Private David Hutchinson 14591854 - No 4 Commando

Hello,
I hope somebody may be able to help me with some family research. Does anyone have any information on my father's cousin, Private David Hutchinson of No 4 Commando? All I know is that he was killed in action on 20th August 1944 at L'Epine and is buried at Ranville war cemetery. I don't have any photographs of him and would be very grateful if anyone does have a photograph they could share with me or any other information about him.
Many thanks,
Robert

Welcome Robert

http://www.commandoveterans.org/4CommandoROH

Have you checked the Gallery on our site.

Best wishes.

Bill

We placed a poppy cross on his grave in June, Robert.

He'll always be remembered.

Hello Robert

The No 4 Commando War Diary for the date that Pte David Hutchinson died shows this:

20th August 1944

Place: L'Epine

The attack went in on the area L'EPINE 2472 at 0415 hrs, the remainder of No.1. SS. Bde attacking the high ground to the north of this area. A number of enemy positions were found in the Commando area, manned by scratch parties of clerks, supply column personnel etc, from various units and after a brisk engagement the area was rapidly cleared. A total of 43 POW were taken by the Commando during these operations, including the officer in command of the area, who was severely wounded. A number of the enemy were killed. Among the booty captured was a 75mm Anti Tank gun, the crew of which had abandoned their position without firing a shot. The gun was added to the armament of the Heavy Weapons Troop together with two 81mm Mortars captured in one of the enemy strongpoints. During the afternoon the Commando area was fairly heavily mortared and shelled.

Our casualties in this encounter were 1 killed and 5 wounded in the morning, and 14 wounded during the afternoon and evening by mortar fire.

Source http://pegasusarchive.org/normandy/war_4cdo.htm

Thank you Bill, Eileen and Pete for your replies.

Bill - I have looked through the gallery photos, but I don't know what he looked like and I haven't found any named photographs with his name shown.

Eileen - Thank you for leaving a poppy on his grave. I've not yet visited his grave myself, but do plan to.

Pete - Thank you for posting the war diary for 20 August. I've had a look at the following dates to September 1944 and it would appear he was the last of 4 Commando to fall during Overlord. Rather poignant, but somebody has to be the last.

As an aside, would any of you know whether he would have been issued with a watch as part of his equipment? I remember my Grandmother once showing me the broken watch he was wearing when he was killed. After my father passed away, my mother gave me a number of old watches that my father had. It's a long shot, but one of them could have been David's and it would be nice to identify it if I can.

Kind regards,
Robert

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 29/08/2016 21:50:58

Robert,

Don't know if you've seen his record with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC)

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2342983/HUTCHINSON,%20DAVID

or seen the photo of his gravestone in our Gallery...

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/Commando+War+Graves+Memorials+and+Plaques/graves/France+Cemeteries/RANVILLE+War+Cemetery/4+cdo+graves/D_+HUTCHINSON++4+Cdo+++RANVILLE.jpg.html

Nick

Hello ROBERT.

Going often in Ranville cemetery to pay tribute to the Fallen, living in Normandy.

If my memory is well, Think Pvt. HUTCHINSON was Colonel DAWSON's batman.

Best wishes

Stéphane