RSM BERNARD DYKES

Hi
In July of this year I made enquiries about RSM Bernard Dykes of 4 Cdo .

RSM Dykes was a REME soldier, just to square the circle as they say, I have just read in the Commando Association news letter No 68

that he died in 1979 in Belgium.

Graham

Hi Graham, thanks for sharing that.

All see http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/3441.page for previous discussion.

Graham, for the historical record do you find any further information on RSM Bernard Dykes of 4 Cdo ?

Graham sent me a private message and wrote that he had no further information.

Today I spoke to Sgt. Roy Maxwell of No. 4 Commando -until end of WW2 Norway, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany - at the time of talking, Roy had no recollection of a Regimental Sergeant Major RSM Bernard Dykes of 4 Cdo. Roy recalled that the RSM was named Morris.

Lieutenant Colonel C.P.D Legard and the Regimental Sergeant Major W. Morris held their first parade on 22 July 1940, at Weymouth Pavilion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._4_Commando

7878047 Rsm. Morris W. R.A.C.

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/935.page#3847

So, was Bernard Dykes perhaps an RSM in the REME, or perhaps left the commandos and became an RSM at a later date ?

Can anyone add any more information on RSM Morris and RSM Bernard Dykes ?

Hi

The back ground to query go back to June this year - to be found on page 4 of this forum index.

1.Commando Association recognized him as a serving soldier in No 4 Cdo with the appointment of RSM.

2.Those who answered the query generally supported the principle he was the RSM OF 4 Cdo.

3.From Pete;s observations Bernard Dykes may of only been RSM ,from NOV to DEC 1945

4 To put the cat amongst the pigeons my unofficial,and with no reference to my source list, show the following as RSM who served
with 4 Cdo
.RSM JAMES EDWARDS
RSM WILLIAM MORRIS
RSM BERNARD DYKES
Acting RSM HOBSON

The above names are in no particular order,and I welcome comments to the accuracy or otherwise of the list and any other observations,

Graham

From Pete;s observations Bernard Dykes may of only been RSM ,from NOV to DEC 1945

I recall Roy told me that after Germany was defeated in May 1945, 4 Commando was then ear marked to move to the Far East; however older men were exempt having served their time, so speculating, perhaps RSM Morris was allowed to retire and be replaced by RSM Bernard Dykes, then all recollections and sources fit together. If Bernard was RSM for just a few months, it is possible and understandable that after 67 years Roy just plain forgot.

Next time I see Roy, I will ask him if he can remember a Dykes, and mention Pete's observation quoted above..

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 30/11/2012 19:56:49

I think we have established that RSM Dykes was in No.4 Commando. The period of time will only be fully discovered by official records and it is probably best not to speculate. The end of the war was a time of rapid change for those in the Commandos, not least No.4 Commando. Many ranks would have gone as the individuals in their relevant demob grouping were released. As such others would take their place. A taste of how it was can be read in this last newsletter for No.4 Commando which refers to RSM Edwards and others in their new Civvie life. Even the Commanding officer states he has only been in the role for 5 months. At the time of writing the 6 troops of No.4 Commando had been formed into two squadrons and was based at Herten, Recklinghausen.

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/documents/newsletter2.jpg.html

To add to the above , Major James Dunning, former TSM in No.4 Commando and Instructor at the CBTC, in his book the Fighting Fourth, states that 'Jumbo' Morris had been RSM of No.4 Commando since its formation and until Walcheren. TSM 'Taffy' Edwards of 3 troop replaced 'Jumbo' Morris as RSM of No.4 Commando after he received serious leg injuries at Flushing. As can be seen by the above document RSM Edwards would have also been replaced by that time.

As regards the Far East it was in fact the Commandos already back in the UK that were being prepared for an invasion of Japan. In June'45, 233 OR's from No.4 Commando were dispersed back to the UK and into Nos 3 and 6 Army Commandos. We have a couple of photos which did cause confusion at first as they had both Nos 3 and 4 Commandos in them at this time. However Jimmy's explanation makes everything clear. Jimmy states that this left No.4 Cdo. who were involved in 'policing' duties in Germany, with only 188 OR's. After the bombing of Japan everything changed again, and, as has been said, No.4 Commando was reinforced from Army Commandos in England with officers and men with high release numbers. No one knew that within a short time the Army Commandos would be no more.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 01/12/2012 00:47:30

Just to add to the already known fact that B Dykes was an RSM with No4 Cdo at one stage, please see the Commando Association Lost Legion No4 in the CVA Gallery.

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/d/27573-3/CA+Lost+Legion+No4__0001.pdf

Although there would have been only one RSM incumbent at any one time, certainly, in the fast moving time of conflict, there would have been more than one RSM over the existance of No4 Cdo.

It is more than probable that the first No4 Cdo RSM was a career soldier and probably coming towards the end of his Army career. At some stage it is likely that he would have either been demobbed, wounded, killed or commissioned and, in any of these scenarios, he would have been replaced as the incumbent RSM.

Likewise his successor and so on...
Thus, as we have seen, there would have been a number of RSMs in No4 Cdo over the years.

The RSM - an appointment rather than a rank - was usually the senior Warrent Officer and, as an Other Rank, not someone that you'd want to come into daily contact with...
Most folk, including junior officers, would try to avoid contact with the RSM - as they would try to avoid the plague.

Luckily, the RSM would be part of HQ Staff and, for the most, removed from daily contact with the Troops - remember, in the case of the Commandos, there was no barrack blocks or parade square etc - so it is understandable that an individual commando may not remermber all the RSMs in his Commando - he'd probably only remember the one he fell foul of and who'd given him the 'b*****g of his life'...

Nick