12/1944 edition of the local newspaper reports that he was
posthumously Mentioned in Despatches for gallantry, skill and devotion to
duty serving on a landing craft flotilla on D-Day.    This was reported in
the London Gazette on the 14/11/1944.    Together with two others, he
volunteered to remain aboard his crippled craft in order to stand by the
Commanding Officer and in doing so was killed by mortar fire.

Reported that he was buried at St. Aubin ?

M.I. - "Only those who have loved and lost, know of war's great cost.  Mum,
Dad & Elsie".