HISTORICAL CONTEXT

5th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 43rd (Wessex) Division landed on Gold Beach in mid-June 1944.

The day before his death the regiment launched the first of many attacks on Hill 112 as part of Operation Jupiter to gain the vital high ground overlooking the Orne and Odon valleys, attacks which would continue for a number of weeks.

A second attack was launched on at 22:30 on 10 July 1944 and the battalion succeeded in reaching the crest of the hill where they consolidated in a wood.

Fighting continued all night and they fought off 12 savage counter-attacks from 9th SS Panzer Division but then had to withdraw on 11 July 1944 due to the high losses of men and tanks including their commanding officer.

As so many had been killed during the battle the hill became known as Cornwall Hill and the wood they had consolidated in became known as Cornwall Wood. It is presumed he was killed during one of these attacks.