Corporal Brian Mullen

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 16/05/2010 10:49:27

Hello

Just few lines, to let you know than on the "old" pegasus bridge in Ranville museum, there is a plaque about Mullen who has been killed crossing the bridge and to help a wounded friend.
Of course this is a mistake, and I told that to the curator (a friend) of the museum, and he told me than it was Maurice Chauvet ( french commando), who was a friend of Cpl. MULLEN, who explain this story.
But it's true than he was killed on the beach.
sincerely
stéphane

This message was edited 5 times. Last update was at 16/05/2010 11:46:52

Just to inform everyone that the CVA has received the following email from Mary Crawford . I quote from that email here:

" How surprised and pleased I was to find information about my long lost relative on your website recently. Brian Mullen was with No 4 Commando during WWII and was my mother?s husband. Sadly, he was killed on D-Day at Pegasus Bridge and my mother passed away in 2008, having remarried after the war. I am her only ?child? ? her daughter from her second marriage.

My mother was an associate member of the NVA and the Landing Craft Association, and made a number of visits to Normandy during the last 25 years of her life. I know that she visited Pegasus Bridge and Brian?s grave at the war cemetery at Hermanville. I too had the privilege of visiting Normandy last year for the 65th anniversary of the Landings and was very moved by all I saw and heard.

Imagine my surprise when I found a plaque dedicated to Brian on your website recently. I would be grateful if you could put me in touch with the two comrades who dedicated the plaque to him (TSM W.H. Sellars E. Surrey Regt and Cpl M Chauvet FFI) so that I can thank them personally. From your on-line photo the plaque looks quite new. I would also be grateful if you could let me know exactly where the plaque is located and when it was erected so that I can visit it. I take great interest in Brian?s wartime achievements and am trying to piece it all together, as he has no other living relatives as far as I am aware.

For your records, I do know that Brian took part in the Lofoten raids (1941) and in the Dieppe raid as you know. He was a talented artist and did some photography too in advance of D-Day and maybe other raids. Following the Dieppe raid he was stationed in Falmouth in 1943, where he met my mother who was in the WRNS. The pictures went to the then Ministry of Information. Photo plates of two paintings of his, depicting the landing craft journey to Dieppe appear in the book ?Combined Operations? published in 1943. An additional original picture of men preparing to disembark from their ship near Dieppe is held in the archive of the Imperial War Museum and can be viewed on their website"

I have replied to Mary's email and explained about the content of this forum message relating to precisely where Brian was tragically killed in action, and have invited her to respond in person on this forum message, or to pass any information to me and I will update this message. Has anyone any information regarding whether TSM Sellars or L/Cpl Chauvet are still with us, and if so any means of contacting them. Please private message me with any conatct details if known

Pete

Hi

Having examined the Dieppe drawing above I seemed to remember seeing it amongst my father's Commando documents. Having checked these out I see that both this drawing and another by Brian Mullen have been included in a booklet that was actually printed in 1942, that my father had titled Combined Operations, 1940 - 1942.

Cheers Andy

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 16/05/2010 12:43:28

I believe that Cpl Maurice Chauvet, one of the 177 French Commandos that took part in the Normandy landings and, incidentally, the creator of the French Commando hat badge, is still alive and living in France.

Maybe Stéphane can help here?

nick

Hi all,
I am still here but have been very busy putting together a photo-history of HMS Armadillo, the Commando training base.

A good friend of mine has tracked down two more original huts for a total of four.

Also just finished locating the 'Prinses Marie-Jose' she was renamed a few times and was a barracks ship in Iceland during WW2 as HMS Baldur.

Regards

Here is a link to another of Brian Mullen's paintings which is held by the Imperial War Museum

http://www.iwmcollections.org.uk/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?AC=PREV_RECORD&XC=/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll&BU=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iwmcollections.org.uk%2FqryArt.php&TN=Uncat&SN=AUTO13795&SE=120&RN=1&MR=25&TR=0&TX=1000&ES=0&CS=1&XP=&RF=artResults&EF=&DF=artDetails&RL=0&EL=0&DL=0&NP=1&ID=&MF=WPENGMSG.INI&MQ=&TI=0&DT=&ST=0&IR=0&NR=0&NB=0&SV=0&BG=0&FG=0&QS=

nick

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 17/05/2010 23:09:25

Mary has responded to me by email and I have included part
of that message here. I have done as Nick suggested and sent
a pm to Stephane and will be contacting Ron Youngman regarding
TSM Sellars. Hopefully we can get some information for Mary

Thank you so much for your speedy and detailed reply ?
it was very illuminating. I am so amazed to discover the interest
in Brian and it?s good to know that he?s not forgotten!

Firstly, all the pictures, bar one, that are shown on the forum
section of your website and attributed to Brian Mullen are certainly
by him. The only one I haven?t seen before is the picture of
HMS Prins Albert, but it appears to be very much in Brian?s water-
colour style so I would not be at all surprised if it is one of his.
I cannot see the signature clearly enough but he did sometimes
sign in small capital letters, which may have been the case with
this picture.

With regard to the circumstances of Brian?s death, it is most
unfortunate that there is no one left in the family now who
would be able to verify which story is correct ? if they ever
knew. My late mother, Brian?s widow, knew that his objective
on 6th June was to get to Pegasus bridge, and she never
indicated to me that she had knowledge that he died on the
beach. In fact, we never discussed where or how he died as
we didn?t think this information would be obtainable anywhere
in any detail. However, I do have the original newspaper obituary
that was published in the local press in 1944 in Devon (where
Brian and my mother had their temporary wartime home)
stating that Brian died later in the day (6th June) from his
wounds.

Hi,

Re "The only one I haven?t seen before is the picture of HMS Prins Albert".

I am in contact with a surviving member of the crew and he has also stated that he bought one of the ship and named Brian Mullen as the artist.

Regards

Hi,
Peter Lee who researches HMS Prinses Beatrix and her sistership HMS Queen Emma did not know that he has a possible Brian Mullins ship drawing.
Could I impose on Pete to send a copy to Mary Crawford for me so that she could look at the signature?

Attched is the whole drawing and a close up of the signature inverted to make it stand out.

Regards

Dear All. A recent purchase at a West London saleroom included a large (between A3-A2) chalk sketch entitled '0300 hrs - Through the German Minefield", signed 'Brian Mullen '42'. The back bears the remains of a 'licenced for release' sticker. I would love any further information about the artist - his skills are consummate. I would also like to see to it that this painting finds a good home. Please feel free to email me at lawrence_owens (at) yahoo.co.uk

Many thanks,

Lawrence

Hi Lawrence,
I have sent you an email. Let me know on here if you do not receive it. Feel free to copy any of my postings.
Regards

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 11/03/2011 00:50:01

I have now created an album for L/Cpl Mullen and placed it in the No.4 Commando In Remembrance album on this link. My thanks to Mary Crawford for the photo:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/4/in+remembrance/mullen/

We will remember them

Hi Pete,

What a good job on that gallery for L/Cpl Mullen! Well done!...

Regards

Hello, could anybody please put me in touch with Mary Crawford? I believe that Brian Mullen spent a lot of his life living with my great grandparents in newcastle. We have painting he did and my dad also has the information received upon his death. I was hoping to get in touch with Mary and piece tighter Brian's life. I hope somebody can help as this is of great interest to us.
Regards John

Hi Jbfarnsworth,

Send a pm to Pete(at the begining of the thread.

Regards