Sergeant Walter Thompson - X Troop

I hope someone might be able to help!

I'm looking for further information on my grandfather's brother Walter Thompson, who was a member of No.3 (X Troop) 10 (IA) Commando. I've seen Ian Dear and Peter Master's excellent books, and the latter recounts the background to his capture by the Germans in France after D-Day. I've also seen the files on 10 (IA) Commando in the National Archives, and will shortly go to the IWM too.

Thanks in advance.

Hi MSG,
Welcome to CVA. As you are very much aware there was a shroud of secrecy around 3 Troop which has made it very difficult to research even today.
Another book that is worth a read is Commandos in Exile by Nick van der Bijl, which covers the whole of No10 (IA) Commando.

All I know about your great uncle [which you undoubtedly already know given your extensive research] is that he was attached to No4 Cdo for D-Day where he was in the Intelligence Section.
During the night of 19/20 June he accompanied Lt Littlejohn to investigate reports that the Germans were having problems with their supplies.They were to pass through German lines from La Grande Ferme du Boissons on the road from Gonneville to Longuemare and observe the Vataville crossroads. Leaving at 02.30am the pair crawled up and down the enemy front but were unable to cross the road and all next day hid in a ditchabout 50 yards from the enemy positions.Next night as they tried to infiltrate between two weapon pits Littlejohn almost crawled down a a rifle barrel! Both commandos covered their withdrawal by throwing grenades, however Littlejohn was shot in the leg. Your great uncle hid in a bomb crater in the middle of a field. After about an hour the Germans found Littlejohn who feigned death even when a bullet was fired into the ground beside him and a bayonette was prodded into his face...
Having captured Sgt Thompson, [Littlejohn recalls the Germans calling "der einer ist gefangen der ander ist tot"* the Germans returned to Littlejohn, declared him dead and removed his revolver and ammo. A second patrol took their boots, compass, watch and binos.
By dawn Littlejohn had managed to crawl the 2000 yards back to British lines where he reported that Sgt Thompson had been taken prisoner.

[A slightly more detailed report about this patrol can be found in The Commandos 1940 - 46, by Charles Messenger]

Sgt Thompson managed to conceal his true identity from the Germans 'til after his liberation.

* One is captured and the other is dead.

Perhaps you are able to tell us a little more about 3 Troop and your Great Uncle?

Regards,
Nick

Dear Nick,

Thanks for the prompt reply and fascinating post.

I can't add much at the moment! On X Troop there is a lot of details, as I'm sure you're aware, in Ian Dear's book, Master's book, and a new account by Helen Fry 'German Schoolboy British Commando'. Within the archives at Kew there are some more specific war diary pages on X Troop, as well as on No 10 (IA) Commando, but it's very hard from those pages to get a feel for what they did, largely because many of the members were detached to other units.

My great uncle passed away shortly after I was born so I didn't get chance to talk to him. Other relatives say he was very reluctant to talk about any of his wartime activities, though he did mention his time as a German PoW: apparently he overheard his German captors talking about how they were going to kill him but he managed to persuade them to let him live as he was only a simple British soldier! He eventually escaped the Germans by disappearing from a moving train, though I don't know how he managed to then be repatriated.

I'm hoping that there will be more details at the IWM as they have quite a large collection of oral history with X Troop members, I also know that several are still alive.

Do you have any further information on who Littlejohn was?

regards, Mike.

Hi Mike

I am sure with all the research you have done you will have seen this site but if not your grandfather's brother is named on the list of those who served in X troop.

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/ww2/sugar13.html

Pete

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 13/04/2010 00:23:24

Mike,

Lt R R Littlejohn MC served in No12 Cdo where he was wounded whilst on Operation Fahrenheit in November 1942 with the Small Scale Raiding Force [SSRF].
When No12 was disbanded in 1943 he must have moved to No4 Cdo.
He went on to join the SAS and was captured on Operation Cold Comfort - POW 17.2.1945 - with Corporal Crowley he was executed Bolzano,Italy by the SS

His CWGC record:

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2817393

Regards,
Nick

Pete/Nick,

Thanks for your replies.

I'd like to try and write a short thing on my great uncle if I can find enough information. I've requested his Service Record, which I hope will shed some light on his activities. For instance, I know he was detached to 4 Commando for Normandy, but I don't know what he did before this, aside from training. He wasn't in the first of the X Troop members to join up, but he was certainly an early joiner.

I've seen the article you cite, and have been in touch with the author - he's pointed me in the direction of several surviving X Troop members but who I still need to contact.

Do either of you know about a BBC Radio Wales series in the late 90s? Apparently there was a 3-programme series, called something like 'Unknown Warriors', as X Troop were billeted and trained in North Wales.

best wishes, Mike.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 13/04/2010 02:57:45

Hi Mike

It might be worth contacting the BBC directly, I did this last year concerning an excellent documentary that was made about the St Nazaire raid in 1974. Although the department that I contacted is called the BBC / DVD release Department (0207 612 3120), they will probably be able to give you the phone number / email address of the relevant dept for BBC Radio Wales.

Good luck, Andy

Ps Nick mentioned a book called Commandos in Exile by Nick van der Bijl, I have another book by this author called N0.10 (Inter Allied) Commando 1942 - 45 - Britains Secret Commando, published by Osprey.

Mike

I posted some photos of the locations where the Commandos had their HQ here in north Wales, two of the buildings have survived and are located in and around Llanrwst.
I was told by the locals that days before D-Day that they had gone as quickly as they had arrived?

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/859.page#3612

Kevin

Thanks Kevin and Andy,

I've contacted BBC Wales and will let you know if I'm successful. Nice photos too! As soon as I have any further information I'll let you all know, but in the meantime thanks for all your replies.

regards, Mike.