The 19-year-old was serving aboard a Royal Navy minesweeper clearing German mines from the approaches to Utah Beach so American forces could land.
Afterwards, he was told about the skies black with aircraft, and about the ranks of battleships far out to sea belching their missiles towards the beach.
But as a young engine room artificer, he saw none of that.
He was buried deep in the bowels of his little ship, which had a crew of just 34.
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