Commando Location Map!

I'm not sure where best to post this, but I got bored of blancoing today so had a little go at creating a map of Commando locations. It is in Google maps and can be found here:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=207590277586011107317.0004a107ac718aaa9f32b&ll=55.272857,-0.153809&spn=4.60102,14.227295&t=h&z=7

A lot of the content came from reading pages on this forum, hopefully that is okay.

This is only about 1% complete, so if anyone can pinpoint any locations for me that would be great! Just quote a grid ref, brief description and I'll add it on.

Let's hope it proves useful for planning days out and holidays!!

Enjoy!!
Belly

I can appreciate why you had a 'Bellyful' of blancoing - I hated doing it when I was in HM Forces...

The map is a great idea - well done and thanks.

Apropos blanco, some bright individual in 3 Commando Brigade, enroute to India/Burma, cottoned on the fact that seawater acts like a bleach so the lads used to tow their webbing behind the ships in an attempt to achieve nice white webbing with very little effort on their behalf!

Salt water also rots webbing!

White webbing also stuck out like a sore thumb in the jungle, so they then had to 'blanco' their webbing green!

This is a tremendous piece of work. You might want to add the Commando memorial in Westminster Abbey.

Thanks Chaps!

I think I might regret what I?ve started it?s going to be a never ending task!! I got the idea when reading ?Commando Country? having been frustrated every time a place was mentioned I wanted to try and look it up!

All the ?Titles? and info boxes are a bit temporary, I?ll improve them in slower time. In the process I found a couple of great websites too:

http://www.ww2museums.com/default.asp

http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index.php

Now I?ve set the ball rolling lets get some contributions in!!

Cheers
Paul

That is really tremendous ..Ive always wondered where my dad was billeted?

Nice one Paul. Wish I had thought of that - when I got fed up with blanco the brasso came out instead!? :shock:

Thanks for the DVD - excellent! Makes the visit to Achnacarry/Spean Bridge all the more poignant.
Steve.

Excellent endeavour and many thanks for sharing.

This shall be forwarded to our group for Essential Reading!

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 18/05/2011 01:19:30

The Combined Operations Pilotage Parties (COPP) were based at Hayling Island Sailing Club. I'm not sure how to find out the 'proper' co-ordinates, so hope this link will suffice: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=207590277586011107317.0004a107ac718aaa9f32b&t=f&ll=50.785543,-0.937024&spn=0.004233,0.009098&z=17&ecpose=50.78548361,-0.93702106,484.38,0,0.748,0 It would warrant a blue pin.

PS Plans are underway to erect a memorial to them on the beach front on Hayling Island - see http://www.britain-at-war-magazine.com/news/combined-operations-pilotage-parties-to-be-commemorated Prince Charles' interest comes because Lord Mountbatten was instrumental in getting COPP going when he was CinC of Combined Ops and later kept close tabs on them in the Far East when he was Allied top bod out there.

Thanks Rob, great info and a worth cause too!

I've added to the map

Hopefully I will start to update again soon, there's a lot to add, but I want to tidy up the existing material first

cheers
Paul

In Argenta, near the city of Ferrara, Italy, there is a War Cemetery where 625 Commonwealth soldiers are buried (37 of thems belonged to Commandos): they took part to the fights of the so called "Argenta Gap" in the Comacchio area during april 1945.
Here is the G.Map link:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=argenta+Via+Piangipane&hl=en&ll=44.634399,11.83264&spn=0.007268,0.021136&sll=44.869496,12.296448&sspn=0.879838,2.705383&vpsrc=6&doflg=ptk&hnear=Strada+Piangipane,+44011+Argenta+Ferrara,+Emilia+Romagna,+Italy&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=44.634454,11.832514&panoid=CsFJ3yrVDqHjG_FeIW-PnA&cbp=12,225.64,,0,-1.64

I found two more gravestons referred to No 10 Commando in Isernia, a city in the south of Italy. I'm going to look for them in G.Map and I will post the link as soon as possible.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 21/10/2011 08:15:06

Hi Stefano

I think you are referring to the Argenta Gap War Cemetery where there are 38 graves of Army Commandos and RM Commandos. Their names are recorded in our album for that cemetery albeit we only at present have one photo of a grave there.

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/Commando+War+Graves+Memorials+and+Plaques/graves/Argenta+Gap/

Should you, or anyone else, manage to take a photo of a Commando grave I would be most grateful for a scanned copy so as we can include it in the appropriate War Graves album. My email is below. Not all cemeteries are listed as yet but it is an ongoing project :

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/Commando+War+Graves+Memorials+and+Plaques/graves/

Regards

Pete R.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 25/10/2011 18:32:24

Hi Pete,
yes, I am referring to the Argenta Gap War Cemetery. I'm sorry I did not notice it is already in the database.
In my plans, I would like to be able to visit that Cemetery before the end of this year and to take pictures of each Commando's gravestone: finger crossed! :)

I would like to suggest one more place of interest. I had a look at your links and I could not find any mention about a plaque in the Village of San Pietro Avellana (Isernia). The plaque is placed on the Monument to the Dead in the town square and honours 2 Commandos:

Corporal
MAIRESSE M.
20/12/43
SAN PIETRO AVELLANA
ITALY

Lieutenant
DETON A.
3/01/44
MONTENERO VAL COCCHIARA
ITALY

They both were from No. 10 Commando, at that time attached to the British 8th Army and engaged in the assault of the 'Gustav Line'.
I hav no photos of that plate at the moment, only a G.Map link:

http://maps.google.it/maps?q=86088+San+Pietro+Avellana+Piazza+Umberto&hl=it&ll=41.790913,14.182963&spn=0.010655,0.026157&sll=41.783729,14.190559&sspn=0.085249,0.209255&vpsrc=0&hnear=Piazza+Umberto+I,+86088+San+Pietro+Avellana+Isernia,+Molise&t=m&z=16&iwloc=A

Hope it is useful :)

Regards,
Stefano