A few days before Christmas, 2024,Dennis Donovan, the last surviving member of the wartime 48 Royal Marine Commando, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, at the remarkable age of 100.
In recent years, he has made several pilgrimages back to Normandy, with his final visit in June 2024 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day Landings.
Dennis Donovan was born on June 3, 1924, in Stepney, East London, England. When World War II broke out in 1939, Dennis was just 15 years old. His school was evacuated to the countryside, but he stayed behind in London and began working at a precision instrument factory in Camberwell. Nine months later, he left that role to work as a messenger boy for the Port of London Authority. In January 1943, at the age of 18, Dennis was called up to serve in World War II.
He joined the Royal Marines and began basic training at Exxon Camp, now Lympstone, Devon. From there, he continued his training at the infantry camp on Woodbury Common, known as Dalditch Camp. Upon completing his training, Dennis was assigned to the 7th Battalion of the Royal Marines and sent as a battle casualty replacement to Sicily.
Before reaching Sicily, Dennis was transferred from a troop carrier to a small boat in North Africa, which took him to Malta. However, while waiting for transport to Sicily, he contracted sandfly fever, delaying his departure. Once recovered, he boarded a marine cruise ship to Augusta, Sicily, where he joined his new unit. At the time, the battalion was engaged in occupation duties and guarding prisoners of war. Dennis spent several weeks in Sicily, during which he climbed Mount Etna—twice!
The battalion was later sent to Taranto, Italy, where its duties included securing the port, guarding the large railway junction, and overseeing prisoners of war. After a brief stay, it was recalled to Paisley, Scotland.
In Paisley, Dennis and his comrades joined the Royal Marines Mobile Defence Force 2, where they underwent selection for a new commando unit led by Lt-Colonel J.L. Moulton, DSO. This unit, known as 48 Royal Marine Commando, would be the last commando unit raised during World War II.
After being selected, Dennis moved to the Commando Basic Training Centre at Achnacarry, Scotland, for 18 grueling days of intensive training. This was followed by additional preparation in Gravesend, in southern England, where they trained on the River Thames and local beaches in preparation for an operation they knew little about at the time: D-Day.
Four days before D-Day, the unit traveled by train from Gravesend to Southampton, where they stayed in a camp guarded by American soldiers. On June 3, 1944, Dennis celebrated his 20th birthday there. On the night of June 5, the commandos boarded six wooden landing craft and set sail for France, wearing their distinctive green berets but no helmets.
It wasn’t until they were onboard that they received their orders: their landing point was Juno Beach in Normandy. Dennis landed at 8:30 a.m. on June 6, 1944, alongside the Canadian North Shore Regiment, who had yet to secure the beach. The 48 Royal Marine Commando faced fierce resistance almost immediately, engaging in a battle before even reaching the shore. Under heavy fire, they fought their way off the exposed beach, through St. Aubin-sur-Mer, and onto Langrune-sur-Mer. The cost was high, with the unit suffering 25% casualties in the assault.
On June 7, 1944, the day after landing at Juno Beach, Dennis and the 48 Royal Marine Commando continued their advance, fighting from strongpoint to strongpoint in Langrune-sur-Mer. The battles were intense, and the unit suffered heavy losses. From there, they pressed forward, moving through Douvres-la-Délivrande and Pegasus Bridge, eventually reaching Sallenelles.
The unit held its position in this area for about three months, living in slit trenches and enduring difficult conditions before finally breaking out. During this time, Dennis returned to the UK for signals training. By the time he rejoined the unit, they had already taken part in Operation Infatuate—the fierce battle for the liberation of Walcheren Island in the Netherlands. Many familiar faces were gone, lost in the brutal fighting that had taken place in his absence.
Following their efforts in Walcheren and Normandy, the 48 Royal Marine Commando operated along the River Meuse (Maas), engaging in battles against German forces in the wetlands and waterways of the Biesbosch. It was here, amidst the challenges of combat, that Dennis celebrated his 21st birthday.
After Germany’s surrender, the unit was deployed to Minden, where their task was to clear an area for the establishment of a Royal Navy headquarters. From Minden, they moved into the German countryside to protect farms and farmers, along with their families, from attacks by displaced persons in the chaotic aftermath of the war.
Thanks to Otto van Solkema for drawing my attention to the story.
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