P Tp 41 RM Commando 1942-1945

I am searching for anyone who may have served with my father in P Tp 41 RM Commando. He was a vickers gunner in one of the troops 2 vickers gun groups, he was wounded in action on the 10 Sept 43 during the battle of Salerno.
His name was Mne Albert George Withrington and he enlisted at Chatham, we know the name of his best mate during the war who was Dave Thom.
Any info about the unit during this time would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Sgt Ian Withrington
RASigs Rtd
Queensland
Australia

This message was edited 5 times. Last update was at 15/12/2010 15:03:47

Hi Ian

Welcome to the CVA. Whilst I have no immediate information on your father, I can give some references to 41 RM Commando in the form of books and online resources. You mention your father was wounded at Salerno but do not specify if he returned from that wounding to the RM Commando. I mention this as the war diary of 41RM Commando relevant to the D Day landings is on a website:

http://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/war_41cdo.htm

As far as Salerno is concerned there are several books that cover it, one of them being:
Operation Avalanche by Des Hickey and Gus Smith.
The Commandos both Royal Marines and Army sufferred heavy casualties at Salerno. Another book :
By Sea and Land -The Story of the Royal Marines Commandos by Robin Neillands,
has a section devoted to it with quotes from one or two from P Troop. White Cross Hill was where 41RM Commando sufferred many of their casualties. Another was known as The Pimple. No.2 Commando fought alongside 41RM Commando at Salerno and between them they lost 48% of their effective strength.

One other book I have heard of but not read is:
They Did What Was Asked of Them by Raymond Mitchell
which covers the history of 41RM Commando 1942-46.

I hope someone comes up with more information or perhaps contacts. Aside from books where accuracy depends on the amount of intensive research done by the individual author, you could also see if you could obtain a copy of the War Diary for 41 RM Commando for that period via the National Archives. There will be a cost to this however. There website will give information on how to do this.

You could also liaise with the RM Museum:

http://www.royalmarinesmuseum.co.uk/

In the meantime if you have any photos or information about your father that you would like included in our gallery please contact me direct by email where you can scan and send them to me and I will upload those suitable to our gallery

If I can be of any further assistance please feel free to contact me

Regards

Pete Rogers

Hi Ian,

Sorry I've not replied before now but I can offer comment on this book that Pete mentions

Pete wrote:One other book I have heard of but not read is:
They Did What Was Asked of Them by Raymond Mitchell
which covers the history of 41RM Commando 1942-46.

I have read it and it is a very good and authentic account of 41 RM Cdo indeed and it is written by Raymond Mitchell who served with 41 Cdo throughout the War.
Raymond Mitchell took part in Sicily, Salerno, D0Day and Walcheren (all four of the major landings involving 41 Cdo) so he should know his stuff...

Again, like Pete, I can offer nothing specific on your father but keep searching - you'd be amazed at what you can find.

Nick