EX/3236 Marine Robert Casson was born on the 1st March 1919, on leaving school Robert did not want to work down the local Whitehaven coal mines, so like his older sister (Mary Ellen), he left the area and eventually ended up in York via the Isle of Man. [Mary Ellen went into service, working in the home of Lord Howard of Glossop and the Baroness Beaumont, but following the outbreak of war, she returned to her home town of Whitehaven.]

After a long search Robert was eventually found listed on the 1939 register as lodging with Mr and Mrs A Hawe at 5, White Cross Road, Haxby, York He was working as a “biscuit machine assistant, chocolate and confectionery worker”, (on what later became known as the “KitKat” line) at the Rowntree’s Haxby Factory.

Robert’s service record shows that he was called up on the 22nd February 1940, albeit his papers had been issues from Leeds and dated 14th February 1940, Valentine’s Day, being instructed to report to Royal Marine Reserve Depot, Lympstone, Devon, near Exmouth on the River Exe.

Because of his background at Rowntree’s, he was put to work with the 101st R.M. Brigade HQ as a cook. He served in Plymouth, Liverpool, Scapa Flow, Freetown, Gibraltar, and Glasgow to list just a few locations.

In February 1941 he was temporarily attached to 5th Battalion HQE but in March 1941 re-joins 101st R.M. Brigade. During October 1942 he is promoted twice, first to Lance Corporal and then Corporal.

Then on 15th September 1943 at his own request, he reverts to the rank of Marine after volunteering to train as a Commando, and on the 23rd October 1943, he is listed as joining 46 Royal Marine Commando and attends the Commando Training Depot at Achnacarry, Scotland.

Upon his return as a Royal Marine Commando in November 1943 he is assigned to HQ staff 4th Special Service Brigade (HQ 4 S.S. Bde.) In February 1944 he is posted to Stirling and in March to Keogh Barracks on more courses and finally in April, to Edinburgh on a fighting training course. He remained as a Royal Marine Commando with HQ 4 S.S. Bde. until his death.

From the 1st to 4th June 1944 he was stationed in Southampton and received his briefing in C.19 Camp. He embarked from HMS Tormentor, Warsash on the river Hamble near Southampton on the 5th June 1944 with LSIs Serials 1519 and 1520 to take part in the D-Day landings on the 6th June, and was to land at St Aubin-sur-Mer, code named Nan Red, Juno Beach. But sadly, he was killed as the Landing Craft approached the beach on 6th June 1944.

His mother received a letter dated 18th July 1944 following an earlier telegram, confirming Robert had been killed in action and that “He was buried at sea and was accorded full Naval honours”. However, Robert’s journey was far from over.

Following the publication of “Remembering D-Day” in 2005 his sister, also called Mary Ellen Ritson, (nee Casson) was somewhat distressed after her nephew David Casson, showed her the contents relating to a “Marine Casson”, believing it to be about her brother Robert. No living relative had any knowledge of a burial at sea, this was something his parents had never spoken about.

The following is an extract by Lieutenant Brian Lingwood, RNVR, LCIs 526, 202nd Flotilla, from the book “Remembering D-Day” and captures Robert’s last movements leading to his death on 6th June 1944.

“My own craft LCIs 526 (Sub-Division leader) and LCIs 536 (Laidlaw) were to carry HQ Group 4th R.M. Commando Brigade. My sub-division turned to make our final run in to Juno beach.”

“On watching our FO’s approach Nan Red beach, I soon realised that his group was in serious trouble.”

“Not so fortunate in my craft was the leading commando Marine Casson; the poor fellow was shot in the neck and died instantly before reaching the port ramp.”

“We proceeded slowly seaward and managed to reach the LSI Prince Henry and with the aid of a Neil Robertson stretcher, we were able to get A.R. Keen, now in much pain, transferred to obtain medical attention.”

“Prince Henry’s priority was to disembark troops and for this reason, they would not accept the body of Marine Casson, and we gave him a rather impromptu burial at sea the next day".

If this was Robert being confirmed as buried at sea, then who is it that is buried next to his brother?

Correspondence with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in July 2005 provided confirmation that Robert was indeed buried alongside his younger brother Joseph. Whilst this was accepted, a niggling doubt persisted because of the 45 R.M. Commando on his original headstone. The records state that 45 R.M. Commando landed with the British troops on Sword Beach, much further to the east, so how could he have been killed approaching Red Nan, Juno Beach with the Canadians?

The information gleaned from both Robert and Joseph’s service records has proved invaluable. Having studied the detail we contacted the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) and they supplied us with valuable grid reference information, from which we establish the following:

After Robert’s rather “impromptu” burial at sea on the 7th June, and some 12 to 13 days later following the storm that raged on the 19th June 1944 (doing so much damage to the Mulberry Harbours), Robert’s body was eventually washed up on the beach, he was then temporarily buried in a marked grave by the sea wall at St Aubin-sur-Mer on the 20th June, 1944 (at grid ref Latitude : 49.34697° Longitude : -0.54964°) His body was subsequently exhumed on the 9th August 1944 and taken to Ryes War Cemetery, Bazenville and laid to rest in Plot 1, Row F, Grave 5.

On the 13th November 1944, following his mother’s intervention, Robert was again exhumed and transferred to his final resting place in Ryes War Cemetery (this being his fourth burial), to be laid alongside his younger brother, Private Joseph Casson of the 9th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. (D.L.I.)

Correspondence dated 1st December 1944 from the War Office to his mother, Mrs Mary Ellen Casson says: - “With further reference to your request for particulars of the burial of your two sons Ex/3236 Marine R. Casson and 14674155 Private J. Casson of the Durham Light Infantry. A report has just been received from France stating that the bodies of your two sons are now interred side by side in Ryes British Cemetery, plot 4 row B, graves 2 and 1 respectively.”

But this was not the end for Robert, somehow his headstone had him accredited to the 45 R.M. Commando, something the family had accepted for 74 years until we received his service documents. Once information from his service record showing that he did transfer and train with 46 R.M. Commando was shared with the CWGC, they responded positively and quickly, first changing Roberts on-line record to display 46 R.M. Commando and then commissioning a new headstone.

The only tangible reason that this error occurred is thought to be seeing some handwriting that related to HQ 4 S.S. Bde. (Special Services) or a course he attended at Keogh Barracks, numbered 4SC (Sanitary Course) either being picked up as 45.

However, on further investigation following some additional input from the 46 Royal Marines Commando Historical Society, it was believed that a more accurate description on the headstone would be R.M. Commando, HQ 4 S.S. Bde. as Robert had only been with 46 R.M. Cdo. for the duration of his training, returning to HQ 4 S.S. Bde. on completion of his spell at Achnacarry, plus it transpired that 46 R.M. Cdo. did not land in Normandy until 7th June 1944, a day after Robert was killed in action. This was again taken up with the CWGC and in January 2020 it was agreed a new headstone with the inscription R.M. Commando would be commissioned, as HQ 4 S.S. Bde. was not a term used on headstones.

This to be the third headstone to sit over his final resting place. Marine Robert Casson’s on-line description now reads R.M. Commando, attd. HQ 4 S.S. Bde.

Being single at the time of his death, Robert’s mother received a box of chocolates from Director’s and Management of Rowntree’s every Christmas for many years. (Rowntree’s was acquired by Nestlé in 1988)