HISTORICAL CONTEXT

He was a crew member on LCA(HR) 961, 591 Assault Flotilla, which was assigned to support the landing of men and supplies on Gold Beach on D-Day as part of Operation Neptune.

The Landing Craft, Assault (Hedgerow) or LCA(HR) was a small vessel that did not carry troops. It was fitted with 24 spigot mortars and was the smallest craft to be towed across the Channel as the spigot mortars they were fitted with prevented them from being transported on the davits of larger craft.

As they got closer to the coast, the crew cast off the tow. The craft was proceeding under its own power but it was swamped due to the challenging sea conditions and he was drowned.