Christopher William Yates

Hi,

Looking for information on my Grandad, Christopher William Yates, Royal Marine Commando PLY/X 100473 who was killed in action on June 24th 1944 in the Normandy area. No body was ever recovered but his name is on the War Memorial in Plymouth. I am hoping some could shed some light on where he might have fallen and any possible burial site in France.

Hi

You did not leave a first name. Your Grandfather is remembered on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database here: https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2490592/yates,-william-christopher/

I note that they have him listed as Marine William Christopher Yates (rather than Christopher William) and show his unit as H.M.L.C.G.(L) 5.

Unlike todays Royal Marines not all Royal Marines were Commandos in WW2. Many served in other capacities as Royal Marines on big ships or with Combined Operations on Landing Craft. There were many different types of such craft one type being His Majesty's Landing Craft Gun or H.M.L.C.G. The (L) defines it as a Landing Craft Gun (Large). They were amphibious close to shore fire support ships and were converted from Landing Craft Tanks. I believe they each had a complement of 20 Royal Marines in addition to the RN crew.

The attached is from The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II by Chris Bishop.

I am hoping that others on here may know of information specific to H.M.L.C.G. (L) 5.

In Memory of PLY/X 100473 Marine William Christopher Yates
Royal Marines , H.M.L.C.G. (L) 5,
who died on the 24th June 1944 aged 34,
Remembered with honour on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.

The following is a report published in the Liverpool Echo - Friday 14 July 1944 showing a picture of William and a bit about him.