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Daventry Town Council (DTC) honours the D-Day sacrifice of a local serviceman by sponsoring a plaque at the British Normandy Memorial on behalf of the community.

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day and honour the sacrifice of local servicemen, the plaque has been dedicated to 23-year-old Albert Louis Andrews, who was killed in action on D-Day.

The memorial was installed as part of the Standing with Giants installation, a large-scale art installation of silhouettes created by a non-profit organisation in remembrance of those who died.

Mayor of Daventry Councillor Karen Tweedale said: “Daventry Town Council is proud to sponsor this plaque on behalf of the community, in recognition of Flying Officer Albert Louis Andrews and all the courageous servicemen who made the ultimate sacrifice. This tribute holds special significance as we observe the 80th anniversary of D-Day.”

Albert Louis Andrews plaque pictured at British Normandy Memorial.

Albert was born in 1921 in Northampton. He was the son of Edward Joseph and Ellen Andrews before he was adopted by Mrs A E Billingham of Daventry.

Albert began his career at the Daventry Post Office as a boy messenger. He then worked as a telegraphist and sorting clerk until enlisting in the Royal Air Force in July 1940, serving as a flying officer in the Number 42 Operational Training Unit, RAF Volunteer Reserve.

During D-Day, he and the British 6th Airborne Division were involved in 'Operation Tonga', throwing aluminium strips or ‘chaff’ out of their aircraft window to mislead the German radar.

At the age of 23, Albert went missing and was presumed dead on D-Day. Hilda Margaret Andrews, his wife, was left behind.

Albert Louis Andrews pictured in a newspaper.

He is remembered within Holy Cross Church, the Daventry War Memorial, and the Runnymede Air Forces Memorial in Surrey, even though he has no known grave.

Ahead of the 80th anniversary of D-Day today (June 6), DTC approved the sponsorship of the plaque at Ver-sur-Mer, France, honouring Andrews and the 31 Daventry servicemen who died in World War Two.

The 1,475 silhouettes in the Standing with Giants installation, which is accessible to the public until August 31, 2024, honour the servicemen who lost their lives on June 6, 1944.

Albert is honoured with plaque number 278.

In the months preceding the anniversary, Daventry Museum has also been hosting a commemorative exhibition, which is accessible to people until Friday, June 14.

‘Proud’ council sponsors plaque in France honouring local serviceman