Denis Small – Légion d’Honneur 

Denis Mervin Royston Small. LCM Corporal in the 117th Brigade Royal Marines. 
Service no 112556. 

Medals:
France and German Star
The Pacific Star
The Defence Medal
Other service medals
The French Legion d’Honneur. 

This is a brief taking of his very detailed memoirs. 

Upon approaching Gold Beach the coxswain of the landing craft fell ill, that now meant I had to be number 1. Lots of Landing craft had overturned in the rough sea. It was a very frightening experience, men were drowning. 

As we approached the coast gunfire and tracer bullets were coming in every direction, it was hard to distinguish between our fire or from the enemy. 

Having ran Gold Beach lots of my Conrad’s were shot dead. This was war.