Lieutenant James Hunter Duthie joined 12th Parachute Battalion in the Spring of 1944. On 6 June, he parachuted into Normandy with No. 4 Platoon of B Company.
James volunteered for the airborne forces in February 1944, having previously been commissioned in The Gordon Highlanders.
On 9 June, he led an attack by two platoons (No. 4 and 5) of B Company on an orchard south of Ranville. Captain George Stevenson brought up a third platoon (No. 6) in support. After the orchard was captured it was subjected to a mixture of mortaring and airburst 88 fire. Eventually, the paratroopers were ordered to withdraw.
The Company lost fourteen (including Captain Stevenson) dead and another forty (including Lt Duthie) wounded during the attack. At this point, the only officer left in B Company was the company commander (Major Harry Rogers) but he was killed three days later in Breville.
His MC award is listed in the August 1944 edition of the London Gazette.
Created with images and information kindly provide by JA Duthie.
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