CSM R Groves No 3 Commando

Sunday Telegraph article on Alec Jay 27.05.90.pdf

Dear Sir,

My name is John Jay and I am the elder son of the late Rfn Alec Jay, 1st battalion, Queen Victoria?s Rifles, captured Calais May 1940, POW from then until 1945 in Stalag VIIIB/Stalag 344 and associated working parties and serial escaper. In one escape from a working party in the Sudetenland my father was helped by the Stalag 344 escape committee, one of whose members was CSM R Groves of 3 Commando. I have found a sergeant called Groves on your website in the 1942 sergeants? mess group photo. My question is very simple: do I have the right man and also do you know anything more about CSM Groves such as where he was captured and did he manage to escape.

To put my inquiry in context ? I am researching my father?s wartime experiences ? I have attached to this email an interview he did in 1990 with The Sunday Telegraph to mark the 50th anniversary of Dunkirk.

Yours faithfully,

John Jay
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I have John's contact details if anyone would wish to contact him regarding this query.

Geoff

CSM Ronald Grove (RTR) 3 Commando was captured at Berneval, 19th August 1942. He recieved a MID, gazetted June 1946. Imprisoned at Stalag VIIIB/344 from September 1942 until 30th April 1945.

"From July 1943 onwards he played a leading part in the escape organisation in the camp and for his outstanding work in this connection he has been highly praised by S.B.M.C(?) and senior N.C.O."