VI COMMANDO

Prt. Leslie Ernest Emblem, formerly of the The 5^th Battalion of the King's (Liverpool) Regiment, served in No.1 Troop of No.6 Commando from 20^th July 1944 until his death on 23^rd August 1944.

Prt. Leslie Emblem was born in Chiswick, Middlesex on 9^th June 1922 and worked as a ‘Hand Moulder’ before enlisting on 4^th February 1943.  After initial basic training he was posted to the 70^th Coast Training Regiment from 17^th March 1943, and from there to the 515^th Coast Regiment, Royal Artillery, on 19^th June 1943 before being posted to 279 Battery, Royal Artillery on 20^th October 1943.  However, life as a Royal Artillery Gunner based in the UK held little attraction for Gnr. Leslie Emblem who longed to fight the Nazi Regime, so on 17^th November 1943 he was granted a transfer to the infantry and was posted to the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment.

Prt. Leslie Emblem embarked for D-Day with the 5^th Battalion, King’s (Liverpool) Regiment on 3^rd June 1944 and was to land on D-Day itself. Considered to be a good, but often frustrated, soldier he requested and was granted transfer to No.6 Commando on 20^th July 1944.

Prt. Leslie Emblem was seriously injured on 20^th August 1944 during the assault by the Commando on the Heights of Angoville, River Dives Valley, Normandy and was evacuated to hospital at Bayeux.  It is possible that he received his wounds during the charge by No.1 Troop that devastated a build up of German forces preparing for a counter attack on the Commando positions. However, too ill to be transferred back to the UK he died from his wounds on 23rd August 1944, aged 22 years.

Leslie was the son of Lydia Emblem, and stepson of Albert Charles Marsh, of Battersea, London, and was laid to rest in Bayeux War Cemetery Grave V.A.12.

The inscription on his headstone reads ‘He was wounded for our transgressions: Isiah LIII.5’