Thomas Cooke, 42 RM Cdo Christmas 1943

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 12/02/2013 01:43:14

I have just been looking at a collection of photos of Thomas Alexander Menin COOKE, 42 RM Cdo that Julie W has just kindly had uploaded to the Gallery.

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/Royal+Marine+Commando+Units/42/cooke/

Fortunately Thomas Cooke dated the photos and we can follow the sequence from the first photo taken on 16 Oct 43.
The next photo is a studio portrait taken in Hearne Bay, Nov 1943 - which have been a day or so before 42 RM Cdo sailed, as part of 3 Special Services Brigade (3 Cdo Brigade) to India.

There is a photo of Thomas in Alexandria on 21 Dec 1943 - on 26 Nov 43, during the passage to India, the convoy was attacked near Algiers and the troopship (Ranchi) carrying No1 Cdo & 42 RM Cdo was damaged and put into Alexandria for repairs. They were billeted in Camp 158, a Transit & Leave camp at Amriyah, 16 miles from Alexandria in Egypt.

The next photo shows Thomas in the United Services Club Alexandria on Christmas Eve 1943 - No1 Cdo & 42 RM Cdo enjoyed Christmas 43 in Egypt and didn't arrive in Bombay until 21st Jan 44 ( a month and three days after No5 Cdo & 44 RM Cdo had docked).

The next few photos are entitled Cocanada (now called Kakinada) July 1944 - Cocanada, on the East Coast of India, was home to both No1 Cdo & 42 RM Cdo for a period. There was also a CMH (Combined Military Hospital) based there.

The last in the collection is captioned 'Kowloon Sep 1945' - after hostilities ended, 3 Cdo Brigade moved into Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories on policing duties.

An interesting sequence that coupled with a little bit of information start to tell a fuller story.

Nick