Lieutenant-Colonel C.A.R. Nevill
2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment

The landing craft grounded amid a certain amount of mortar and rifle fire. The ramps were let down, and we jumped into 4 1/2 feet of water. It was very wet, very cold. However, it had its funny side. The bed of the beach was very uneven, presumably as a result of shelling. Wading through the deep and rough water became a task of the first magnitude and, curiously enough led to a good deal of laughter. Then we were ashore directly in front of a German pill-box; the gun had fortunately been knocked out, and a number of German soldiers lay dead beside it.

(Nevill, “We Landed on D-Day: The Story of the 2nd Battalion the Devonshire Regiment”)

Born on 14 July 1907 in Bordon, Hampshire, Cosmo Alexander Richard Nevill was commissioned with the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) after graduating from Royal Military College, Sandhurst in 1927. He transferred to the 1st Battalion in India in 1934 and by 1941 had been promoted to lieutenant-colonel on the staff of General Archibald Wavell, commander-in-chief, India. Neville was made Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the King’s 1944 New Year Honours.

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