The story of a D Day hero Dennis Donovan

By Sally Smith West London Chambers of Commerce

I am very privileged to number amongst my friends Dennis Donovan, who is now aged 100 and is a D-Day veteran. Dennis is the father of my best friend, and I met him when I was 19. In those days the Donovan family lived in Catford and I had no knowledge of what he did during the war.

I only discovered about 10 years ago, when Dennis was 90, what his role was. He was one of the first to land on Juno Beach, after the Canadians. There is a Chamber link here. Hugh Buckley, a Canadian tank veteran, father of Peter Buckley, also landed on Juno Beach in a tank of the Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment. I know Peter via the Chamber and the first time I went over for the D Day commemorations, I bumped into Peter at Pegasus Bridge. Hugh was a true gentleman and I so enjoyed hearing his stories. It was lovely to see him and Dennis together at the annual D Day ceremony at Canada House, on the beach in Bernieres-sur-Mer, near to where they landed.

Back to Dennis. He was born in Stepney, left school at 15 and had a number of jobs. Prior to being called up he was a messenger boy for the Port of London. In 1943 Dennis, aged 18, joined the Royal Marines, and was sent to Sicily three months later. He was then told he was going to join the 48th Royal Marine Commando. The history books talk about young men volunteering for this new unit, specially formed for D Day. It was more a case of being told, ‘You, you and you – you are going to be a commando’. He was sent to Scotland for training and on 6th June 1944 was sent over on a landing craft from

Southampton. He was just 20, his birthday being three days before. The crossing was bad, and Dennis recalls that many were seasick. The Canadians went in first but had such a hard time, with many losses. The soldier descending the flimsy landing ramp, in front of Dennis was shot, so Dennis jumped over the side, holding his rifle over his head. He waded to the beach and ran. He once told me there was no bravery involved, it was sheer luck that he survived. Many did not. What was left of the 48th Royal Marine Commando took St Aubin-sur-Mer, then straight onto Langrune-sur-Mer, the next door village, which they took the following day, with more loss of life. Dennis carried on to Sallenelles, about 20 miles away, after crossing Pegasus Bridge and he holed up there for eight weeks, before being relieved by the 45 RMC and then in turn by Belgian troops, so they could continue onto Holland.

Dennis had yet more luck, he was sent home for a signals course so missed the fight at Walcharen, Holland where the 48th lost a great deal of men. After peace was declared in Europe, Dennis ended up in Minden, Germany, protecting German farmers from displaced persons. He was demobbed in 1946, returned to England, and back to the Port of London where he worked as a docker in St Katharine’s Dock. He met his future wife, Kathleen and was married in 1950, and had his two daughters.

In 2015, Dennis went to his first D Day Remembrance commemoration, and this was the first time he had returned to the Normandy coast. I first went to the D Day commemoration in 2018 when Dennis was awarded the Legion d’Honneur and have been every year since, with a gap for Covid, but we were back in 2022. I feel honoured to be included. Dennis now lives in the Pyrenees with his elder daughter, where he enjoys the warmth and beautiful views of the mountains. A far cry from Catford. Dennis was personally mentioned by the previous Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak at the British Legion 80th Remembrance ceremony on 6th June 2024 at the British Memorial at Vers sur Mer. He enjoyed meeting the King and Queen, and Princess Anne the previous day at the Bayeux ceremony. But he also enjoys the simpler ceremonies organised by the Mayors in St-Aubin-sur-Mer and Langrune-sur-Mer. Before he left to return home this year, he asked to be taken to the beach where he landed. It was a glorious day, with such a blue sky. Vastly different from 6th June 1944.

I have so many moving stories about Dennis, and I hope the above gives you the gist of the man, his strength, sense of humour and humility. He is often feted when in Normandy which he finds difficult. He goes back to remember and honour his friends and comrades who did not make it.