PASSMORE, Donald Percy

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Rank:

Lieutenant

Unit / Base:

7 Commando

Regiment/Corps:

Northamptonshire Regiment

Service:

Army

Service Number:

105317

Died :

Monday, April 21, 1941

Killed in action or died of wounds

Cemetery/Memorial:

Lieutenant Donald Passmore died during operations at Bardia to gather intelligence, take prisoners and destroy the Italian barracks there.*

In a recorded interview stored at the Imperial War Museum, Sgt. Frederick Birch states that Lieutenant Passmore was shot by a fellow Commando whilst returning back to the beach where the Commandos had landed at Bardia, the password not being given or heard when he was challenged. He later died of his wounds. He had only recently joined the Commando.*
The No. 7 Commando War Diary records the following "April 21 1941. HMS Glengyle 0500 hrs - The ship remains in harbour. Lt.D.Passmore died of wounds received during the operation. Capt. R.G. Lunt (Padre) went ashore to arrange the funeral. The burial took place in the British Cemetery, behind 8 General Hospital Chatby."

Sources

CWGC.

7 Cdo War Diary 1941, April, File ref WO 218/168.

Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/2.

* IWM Interview catalogue number 9770, Reel 2.

[Image below] Wood Green and Southgate Weekly Herald 9 May 1941, p6.