In the Royal Army Chaplains’ Museum, is the chalice of D-Day padre, Father John Corbett. Fr Corbett was one of over fifty Catholic priests from the Salford Diocese who served as chaplains during the Second World War.

Born on 6 June 1911 in the United States of America to English parents, John was soon to return to England with his mother after his father died suddenly. As a young man he studied at St Bede’s College in Manchester and then Upholland College, Wigan.

A natural athlete, John was approached to play for both Arsenal Football Club and Lancashire County Cricket Club before his ordination into the Catholic Church and maintained a keen focus on his physical fitness after this too.

On 6 June 1944, Fr Corbett landed on Sword Beach with his unit. They immediately came under heavy fire, with Fr Corbett sustaining considerable injury.

He later wrote in a letter to Monsignor Sullivan, the Principal Roman Catholic Chaplain (Army) about the experience:

“The place we landed on the French coast was Quistshorn – the day was June 6 1944 – the time I think was early morning and the unit I was with was No. 4 Commando. I had a large rucksack on my back containing my Mass kit among many other things. At the point of landing, a mortar exploded just behind me and the rucksack took the whole brunt of it and undoubtedly saved my life.”

It had been his 33^rd birthday.

As a result of his injuries, which included a shattered right shoulder, Fr Corbett was left with a significant disability, which affected him for the rest of his life.

The contents of his rucksack were largely destroyed in the explosion and subsequently deemed “useless” by Fr Corbett.  That was with the exception of his chalice, which remained intact.  This item is now proudly displayed in the Royal Army Chaplains’ Museum, where the damage inflicted by shrapnel on D-Day can be clearly seen.

Museum curator, David Blake said: “This particular chalice captures the reality of military chaplaincy on the front line, and Fr Corbett’s personal sacrifice during the D-Day Landings of June 6 1944. It is stories and artefacts like these, that the Museum is honoured to share, representing the stories of faith not only from chaplains but of soldiers too.”

The museum, which has free admission, is open to the public from 1:30pm to 5.00pm Monday to Friday.

Beckett Gate, Faringdon Road, Shrivenham, Swindon SN6 8EU

For further details contact racm1796@gmail.com or follow the Museum on social media via:

X (Twitter): @ArmyChaplainMus

Facebook : Royal Army Chaplains’ Museum