Private Raymond Henry Mills, born in Birmingham, served with 3 Platoon, A Coy, 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion. He took part in the Normandy Airborne landings, during Op Overlord.The platoon was split into two sticks for the D-Day drop; one stick landing several miles away, not getting back to the battalion for some days. Private Mills landed successfully with his stick on DZ ‘N’. With Lt. Hunter, L/Cpl Davey, L/Cpl Jackson, Pte Cockburn, Pte Gurney, Pte Bembury and Pte Mills he moved forward into the village of Benouville, where he was killed in the subsequent fighting.

Private Mills was killed on 6 June 1944, in the initial fighting in Benouville aged 19 years old. He is now buried in Benouville Churchyard, Normandy.

Cemetery photograph reproduced with the kind permission of CWGC.