Looking for info on Harold Hughes 3 Commando

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 09/04/2009 12:54:07

This is a very well known photograph amongst those people interested in WW2 Commandos. It shows a group of Commandos in the South of England assembling for the D-Day invasion.

Hi, Just shown it to my mum and she says its not him, fantastic picture though.

Hopefully Stan will come-up-trumps with some names ? the 3Cdo war diary transcript at http://www.pegasusarchive.org/ mentions quite a few names so would be good to put faces to them. However, it has conflicting info about Landing Craft that I?d like to get to the bottom - if anyone knows why some references seem to say 3Cdo 6 troop were on LCI 509 and some say LCI 290 that would be helpful, as from speaking to Stan there is a strong chance that Harold was killed on the landing craft.

I went through my grans attic at the weekend and found some pics of Harold but only one army pic of him with his Royal Artillery Regiment and a coloured version of the original one i posted. I'll get these scanned and post them,

Thanks

Nick

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 09/04/2009 13:09:51

This is because each landing crafting receives two blocks of three digits to identify it.

In the book Storm From The Sea the landing craft photographed for 6 Troop is 290. So I assume that the correct designation for 6 Troops Landing craft is LCI 290 - 533. I know this because its on the wind screen of the drivers compartment. :-)

Fantatsic thats been driving me mad !! I'll check out the book.
Thanks Nick

I?ve been going through various attics and found a number of letters too and from Harold and people that knew him. One is from Cissy Norton (who he was billeted with in Worthing) to my Gran shortly after he was killed. Cissy gave the name of a Commando (billeted with her brother) that might have known Harold. A copy of hisdetails are attached. Does anyone know anything about him?

Thanks

Nick

Following a conversation with Stan Scott i spoke to Ron youngman at the CBF. He is seeing what he can find about Harold, in particular if there might be someone who remembers him. He knew of L/Cpl Dunne, he was a member of the CA in 1950 but has not been heard of since.

I also found a letter from 3Cdo Chaplain Pritchard to my Gran that mentions L/Cpl Dunne but, i guess typical of letters of the time, doesn't really throw any light on what happened.

Nick

HI NICK ,MY LATE FATHER F.C.HOWES WAS IN (ROYAL ARTILLERY) 3.COMMANDO 6 TROOP, SO IT IS POSSIBLE HE KNEW HAROLD HUGHES
I HAVE BEEN BUT WITH NO LUCK TYRING TO GET A GROUP PHOTO OF 6 TROOP I HAVE OTHER GROUP PHOTOS OF 4,5 COMMANDOS IF YOU HAVE ANY PHOTOS OF 3 COMMANDOS 6 TROOP I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM
THANKS ROBBY HOWES

Hi Robby

sounds like a strong possibility that they at least new of each other. I have an original copy of the press photo of 4, 5 and 6 troops on their LCI prior to setting of for D-Day shown in Peter Youngs book Storm From The Sea. Unfortunately the photo doesn't show everyone from the troops but your dad might be there (my Grandad isn't). I'm getting it scanned at high res so you'll be able to zoom in reasonably well - i'll post it on the forum tomorrow.

I also have a picture of him in the RA with the rest of the battery (94th field 224 battery) if thats of any interest. I have various feelers out and if I come across anything i'll let you know.

Nick

Here are some scans of a press photo that i got hold of showing 3Cdo on LCI's before D-Day. I've scanned the back with the supporting info too. This shot also appears in Storm From The Sea (Peter Young) so is well known but hopefully people will be able to zoom in and put some names to faces. Peter young says in the book this is 4, 6 and 5 troops of 3Cdo.

If anyone knows any of the commando's on the phot let me know and i'll mark up the picture with names.

Nick

I enlarged the photo of 3 Commando on the LCI's, and noticed that about five men are wearing para smocks, or so it seems. I thought that the para smock was issued to the Commandos later in the war. Correct?

a fascinating photo At least 3 men are wearing Denison smocks?

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 12/05/2009 23:41:47

I had no idea about the smock, however there is a good descrpition of the different types available for different units, including the "windproof smock" for the Commandos on this link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denison_smock

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 14/05/2009 09:56:38

They wear the Denison because 3 & 4 Commando are 6th Airborne Division. If the Commandos saw something good they usually managed to source e.g. the M1 Garand.

I have a photograph of men of both Commandos wearing Denisons, with a jumping tower in the background and drop bags prior to D-Day.

Some men of 3 & 4 may of undertaken parachute training and did not take part in enough jumps to earn the light bulb or the qualification wing.

A good link to wikipedia by Pete about the smock. Never knew that it, in a sense, originaly came from far back as 1854!

I think "unknowncommandos" is right in saying that if the Commandos saw something good, they usually managed to get it. Little has changed I can tell you!

This morning I was looking at photos of Operation Infatuate (the landings on Walcheren) and I noticed that every picture concerning Commandos, shows them wearing the smock. It proves to me that they had a steep learning curve in those days: if somebody else uses an item which is good, get your hands on it!

Hello

There is many photos taken on D.Day and Days after in Normandy, where we saw Commandos with denison smock.
Nick, I sent Harold's photo to a 2 troop veteran, and the note about Dunne. Hope to have good news for you.
Sincerely

stéphane