Corporal Douglas G Penstone

Douglas George Penstone was the son of Henry and Emma Penstone, of Bayswater, London. He enlisted into The Middlesex Regiment.  

He volunteered for airborne forces and qualified as a military parachutist on Course 75 which ran at RAF Ringway from 26 July to 6 August 1943 and subsequently served with 11 Platoon, B Coy, 9th Parachute Battalion.

Corporal Penstone was the first to jump for his stick's aircraft on D Day into Normandy, he landed in the flooded area around Cabourg. After spending some time hiding in a French family’s farmhouse, he and others decided to try to reach airborne lines.

The group left a mined road and skirted round a large pond, as they came into open ground Cpl Penstone was shot along with Pte Terry Jepp. As previously agreed by the group before they left the farmhouse, they were treated and left behind as the others continued.

Pte Penstone died from the gunshot wounds during the night on 21 June 1944 and Pte Jepp was picked up the following day by German troops.

20 year old Cpl Penstone is now buried in Tilly-Sur-Seulles War Cemetery.

Profile image supplied by Neil Barber.