John joined the Marines two days before WW2 started and went through officer training. He was assigned to the cruiser Manchester and then the battleship Warspite, each of which, in turn, was hit by the Luftwaffe. After this John left service on board ships and began training for the Commandos.

He was posted to 41 Commando as a section commander and they started preparing for D-Day. Just before the assault he was inspired by observing the huge number of Allied ships and aircraft preparing to attack the German positions. During the assault the troop commander was killed and he took over command as they pushed on to their objectives. While in Normandy he supplemented his men’s rations with food from the local farms, which included some calvados tasting.

In November 1944 his unit led the assault to open Antwerp harbour. During the attack a mortar bomb killed and wounded several men, also deafening John for a week. His men secured several German emplacements with an attack from the rear, while the Germans had their guns facing seaward. The RAF had bombed the emplacements before the attack and there was not too much resistance. The commandos found several women’s dresses in the officers’ quarters, much to their amusement!

After this action his commanding officer noticed the strain John was under and sent him on a class in Britain. John received the Military Cross for his service in both these actions and stated that he did not hate the ordinary German soldier.