George Harry Birtles

Hi Jackie in your first post you placed the following detail. Can you advise me where you got that from.

He signed up on 10th may 1942.
George Harry Birtles
Trained at Depot RM
Lympstone Devon.
Division reg no. Po/× 111896
HBL RM Division 28th April -
31 July
HBL RM Commando 1 Aug 43 - 25
March 46
26 March- 8 June 46
Released in class A

Hi Pete,

My sister gave it to me, it was on some paperwork she had of is. I just called her to see if she could pull it out from storage to see what the paperwork was from. It may take a few days?
Thanks

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 28/09/2022 16:10:49

It may be a service or discharge certificate. It would be useful to have a photo if possible. Whilst you will have to wait to see what more if any is in his RM service record, which should I am reliably informed today take about 5 months compared to the Army time of 1 year, it is clear he was a RM Commando from 1st August 1943 and I can create an entry in the archive on that basis. This was the date of the reorganisation of the RM Division and the Special Service Brigade with the creation of additional RM Commando units. Then if the service record gives more detail it can always be updated.

Thanks Pete, I will post as soon as she sends it. :)

Pete.

I think it would be from a discharge cert

Here are the photos of the paperwork that my sister sent.

Last one

They are discharge certs.

Is there a way to find out about the captains who signed them? Is there a list somewhere of Captains and the units they were in charge of in specific years?

There is a list but it?s not all RM captains. The officers in the last page aren?t nessescarily in commando units as the records were signed off in shore bases in the U.K. I was told this at the RM museum over 20 years ago.

The last name of the officers is Joseph Cowley Way. He was CO of Portsmouth division where your dad joined and discharged.

Have a look at this, if you can find out what unit there is plenty of good books to assist you.

https://www.unithistories.com/officers/RM_officersH.html

Here he is

Thank you so much Craig for the info. I will take a look when I can get to a computer. With all of the merging of units, it?s like a Sudoku puzzle. My Dad is surely having a laugh watching me dig through all of this! :)

Good luck. I did the same and it was relentless. If you can identify the number on the commando photo we can find out much more info.

Once you get the records you applied for you should have copies of attestation and medal card plus various forms.

Keep us posted someone will have an answer out there.

I really appreciate all of your help. You guys are amazing! I will definitely post anything else I may find.
Thanks again!

I believe this is the only photo we have where you can see any of the badge on his sleeve, but I can?t make anything out on it.