142 Commando Company

Hi Kevin,

I got the section about being trained for the 77th Columns from the unit war Diary.

There is constant flow of men between the 3 units, for training I guess. they are shown as taken on strength of 142, but taken off later on, which fits with the army system of showing where men were at a particular time.

I have found a similar thing with the 7th Bn South Lancs Regt - they were responsible for infantry jungle warfare training (as opposed to the commano style), men who were part of another regiment are shown as TOS 7th Bn. PWV Jungle Warfare Training, then TOS some weeks later.

I have reached a hiatus with Major English, i was going to ask whoever lives in his house now if they had any info, but it is no longer known by its name. I spoke to the local Legion but they didnt know the name.

Cheers

Pete

Ignore my comment about 142 being spread along the Columns, thats not quite what it says.

'Composition of 142 Regiment to be HQ and 8 Sections (one to each column)'

is the sentence as written.

Nick,

If your guys were killed in Burma, I wonder if they were part of the Bush Warfare Training School, I wonder if a unit war diary exists for it?

Cheers

Pete

Hi Kevin

Not sure if there is a problem with my pc - I have tried to add posts but they disappear!

I had a look at the war diary again, and it doesnt quite say what I read:

'Composition of 142 Regt to be HQ and 8 sections (one to each column)'

Quite agree with your view of Bush Warfare Training School - it woul be interesting to obtain that units war diary if it existed.

Regards

Pete

Letter recieved March 1998

Letters

Letters

Ok, still working on this.

From work done on details of prisoners at Rangoon, we are abstracting those 142 Commando troops - it is apparent from their much higher survival rate in the jail that their training and toughness kept them alive in the dreadful conditions experienced there.

I have also found a record on a 50 (ME) Commando raid, prior to their posting to Burma, I hope to abstract names from this to compare to the 142 Coy names from rangoon - will post here whatever I find.

Not related, but also come across a series of files relating to missing personnel from various Commando operations, inc Musketoon, Freshman etc.Once I have copies I will let you know how useful it is.

Regards

Pete

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 16/05/2016 19:29:22

Does anyone have any unpublished information on my uncle, Lt. James Molesworth? He was in 142, went in with Wingate's own column in 1943 as a muleteer, his unit was captured and he died as a POW of dysentry and heat exhaustion. I have his service Record, there are mentions of his movements in the 142 War Diaries (which have been posted on www.chinditslongcloth1943.com), and he is also in David Halley's 'With Wingate in Burma'. I just wondered if anyone has letters or other private documents not known to anyone that refer to him?
many thanks,
William Molesworth

Hi,from what I can tell 142 Commando Company was mainly made up from a about a 100 Commandos that volunteered for the 204 China Mission that arrived in India 17th May 1942 under Lt Col Featherstonehaugh. They never got to take part in the 204 mission because on route to India the situation had changed in Burma and with the Chinese. You will see these Commandos referenced as draft unit RZGHA. They made up the advance section that set up the Jungle training base in Ramma Camp, Patharia. The rest of 142 Commando was made up of volunteers mainly from the Durham Light infantry, R.E and Wiltshire regiment. A few that had been with Calvert on the retreat out of Burma also volunteered from the Bush warfare School. Nearly half of those Commandos that arrived from the UK that were called draft unit RZGHA where from No 6 Commando. Only about half of the RZGHA unit transfered over into 142 Commando Company I don't know what happened to the other half.

http://www.chinditslongcloth1943.com/did-you-know.html

In the last section of this download is a small description of 142. As others who have an interest in 142 Commando Company not much information available!
Kevin

Kevin,

Remind me....in the photo posted earlier of Maj English, was one of the others AV Earle ?

Pete

Sorry Pete, I don't know the names of any of the others.
Incidentally, I have a copy of one of the picture's loaned to me by Maj. English showing a group of Commando with the same black dog pictured at the BWTS.
Kevin

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 17/05/2016 01:00:35

I've made up a list of names from 204 War Diaries of:

The Burma Cadre Battalion & No.3, The Malaya Contingent - from 204 Military Mission's War Diaries,
SSDI & SSDII - from lists sent to me by Graham Cooper,
142 Commando - from lists sent to me by Liam Brady.

At the moment I'm reluctant upload them to the website because, although there were commandos in each unit, not all those who served in these units were commandos - so they were not 'Commando Units'.

I'm sure neither Graham nor Liam will mind me sharing their research [Guys, please let me know if you do and I'll take the your list down].

I hope the nominal roll will prove useful to someone...

Nick

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 17/05/2016 01:00:56

Peter,

Peter Keane wrote:Remind me....in the photo posted earlier of Maj English, was one of the others AV Earle ?

You'll see that there are two likely candidate to answer your query:

5932658 Pte A Earl Cambridgeshire Regt listed as being on strength of Contingents but not allocated to either the Burma Cadre nor the Malaya Contingent (As Of 29 September 1942). Again, that is taken from the 204's War Diaries.

774663 Lt Albert Earle S.Lancs (Prince of Wales' Volunteers) in 142 Commando - who also served in No.4 Cdo

Nick

Pete,
Looking at the No.4 Cdo nomial Roll, I see we have Lt Albert Earle listed as being Albert V Earle - so he's your man.

Nick