Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private L. J. Hooper, 12th (Airborne) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, who landed in France as a glider pilot in Operation Mallard on D-Day, 6 June 1944, and was killed in action at Breville, Normandy, on 12 June 1944

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Army Council enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs. L. Hooper, 32 St. Peters Square, The Moors, Cheltenham’, extremely fine (3) £240-280

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties.

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Leslie James Hooper served with the 12th (Airborne) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment during the Second World War and took part in Operation Mallard, the airborne drop on the Orne River on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Writing home to his parents two days after parachuting out of a glider, he wrote: ‘As you will see, I am now in France, helping to put Jerry where he belongs.’ On 12 June Hooper took part in the attack on Breville, ‘the only remaining German stronghold on the long ridge between Cabourg, on the Normandy coast, to Troarn. This important position overlooked the whole Eastern flank of the Allied bridgehead. Two attacks by the Black Watch from the East on Breville on 12th June failed. General Gale, commanding 6 British Airborne Division, was therefore ordered to take the village before dawn, 13th June, for which he was given the 51st Highland Division artillery and a squadron of tanks. All General Gale had was a very weak 12 Parachute Battalion; therefore 12 Devons supplied a Company Group ("D") to supplement the Paras. Both "D" Company Commander and the Commanding Officer of 12 Para Bn. were killed on the start line by enemy defensive fire; Brigadier Kindersley (6 Airlanding Brigade) and Brigadier Lord Lovat (Commando) were badly wounded, as was the Second-in-Command "D" Company (Captain Pengelly), and Lieutenant Taylor and Sgt. H. Walters killed. All this occurred before orders could be got down to the platoons. However, the attack which went in was completely successful with, we considered few casualties. But during the redeployment for the assault, in the dark a number of 12 Devon soldiers were killed. Once in Breville a muster of troops revealed that Private Hooper was missing; subsequently, in daylight, it was confirmed that he had been killed in action somewhere between the villages of Amfreville and Breville.’ (A letter from the 12 Devons Journal refers). Aged just 19 when he was killed, Hooper is buried in the Ranville Airborne Cemetery, France.

Sold together with a photograph of a newspaper cutting, containing an image of the recipient.