Edward Vernon Molyneux Favell
Major 75263, 2nd (Airborne) Battalion, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry died on Monday, 19th June 1944 aged 22. Edward was the son of Richard Vernon Favell and Alice Molyneux Favell, of Penberth, Cornwall. Major Favell is also buried in Ranville War Cemetery. Ranville was the first village to be liberated in France, when the bridge over the Caen canal was captured intact in the early hours of ‘D’ Day on 6th June 1944 by troops of the 6th Airborne Division. The Cemetery is only a short distance from the famous Pegasus Bridge. The CWG headstone bears the phrase “killed in action”.
Major John Howard DSO commanded D Company of the 2nd Battalion Ox & Bucks Light Infantry that led the initial assault on the Caen Canal and River Orne bridges after a surprise glider landing in the early hours of D Day. His diaries published in 2006, The Private Papers of John Howard DSO ‘The Pegasus Diaries’ make mention of Edward, or ‘Teddy’ as he was known.
“There was a three day period of very stormy weather and all of us were soaked to the skin by heavy rain, having no way of drying our clothes, which added to the discomfort. Sometime on 19 June, the Leader of B Company decided to move towards enemy positions in the nearby wood to carry out a ‘feint attack’, theoretically in order to discover the enemy positions by drawing their fire. B Company’s OC ‘Flap’ Edmunds was wounded in the attack and repatriated. The OC of S Company, Teddy Favell was told to take charge of B Company and as he made his rounds, introducing himself to his new company, he too was hit by enemy mortar fire and killed.”
Edward attended Winchester College and the Wykehamist War Service Record and Roll of Honour – May 1947 has an entry on Page 140.
“Edward Vernon Molyneux Favell (c, 1931-36), son of the late R. Vernon Favell, of Penbarth, St Buryan, Cornwall, born November 6, 1917, came from Lockers Park to Du Boulay’s in May 1931. He took a cheerful part in all school games, and in addition to his success in running and on the river, was a beautiful gymnast, winning the Bronze Medal. Leaving, a school Prefect, in May 1936, he went to learn languages in Germany and France, and in October to Trinity College Cambridge.
Gazetted to the Oxford and Bucks L.I. in June 1939, he served with the 43rd in India. Returning to England in 1940, he joined the 6th Airborne Division, and went out with them in the invasion of Normandy, and was killed in Action on June 19, 1944. Teddy was loved by his friends for his childlike charm and simplicity of character, qualities which derived in part from his devotion to the country and its simple pleasures: dogs, sailing a boat and fishing. The rocks of his beautiful home in Cornwall were a never-failing source of joy to him. He faced life trustfully and serenely.”
