4032811 Cpl. David Walter Nottingham - No. 3 Commando?

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 25/05/2011 21:22:00

Hi

I recently bought from a respectable dealer, documents and insignia for a 4032811 Cpl. David Walter Nottingham.

The documents comprise:

1) Regular Army Service Certificate ? which states his service as:
Enlisted 8/5/39 with the KSLI
KSLI ? Home ? 8/5/39 ? 10/1/40
Northamptonshire Regt ? France ? 11/1/40 ? 3/6/40
Reconnaissance Corps ? Home ? 4/6/40 ? 19/2/43
Reconnaissance Corps ? Gibraltar ? 20/2/43 ? 1/5/43
Royal Armoured Corps ? Home 2/5/43 ? 9/7/47

2) Testimonial ? dated 1/5/47 praising conduct, etc.

3) Release certificate ? dated 7/5/47 from the 59th Trng Regt RAC

This is where it gets interesting!

4) A Membership card for the Old Comrades Associate of the Special service Brigade:
This is to certify that 2571
D. W. Nottingham is
A Life Member of the Old Comrades Associate of the Special service Brigade
Signed RL Sharples Capt, Hon. Sec.
2/3/44

5) A photo of a guy that could be wearing a commando shoulder title and combined ops patch/. Written on the back 5146 and stamped ?Rampton?s Studio, Larges, Ayreshire?

6) A (original) No. 3 Commando Shoulder Title and Combined Ops Patch

Admittedly the photo and patches could be from/of anyone, the Old Comrades Associate of the Special Service Brigade Membership Card appears genuine. However there is no reference in any of the other military paperwork that remotely hints at Commando service, is this normal or is this a ?made up? grouping??

Any information gratefully received!

Thanks
Paul

Paul,

I'm not wholly surprised that there isn't any reference to Cpl Nottingham being a commando in any of the official paperwork, but what does raise doubts with me, considering the amount of other paperwork and certificates, is that there is no Commando Service Certificate or other associated ephemera...

Also, most of the Commandos joined the 'Old Comrades Association of Army Commandos' [also known as The Commando Association] which was formed in June 1943 and by Feb 1946 had a membership of 6400.

Nick

Paul,
I forgot to mention that the Recce Corps (including 59 Recce Regiment) were absorbed into the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC).

A recommended book regarding the Recce Corps is "Only the Enemy in Front: History of the Reconnaissance Corps, 1941-46"

Nick

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 26/05/2011 14:48:27

Hi Paul and Nick

We have some details in the gallery about the Association. When first formed it was indeed the Old Comrades Association of the Special Service Brigade. It later was renamed the Old Comrades Association of the Army Commandos, and finally became the Commando Association. Henry Brown documented its history which can be read on this link:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/documents/Cdo+assoc_001/

I'll contact Ron Youngman regarding his membership and see what I can discover

Pete

Pete wrote:Hi Paul and Nick

We have some details in the gallery about the Association. When first formed it was indeed the Old Comrades Association of the Special Service Brigade.

Pete,
Thanks for that - the old eyes are playing up - I knew that in 1946 it was agreed unanimously that the name would be The Old Comrades Association of the Army Commandos but I wasn't aware of it's previous name.

Incidently, although later known to all as The Commando Association, the full title on the CA Newsletters included "The Old Comrades Association of the Army Commandos."

Nick

Thanks for you help guys

Any info is appreciated! It would be nice to establish his story and verify his connection with Commandos.

I do feel a bit sceptical about this grouping, but the Old Comrades Association of the Special Service Brigade card looks legit and ties to the other papers, but the photo and insignia could have just been added to the grouping to make it more attractive I guess.

Regards
Paul

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 26/05/2011 15:03:11

Hi

I can now confirm that David Walter Nottingham was in No.3 Commando and he was attached from the Recce Corps so there is the link you require. What I do not know is when he was attached to No.3 Cdo. Furthermore he went from No.3 Commando to the STC (which is likely to have been Lochailort) and then is shown as being at the Commando Basic Training Centre at Achnacarry for some considerable time so may well have been on the staff there. He ended his Commando Service on the 9th january 1946 at the Holding Operational Commando. His date of February on the Army Service record for Gibraltar tally with when No.3 Commando went there Feb 43. but not the date of return.

So I think the paperwork is genuine. As to the photo the fact that the insignia ties in with the name and his unit adds some provenance to it being so.

As regards the name changes of the Association , they are fully covered in Henry Brown's history of the Association

Pete

Pete that?s great to learn

Many thanks for your investigative work, I?ll scan copies of the docs so you can add them to the gallery, who knows hopefully one of his offspring may chance across it and verify the photo is indeed him completing the picture.

Thanks again
Paul

Gents

Some scans of his paperwork, please add to the gallery as you feel appropriate

cheers
Paul

Main parts of Certificate of Service attached. If anybody would like further scans, please don't hesitate to ask

regards
Paul

Paul

I have created a personal album and placed it in the No.3 Commando gallery with a reference to this forum message. Should there be any updates/information that come to my notice I will place a message here.

Link to the album :

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/3/nottingham/

Pete