No. 62 Commando

Hello :D

Does anyone have any relatives or know anyone who was in No. 62 Commando :?:

Colin :D

To expand the question, No. 62 Commando was formed in 1941 at Kabrit, Egypt, including some personnel of No. 7 Commando.

They operated as "L Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade" being renamed 1941.09 No. 1 Small Scale Raiding Force in September 1941 and becoming Special Air Service in October 1942.

Colin :D

Hello Colin

Will you be attending FW this year?

If so I will endeavor to make your acquaintance and introduce you to a former No 62 Cdo member. 8)

Regards
John M

Hello John M,

Did the former 62Cdo member continue with SAS :?:

I have a heavy workload to get through before Xmas so, I am looking at next year to meet up with everyone. I would also like to place a plaque for my father.

FW, how many hotels in that area :?:

Colin :D

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 25/10/2007 07:54:26

Hello Colin

The gentleman that I know from 62 Cdo did not to my knowledge move to the SAS.

62 Cdo facts seem to be hard to come by ..........I think SAS was formed formerly in April/March 43.

Some SAS officers for instance Pinkney and Rooney were from No 12 Cdo

Pinkney was shot on one of the first SAS missions

Men from No 12 Cdo were attached to 62 Cdo early on and they were working out of the UK............this whole period seems to be a mish mash of facts and some fiction thrown in.

I know at least 3 former 12 Cdo comrades and of course my Dad was No 12 also...........shame Dads not here to answer my myriad of questions.

Hope this does not confuse things to much.
Best regards
John M

FW .......quite a few hotels..........all full I would think :( .......check with the Gen Sec Geoff Murray.

Hello John M :D

Information is very hard to come by with regard to some Cdo units, it makes you wonder if there is an oath of secrecy among the brotherhood of Commandos like the Mafia have Omerta 8)

Did the MOD keep any records of what these various Commando units got up to :?: Or was official record left to the commanding officers war diaries :?:

We need to enlist the help of M&S...not Marks & Sparks.....Mulder & Sculley

The truth is out there

Colin :D

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 26/10/2007 20:53:21

Hi Colin

Have you tried the Combined Operations War Diaries :?:

When the various units sent detachments on raids etc I found that there was more info in the C.Ops Diaries than in the Units WD's themselves.

Just a thought

Regards
JohnM

Hello Collin

Find enclose that I have about "operation AQUATINT" in september 1942. Their were member of 62 commando.
Do you know the story of this raid ? this is at few miles from we live.

stéphane

sorry I forget

if you want, i have the report of this operation.

stéphane

Hi Steph :D

Thanks, I would like a copy of the report

Colin :D

Hi John M :D

Thanks for that tip, where can I access the Combined Ops War Diaries :?:

Are they online :?:

Colin :D

Steph,

I'll send my address in your PM box.

Colin :D

Hi guys,

I'm writing a thesis on Jedburghs and noticed this thread. Two of the Jeds I'm investigating were former SSRF members and both involved in raids. Would you guys happen to have lists of the personnel involved in the several raids on the Channel Islands?

Hi,

My late father served with No 3 commando and the SAS in the period 1943/44. His name was Archibald Grant , Private in the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. From the very few things that he mentioned concerning where he had been in this period and from published histories it is certain that he was in 2SAS. He was stationed near Algiers, did parachute training in Morocco, took part in a submarine landed raid prior to the Sicily invasion and still had a silk map of Tunisia. That was basically all I knew prior to researching his army records.
The records themselves show that he was attached to 3 commando in Jan 1943, posted to 62 commando in early March 1943 and posted back to 3 commando in late Sept 1943, where he remained until end July 1944.
Interestingly there is no mention in the service record of the SAS. However, 62 commando were apparently disbanded in April 1943 and formed the nucleus of 2SAS.
One of the few momentos of his wartime service are his SAS parachute wings shown in the photo below

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 08/04/2011 00:30:35

There is now a new album with some photos of the Small Scale Raiding Force (SSRF) courtesy of Chris Rooney, son of Major Oswald Basil 'Micky' Rooney, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, No.12 Commando, SSRF, and SAS. It is located within the Commandos in World War 2 (Misc. photos of Commandos and Combined Operations) Gallery:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/

The links between 12 Commando, the SSRF, and the SAS can be seen by the details in a photo Chris has supplied of 4 troop of No.12 Commando. The original picture has the title "The last photo of 4 Para Troop of No.12 Commando". It is located in the main 12 Commando album:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/12/12+cdo+4+troop.jpg.html

Chris has also supplied an excellent photo of Mountbatten and Laycock. It is now in 'The Commanders' album which is located in the Commandos in World War 2 (Misc. photos of Commandos and Combined Operations) Gallery:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/