No.2 Commando 5 Troop

This message was edited 5 times. Last update was at 04/01/2010 15:38:25

The link below takes you to the photo supplied by Walter Ainslie of him and his fellow Commandos from 5 troop in Gibralter. There are 58 men in this photo and Walter, now aged 89, has supplied the names of almost 50 of them. I have placed a numbered negative in the 5 troop album so that numbers can be matched to the individuals in this photo.

Some of the people in this photo were later killed in action. Where possible I have identified these. Anyone with further information on anyone in this photo please contact me

To the memory of Dickie Broome, Charlie Blattner, John Hunter, Raymond Buckby, Lionel Bowman, John Stewart, who are pictured here, and all the other Commando Fallen

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/2/5+troop/5+Troop/

That's wonderful Pete. I am especially thrilled to see Charlie Blattner!!!

Janet Bishop

Some info on photo:

6968214 John Edward Hunter - Rifle Bde - KIA Salerno 13.09.43
3854234 Pte P Deary
5779882 Pte John Barber - Norfolks - KIA Salerno 13.09.43
LBdr George James Deaker - KIA Italy 02.04.45
2929831 Cpl Cyril Lima (Hounslow, Middx)
6353598 Pte Roy Spragg
1805833 LSgt Raymond Buckby - KIA Italy 17.04.45
Possibly: 3654054 LCpl James Smith - KIA Salerno Sep 43
5337734 Cpl Harold Herbert (now deceased)
3654571 LCpl J Slater
2930678 LCpl W Aspey
Possibly: WO2 GF Hutton DCM
5656867 Pte LG Bowman - Died of Wounds - (DOW) Salerno 18.09.43
2940188 William McLean Humble MM - later resided Kuala Lumpa
5781708 Cpl Victor H Pratt - later resided Fort William
1527777 Pte Peter McGinley
3134031 Pte John Caveney - later resided Paisley
3059646 LCpl Peter Sharp - former Cameronians
Possibly: 6351281 Pte Derek S Bennett - KIA Salerno 13.09.43
2826201 LCpl L Ainslee
Possibly: 2931169 LCpl John Alexander Stewart - KIA Salerno Sep 43
1837879 Pte L Cree
5932921 Cpl F Arnold
3655016 LCpl Jack Wilde
293135 Pte Ben Fryer - later resided Liverpool
2933493 LSgt Joe GA Rogers MM (Pete's Dad)
2929845 Sgt E 'Tiny' Burke (daughter was in Fort William last year)
2929412 TSM Ken McAllister - later resided on the Wirral
130943 Captain Richard Frank Broome - KIA Salerno 13.09.43
3654948 Sgt Charles William Blattner - KIA Salerno 13.09.43
6853905 Rfn Frederick 'Joe' Campling - now deceased resided Ilford Essex

I am expcting quite a few of the Merseyside Branch to be in Fort William this year. They would be able to give much more info on the photo.

Hope this helps

Geoff

This message was edited 9 times. Last update was at 29/09/2009 11:47:16

With regard to Geoff's excellent list I can add the following:

I contacted Eric Buckmaster back in February regarding Pte John Barber who was pencilled in my father's notebook of 5 Troop names with "k" against him which indicates he was killed. I noted that there was no CWGC entry for him, and he was not on the Westminster Abbey Roll of Honour. Eric replied " John Barber, was a quiet lad, slim and at the top end of Medium Height. He was in 5 Troop. He was reported as believed Killed at Salerno, but later found to be a POW and by the report that I have, returned home in 1945."

As the possibles -
James Smith. This is not identical to the Jimmy Smith in the picture. My fathers notebook records Jimmy Smith of 5 Troop as having a service number of 6352793 different to the above. Also Eric has identified Jimmy as being in the 1945 panorama pic of No.2. Walter also told me Jimmy survived the war

The Bennett mentioned in my father's 5 Troop notebook is F. Bennett with a service number of 3655156. He is also listed as Fred Bennett in a post war address book of my father's which is titled "Old Comrades of 5 Troop". So again unlikely to be the Derek listed above.

And finally we have 2 other pictures of John Alexander Stewart and he is definitely identical with the man in the picture and as described by Geoff above. Walter and Eric have identified him in different photos.

Italy took a heavy toll on No.2 Commando. One of the things Walter Ainslie told me was just how heavy their casualties were in Salerno, but, he added, " the Royal Marines fighting with us in places took an even heavier toll. They lost so many of their men" In the CVA history section Bob Bishop recorded this "No.2 Cdo and No.41 RM Cdo. together had 367 killed, wounded , or missing, out of the 738 who had landed in the Salerno operation."

***update 28th Sept. 09 from Eric Buckmaster.."George Deaker joined No.2 Cdo after this photo was taken and is not as first thought pictured here."
Eric had added some more names and I thank him for that.
George Deaker was killed in action later and is remembered in our No.2 Commando In Rememberance album