Derek Christopher Lindsay Grange

This story is shared by the Trust with kind permission from John Hamblin, Researcher.

Derek Christopher Lindsay Grange, Lieutenant 277585, Reconnaissance Corps attached to No. 22 Platoon, D Company, 12th (Airborne) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment. Killed in action on the 6th of August 1944, aged 21.

Derek Christopher Lindsay Grange was born in Sussex, the son of Thomas Henry Grange and Betty Muriel Grange of “Quaint”, Orchehill Avenue, Chalfont St Peter, Gerrards Cross in Buckinghamshire. He was educated at Kingswood School, Bath.

He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Reconnaissance Corps on the 22nd of May 1943 and was attached to the 12th (Airborne) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment on the 24th of March 1944 where he was appointed to the command of No. 22 Platoon in D Company.

12th (Airborne) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment would arrive in Normandy on the 6th June by both air and sea. At 4.45am on the 6th of June 1944, the the battelion, less A Company, set sail from the Thames Estuary Boom off Southend bound for Normandy. They landed at Ouistreham the following day. A Company meanwhile embarked on board gliders at Faringdon airfield and landed in the area of operation near Ranville having lost one of their gliders during the journey when it crashed into the sea. A Company then moved to the village of Herouvillette to await the remainder of the Battalion which arrived there at 4pm on the 7th of June.

At 5pm the Battalion moved to La Bas de Ranville where they relieved the 12th Battalion, Parachute Regiment in the front line. At 11.30pm on the 28th of June 1944, D Company sent a patrol out, led by Derek Grange with six of his men. They were to make a reconnaissance and set up an ambush at the junction of two hedgerows on the Battalion’s front. At 3am the following morning the patrol saw an enemy Section of ten to twelve men moving slowly down the same hedgerow. The patrol sank into cover and lay there for one and half hours but was unable to execute an ambush and returned to the Battalion.

At 2.10pm on the 29th of June Derek Grange led another patrol, comprising him and two men, to the same hedgerow as they had been during the night. They were to ascertain whether any enemy troops remained in the area to the north of A Company’s observation post and to see if any booby traps had been laid in the same area. Derek Grange left one man at the observation post to provide covering fire while he moved to the southern edge of a nearby wood into which he threw a grenade. On his return journey he threw two more grenades into the hedgerow but no enemy were seen or heard. The patrol returned to the Battalion at 2.30pm.

On the 1st of August 1944, the Battalion was deployed with its right flank running along the Hérouvillette to Varaville road and with its left flank in a wood. For the next few days the Battalion positions were regularly shelled by enemy mortars and artillery. At 8.30pm on the 6th of August 1944, D Company, the left forward Company of the Battalion, came under artillery fire and Derek Grange was killed.

Derek Grange is buried at Ranville War Cemetery, Plot 1A, Row A, Grave 6. He is commemorated on the war memorial at Newport High School and on the memorial at Kingswood School.

British Normandy Memorial - Additional Information

Unfortunately, we do not have a photo of Derek Grange. If you are aware of one or you are related to Derek we would love to hear from you so we can add to his story.