Here's another not often seen photograph (although published in my second book) of another D-Day Pathfinder, this time PFC Anthony J DeMayo of E Company, 505th PIR. PFC DeMayo jumped with team 2 of the 505th PIR led by 1st Lt James J Smith who was the Battalion Pathfinder CO /1

and, if I'm remembering correctly, was the CO of the E Company going into Holland.

DeMayo was a man who very much put his body on the line, not only did he volunteer for Pathfinder duty but he came out of the Normandy campaign with a Purple Heart and 2 Oak Leaf /2

clusters. At that stage, he had been wounded in Sicily, and Italy, and was withdrawn from combat on 16 June and sent to the 192nd Field Hospital as a Non-Battle Casualty. I cannot find what the cause was, but many in the 505th PIR were suffering from reoccurrences of Malaria /3

that had been picked up previous campaigns. By August 1944 DeMayo was back in action and back at RAF North Witham at the Pathfinder school, and would jump as a Pathfinder for the Division into Holland.

The picture shown is of DeMayo on his wedding day, which took place in /4

Loughborough, close to the 1st anniversary of D-Day and after the war in Europe had ended. He had obtained special permission to return to England to marry Ethel, a woman he had met when stationed in Quorn. Unlike others, who married as soon as the chance arose, they chose /5

to wait until the war had ended, or at least DeMayos active involvement had ended, and I wonder if the reason for this centered around concerns he might not make it out? Who knows. The wall they stand in front of can still be seen today.

DeMayo, 25 years old on D-Day, died /6

in 1990. His wife Ethel died in 2013.

DeMayo is stood with his head covering part of the chalk number.