Gerald Benson Faller

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

Gerald Benson Faller, Lieutenant 278596, No. 2 Company, 5 th Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Died of wounds on the 12th of August 1944, aged 20.

Gerald Benson Faller was born in Argentina on the 21st of January 1924, the younger son of Albert Faller, a chartered accountant and company director, and Eileen Mary Faller (née Couche) of “Little Oaks”, Worplesdon Hill, Woking in Surrey.

He was educated at Downside School where he was in Barlow House from September 1937 to July 1941 and he was a member of the Debating Society. He went on to Jesus College, Cambridge on a Scholarship at the age of seventeen, being the youngest member of his school to achieve this.

He enlisted as Private 6107950 in the Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment on the 16th of October 1942 and attended the Mons Officer Cadet Training Unit before being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Coldstream Guards on the 4th of June 1943. He was posted to the 5th Battalion of his Regiment on the 11th of October 1943 where he was a Platoon Commander in No. 2 Company. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 4th of December 1943.

At 4am on the 16th of June 1944, the 5th Battalion, Coldstream Guards entrained at Eastbourne and travelled to the marshalling area for embarkation for Normandy. They embarked at Victoria Dock on the 18th of June and, after a long delay due to bad weather, they landed at Gold Beach on the 25th of June 1944.

At 2pm on the 10th of August 1944, the 5th Battalion, Coldstream Guards received orders to advance against the enemy held village of Chênedollé the following morning as part of the last attack of Operation Bluecoat. They were to take the village and then advance to the high ground at Le Boulay-aux-Chats and to cut the main road there. Allied bombers were to bomb Le Boulay-aux-Chats between 7.30am and 8am when the attack was to begin, with the advance to be delayed until 9am in the event that mist prevented the aircraft from flying. A supporting barrage from the supporting artillery would begin at Zero Hour and after ten minutes it would move forward 100 yards every five minutes.

At 6am on the 11th of August 1944, the Battalion moved forward to its assembly area and assembled there at 8am with few casualties. The bombers hadn't been able to fly due to a thick mist so Zero Hour was delayed until 9am. By 10am No. 3 and 4 Companies reported that they had taken their objectives to the west of the village and were exchanging fire with enemy positions on the edge of it. Enemy prisoners confirmed that they were fighting the Engineer Battalion of the 9th S.S. Panzer Division who were dug in, in front of and on the flanks of the village but were not occupying it.

Gerald Faller was wounded while leading his Platoon in a successful attack near the village and was evacuated to the rear. At 10.30am the two Companies began to reorganise for the advance on Le Boulay-aux-Chats but the attack was abandoned at 4pm and the men dug in where they were.

Gerald Faller died from his wounds the following day having received the last rites from a Catholic Chaplain. His commanding officer wrote the following to his parents:“Gerald had done so very well during the fighting we had been doing and his Platoon were very fond of him and would follow him anywhere. The Battalion has lost a fine soldier and a very intelligent and cheerful companion.”

Gerald Fuller is buried at Bayeux War Cemetery, Plot XXVI, Row E, Grave 14. He is commemorated on the war memorial at Downside School and on the memorial at Jesus College, Cambridge.