VI COMMANDO

Lt. Derek Alan Dutton, formerly of the Honourable Artillery Company (Infantry) and 4^th Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment, South Wales Borderers, served with No.6 Commando from 1^st July 1943.

Prt. Derek Dutton (S/N 6827201), a ‘Meat Purveyor’ by registered trade, enlisted on 19^th June 1939 and was sent on 13^th November 1939 to the 169^th OTU (Oudenarde Barracks, Aldershot) for initial officer training.  Having completed the officer selection course he was posted on 14^th January 1940 to 4^th Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment, South Wales Borderers as a 2/Lt. (S/N 113480).

Following a two-month admission to hospital for Rheumatic Fever, on 17^th June 1940 he was described by his OC as “lacks self-confidence and enthusiasm. He does not appear amenable to discipline and is very casual in his attitude towards his superiors” and was consequently ordered back to 169^th OTU for a further two-months of officer training from 19^th July 1940.

He was promoted to substantive Lieutenant on 14^th July 1941 and became the Brigade Intelligence Officer at HQ 113^th Infantry Brigade on 1^st November 1941. Tiring of this role after nearly two years in the post he requested transfer to ‘Special Service’ on 25^th February 1943 and was accepted in April 1943. However, at the request of OC 113^th Infantry Brigade he had his transfer deferred until he had finished running a training course.

Derek was Wounded in Action (WIA) on 6th June 1944 at Brevile-les-Monts, Normandy, France with ‘gun shot wounds’ to his left chest and was evacuated back to the UK. Whilst being treated in Southampton Borough General Hospital he died from his wounds, aged 24 years. He was the son of Charles Frederick and Dorothy Isobel Dutton, of Purley, Surrey. Derek was laid to rest in Pontypridd Crematorium (Glamorganshire, Wales, UK) Panel L.H.