18 Facts About Den Brotheridge

Lieutenant Herbert Denham Brotheridge was a British Army officer who served with the 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry during the Second World War.

Den Brotheridge is often considered to be the first Allied soldier to be killed in action on D-Day, 6 June 1944.

Den Brotheridge was killed during Operation Tonga: the British airborne landings which secured the left flank of the invasion area before the main assault on the Normandy beaches began.

Den Brotheridge was born in Smethwick, Staffordshire, the son of Herbert Charles and Lilian Brotheridge.

Den Brotheridge was educated at Smethwick Technical College and played football for the Aston Villa Colts and cricket for Mitchells and Butlers, Smethwick.

Den Brotheridge became an inspector of weights and measures with Aylesbury Borough Council.

Den Brotheridge married Margaret Plant on 30 August 1940 who was eight months pregnant when he left for Normandy.

Den Brotheridge's daughter Margaret Brotheridge was born two weeks after he was killed.

On 4 July 1942, Brotheridge was commissioned into the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, British Army, as a second lieutenant.

Den Brotheridge was chosen to command 25 Platoon in Major John Howard's 'D' Company, 2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 6th Airlanding Brigade, 6th Airborne Division.

The original plan was for Lieutenant David Wood to lead the first platoon across the Caen canal bridge, however shortly before D-Day Howard changed the order of landing and Den Brotheridge was selected to lead the first platoon across the bridge at Benouville.

Den Brotheridge led the first charge across the bridge, now known as Pegasus Bridge.

Den Brotheridge managed to silence the left German machine-gun post at the western bank of the Caen Canal; he and his platoon then came under attack by machine gun fire from the direction of the Gondree Cafe on the far side of the canal.

Herbert Denham Brotheridge is buried in the War Cemetery in Ranville Churchyard, near Caen, in France.

Den Brotheridge received a mention in despatches "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Normandy".

Den Brotheridge had been granted an immediate award of the Military Cross by Field Marshal Montgomery the C-in-C of 21st Army Group on 16 June 1944, however regulations for the award of the MC at that time prevented confirmation of the award by King George VI as the citation had not been initiated until after Brotheridge's death.

Major John Howard's D Company 2nd Ox and Bucks was the first Allied unit to land in Normandy on D-Day, 6 June 1944 and Den Brotheridge was the first soldier from the glider-borne 2nd Ox and Bucks coup de main operation to be killed in action.

Den Brotheridge was the first man to be wounded in action during the Normandy landings and is widely recognised as being the first Allied soldier to be killed by enemy action on D-Day, 6 June 1944.