'WE WILL REMEMBER THEM'
Arthur Kemp 1921 - 1944 (AGE 23)
This page is dedicated to Arthur Kemp one of the original members of No. 45 (four-five) Royal Marine Commando Unit, who died whilst taking part in the Allied forces D-Day landings on the beaches of Normandy.
Arthur was one of five sons born to Mr and Mrs Howard Kemp of Bursland, Letchworth, Dorset. He joined the Royal Marines at the beginning of the war in 1939 and saw action abroad, on both the Cumberland and Warspite warships. The Cumberland came up from the Falklands and took part in the blockade of the Graf Spee during the Battle of the River Plate. However it was whilst Arthur was serving on the Warspite that the battleship was bombed and badly damaged and he was transferred to 45 Commando at the beginning of 1944.
As a commando Arthur took part in the D-Day landings in Normandy. Assigned to B Troop Arthur crossed the British Channel on LCI528 (Landing craft) which took a direct hit as it came ashore at Sword Beach. Whether Arthur was wounded during this incident or afterwards during land fighting is unsure. What is known is that he took a bullet to the chest and died on the 8th June. However this information was not given immediately to the family who were only told he had been wounded and it would be another agonising six months before the family actually found out that tragically Arthur had died from his injuries.
 
Arthur's resting place is in the Banneville La Campagne Cemetery in France. Above is a photograph of his great nieces laying flowers on his grave. There were thirty five men of 45 Royal Marine Commando who lost their lives in the Melville-Franceville area between the 6th and 8th June 1944 and in recognition of their sacrifice a stone memorial was erected in the village.
Below is a newspaper cutting showing Arthur and his four brothers, all of who donned the King's uniform during the Second World War.
The above information and photographs have been kindly provided by Andy and Hilary Kemp
(Nephew and Niece of Arthur Kemp)
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