World War Two: Woman's mission to preserve US soldier's legacy

A French woman has appealed for the public's help to learn more about an American soldier's time in the UK before he was killed during the D-Day landings.

Alice Fernandez, 22, said she had made it her life mission preserve the legacy of Pte Raymond Cole after visiting his grave in Normandy as a child.

The Ranger, from New Hampshire in the USA, was killed in action aged just 21.

His unit was stationed in Bude, Cornwall, prior to the assault.

Ms Fernandez said she was inspired to unpick the details of the soldier's life after two of his fellow soldiers returned to Normandy as veterans and asked her aunt to keep placing flowers on his grave.

"She always wanted to pass on the torch of remembrance to the young generation; but she has no children, so she would take my brother and I to Raymond's grave," she told BBC Radio Cornwall.

"We would go there and put flowers and reflect ... but without really knowing who he was as a human being.

"I've been growing up with his story in my mind."

She first placed flowers on Pte Cole's grave when she was eight.

Reflecting on his life, Ms Fernandez said: "He was 21 and, within a second, everything ended for him.

"He probably had hopes for the future, dreams, and he was almost my age and his life ended."

Since first becoming acquainted with his story, she has visited Pte Cole's home town in New Hampshire and made contact with his nieces and nephews.

But her quest to learn more about him has been frustrated by a lack of written records and the fact Pte Cole and his siblings became separated when they were children.

What is known, however, is that he served with the 2nd Battalion US Rangers.

According to the Normandy War Guide, the battalion trained on the steep cliffs of the Bude coastline in preparation for battle.

The battalion was also stationed in Dorset and Botley in Hampshire.

As the soldiers were billeted with local families between 1943 and 1944, Ms Fernandez said she was hoping someone may recognise Pte Cole's name or photograph.

"It's now or never that I should really go deeper and try to find something new and put facts and stories on his life," she said.

"It's difficult, but I won't give up."

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