VI COMMANDO

Cpl. Gerald Nichols (real name Gerald Heinz Herman Nell) was a German National, formerly of No.3 Troop (often known as X-Troop) of No.10 (IA) Commando, and was attached to No.6 Commando from June 1944.

Cpl. Gerald Nichols was the son of an Aryan father and a Jewish mother, but his father had died when he was just 15 years old he had been evacuated to London by his mother before the war. 

When the small five-man band of No.3 Troop of No.10 (IA) Commando were posted on detachment to No.6 Commando, the then Cpl. Gerald Nichols was placed in commando of the detachment. For D-Day, Cpl. Gerald Nichols was attached to No.6 Commando HQ.

In late June 1944, when on a bicycle patrol in the area of the Loungemare crossroads Gerald Nichols was knocked off his bicycle by a German mortar blast.  Fragments of the mortar fracturing his jaw and knocking out several teeth . He was evacuated back to Britain for treatment and recuperation.