Leighton-Linslade World War Two hero remembered for bravery during D-Day invasion

Cathal 'Charlie' Main commanded a 'Pilotage Party' who risked their lives to gather information in preparation for the landings in 1944.

But after surviving the initial assault, Charlie was killed along with over 30 men when their HQ Landing Craft 185 was hit by a mine on June 25.

Charlie's great step nephew, Chris Keen, said: "'When you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today'. This verse was very much woven into my childhood with stories from my grandmother, and my great aunts and uncles who suffered first hand the raw grief of war.

"Charlie was certainly recognised as a local hero, whose little known story is only now being told. His name is on the Linslade War Memorial, which ironically – when at its original location – was in the shadows of Charlie's former home in Leighton Road."

Charlie was born in Wiltshire with twin sister, Jess, in 1912, but "didn’t have a good start in life", and grew up in a Banardo’s children’s home.

Aspiring to a career in the navy, Charlie was a training ship boy in Exmouth, and entered the Boys Training Est in Gosport at the age of 15, where he met his best friend, William 'Bill' Rogers, from Linslade – "an event that was to change his fortune" as he became an adopted member of Bill's family.

Chris said: "His character is best drawn from my Nan, 'Milly', and her sisters who just loved having Charlie home – it is clear he had a great presence about him, and cherished 'being part of a large family'".

During the Second World War, Charlie was a Royal Navy commando based at Head Quarters (HQ) and was "paramount" on COPP's operations – COPP being the Combined Operations Pilotage Parties, a top-secret unit during the Second World War.

He earned his Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) during Operation Husky, the allied invasion of Sicily, with the role of his unit to carry out covert reconnaissance of enemy-held beaches.

In preparation for D-Day, Charlie's unit gathered information and operated "under the noses of enemy coastal defences and sea patrols".

On June 5 1944, HQ Landing Craft 185 sailed ahead to Normandy, piloting British and allied forces into Sword and Gold Beach for the invasion.

Chris added: "Charlie's role must have been very specialist. His unit agreed with a conditional order not to place him unnecessarily in harms way and said he 'must return to his Copp 9 unit D+7 ', seven days after D-Day. When he didn’t return, his unit sent a message with the SBS making inquiries."

Charlie is commemorated on panel 81, column 2 of the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, and on the Linslade War Memorial. HQ Landing Craft 185 and its crew have a special memorial in Normandy.

Chris concluded: "My cousins and I will be attending a dinner on Hayling Island where Charlie's Combined Operations Unit (Copp 9) was based. We will exhibit Charlie's medals, including his prestigious DSM and photographs."

On June 6, Chris and his family will also be attending the 11am service at Linslade War Memorial.