Dieppe Raid - Commando Fallen

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ALEXANDER, John Moir

Marine John Moir Alexander 40 Commando
40RM Commando
Marine John Alexander died during operations at Dieppe. He has no known grave.
 
Extract from the Dundee Courier
"Royal Marine Commando J. M. Alexander, 58 Mains Road, Dundee, has been reported missing whilst on combined operation.  Aged 21, he joined up three years ago. His brother William is in the Royal Navy." 
 
Sources
[1] CWGC.

BROSTER, John

No 3 Commando

Private John Broster died as a result of operations at Dieppe. 

Sources
CWGC
ROH in Commando-Memoirs of a Fighting Commando in WW2 by Brig Durnford-Slater.

CALLOW, Arthur John

40RM Commando
Marine Arthur Callow died during operations at Dieppe.
 
Notes
Escalles Churchyard
Escalles is a village and commune on the coast road (N.40) from Calais to Boulogne, 8 miles (14 kilometres) south-west of Calais, whence there is a bus service. The British grave is in the southern part of the churchyard, some 20 yards south of the main path. (Source: CWGC.)
 

CORRY, Samuel David

No 3 Commando
Captain Samuel Corry died during operations at Dieppe. He had been Mentioned in Despatches in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in successful combined operations against the enemy at Vaagso and Maaloy.
 
Sources
CWGC
London Gazette 35510, page 1506.
 

KENWARD, Peter John

Peter John Kenward
No 3 Commando
Lieutenant Peter Kenward, B.A., died during operations at Dieppe [1].
 
Gunner Peter John Kenward, late Cadet Sgt. Bradfield College contingent June Div., OTC, was commissioned on the 2nd September 1939 [2].
 
He joined No 3 Commando on the 17th August 1942, embarked with them for Dieppe on the 18th, and was killed in his landing craft on the 19th. Brigadier Durnford-Slater described him as "A fine young officer."[3].
 

MERCER, Duncan Thompson

No 4 Commando
Lance Corporal Duncan Mercer died 5 days after operations at Dieppe. He has no known grave.

Stephen, son of Bill Lewis 3 Commando, adds, "Duncan was in 4 Commando on the Varengeville Battery Raid. He is commemorated at the Brookwood Memorial in Surrey and at the little church in Varengeville- sur-Mer. He worked with my mother as a greengrocers delivery boy and then joined the Kings Regiment. He was very popular and terribly missed."
 

OPPELT, Gustav

No 10 Commando
Gustav Oppelt was a refugee from Czechoslavakia (Sudeten German) and was killed during operations at Dieppe. For this raid he was attached to 'X' troop, of  No 10.

PETTIWARD, Roger Gamelyn

No 4 Commando
Captain Roger Pettiward, 'F' troop, died during operations at Dieppe in 1942. 
 
Born in 1906 and educated at Eton and Christchurch, Oxford,  Roger Pettiward was a painter and well known comic artist in the 1930's. He used the signature of 'Paul Crum' on his cartoons, many being published in periodicals such as 'Punch' [view some of his cartoons].
 
Sources
CWGC.

RICE, C.

No 10 Commando
Pte. Rice served in 3 troop, also known as 'X' troop, of the inter allied commando. There is little known of him apart from a reference in the 10(IA) Commando War Diary for the 19th August 1942 recording the fact that he went on the Dieppe raid and did not return.  We have yet to find an official record of his birth name nor any confirming his death.
 

SUTTON, George Henry

George Sutton 4 Commando
No 4 Commando
Private George Sutton died during operations at Dieppe.
 
In a letter to his parents Lord Lovat wrote, " Your son fought magnificently and died in the hour of victory. No man can do more. He is a credit to his Commando and his Country. "
 
​Sources
CWGC.
Commando Veterans Archive entry for Pte Sutton.
 

TUCKER, George Arthur

No 4 Commando
Signalman George Tucker died during operations at Dieppe.
 
Commonwealth War Grave Commission inscription
"Killed in action and buried at the time in Ste. Marguerite-Sur-Mer Churchyard whose grave is now lost. Their glory shall not be blotted out."
 

WADSWORTH, Hubert Samuel

No 3 Commando

Gunner Hubert Wadsworth, known as 'Micky', died during operations at Dieppe.

Gunner Wadsworth was attached to No 3 Commando on the 4th July 1942. Having survived the attack from German convoy and landing at Berneval (Yellow Beach 1) with Capt R. L. Wills of the Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry they reached the cliffs when Capt Wills was shot in the throat and passed out. Captain Wills, who was taken prisoner, the following year wrote to family to explain that Gunner Wadsworth's dead body was bought into a dressing station the morning after the raid.  

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