Some 50 people gathered around the memorial to Captain Philip Ayton to pay homage to the 22-year-old commando, who landed at Petit Port on the north coast on Christmas Day 1943.
His mission ended in disaster when he was fatally wounded by a mine.
The Constable of Trinity, John Gallichan, parish officials, pupils of Trinity School, war veterans and serving soldiers attended the traditional service at the memorial, which is on a secluded part of the coast also known as Wolf’s Lair.
Captain Ayton was leading a group of six commandos on an early reconnaissance operation in preparation for the Normandy landings.
The raiding party’s objective was to capture a German soldier for interrogation back in the UK to gain information about the strength of the Jersey garrison.
Landing on Christmas Day proved to be such a successful tactic that they discovered no Germans because the occupying forces were celebrating the holiday.
Nonetheless, the party made contact with brothers John and Hedley Le Breton and their parents at Egypte Farm.
The family told the soldiers all they knew, and the men decided to abort their mission, making their way back to the beach.
Capt Ayton stood on a landmine concealed in the cove and was badly wounded.
His men got him back to the gunboat but he died the following day in hospital in Devonport.
He is buried in Longress cemetery in Devonport.
