On June 6th 1944, the Allies landed on the beaches of Normandy, marking the beginning of the battle to liberate France from German occupation. 80 years later, the cemeteries maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission stand as enduring tributes to Operation Overlord.
Philip Wellesley-Colley (C36) was born in Lincolnshire in 1919 and came to Downside in September 1929, joining Caverel House and leaving the School in 1936.
In 1937, Wellesley-Colley enlisted in the Territorial Army artillery regiment, The South Nottinghamshire Hussars. His regiment was deployed to the Middle East in 1940, but a head injury sustained during a rugby match led to his hospitalization. After his recovery, he volunteered for the commandos, the predecessors of today’s Royal Marines.
Assigned to No. 4 Commando, Wellesley-Colley was among the first to land on Sword Beach during D-Day. His unit’s mission was to destroy a German gun emplacement near Ouistreham, positioned on the far left flank of the invasion force. Tragically, as he disembarked from his landing craft, he was struck by machine gun fire. Though he reached the beach defences, he collapsed. His sergeant attempted to assist him, but Wellesley-Colley, with his final words, said, “Sorry sergeant, tell the chaps I won’t make it.” He was just 25 years old.
Of the 450 commandos who landed on Sword Beach that day, only 150 survived the assault. Wellesley-Colley was among the first casualties of D-Day. In his honour, a bench has been dedicated in his hometown. He is interred in the Bayeux Military Cemetery, where four other Old Gregorians who perished in the Normandy campaign are also buried.
Philip Wellesley-Colley’s bravery and sacrifice are remembered and honoured by the Downside community, reflecting the courage and dedication of all who served during this pivotal moment in history.