Edward Truckle

This story is shared by the Trust with kind permission from Amesbury Royal British Legion

Edward Truckle was the son of Alfred George and Edith Truckle of 28 Lynchets Road, Amesbury. He attended the Amesbury Infants School and the Amesbury Church of England Elementary School. On leaving school he was employed at the NAAFI where he met his future wife, Vera Nellie Emma (she had been directed to work in the Amesbury NAAFI from her home in London by the Ministry of Labour). They were married in December 1942 when Edward was 19 and Vera was 20 years.

He was called up for military service with the 5th Battalion, the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, a territorial battalion of the Regiment. On about 23rd June the battalion landed in Normandy as an element of the 43rd (Wessex) Division and was involved in fighting in an orchard close to the newly captured village of Cheux. He was killed in action on 27th June, aged 21 and is buried in the St Manvieu War Cemetery.

In his last letter home, another man from Amesbury, Reginald Ware, who was also killed in Normandy had talked about the fact that Edward Truckle, who was serving in the same regiment as him, had been killed. You can read about Reginald Ware's story here.