Sapper Patrick Coyle came from Londonderry and served with 591 (Antrim) Parachute Squadron, Royal Engineers during World War II.
He qualified as a military parachutist on course 77, which ran at RAF Ringway in August 1943. The course notes record 'Excellent spirit, fearless and good performer'.
His squadron took part in the spearhead airborne assault prior to the main Normandy landings in June 1944, during Op Overlord.
After parachuting into France in the early hours of 6 June, Spr Coyle was engaged in clearing a landing zone of anti-airlanding poles to enable glider forces to land.
For the next few days he was engaged in salvaging equipment and general engineer tasks.
On 11 June he was in a party ordered to salvage containers from a German minefield. Unfortunately, Spr Coyle detonated a shrapnel mine and was killed in the explosion.
Sapper Coyle died aged 21 years old and is now commemorated on the Memorial near Bayeux War Cemetery, Normandy.
Profile photo kindly supplied by Paul Coyle.
Compiled by Harvey Grenville
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