looking for information on my Grandfather PTE Thomas Graham Number 5946665

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 20/07/2016 11:04:46

Hi everyone
I am looking for some information on my grandfather who served in the No3 commandos.
PTE Thomas Graham
Number 5946665

I have his medical records which explains his leg was burnt by a smoke bomb while in the landing craft in Vaagso
He also wounded in Sicily.

My mum recently passed away, but she was unable to tell me to much as her dad never really spoke about the war.
My mum was born in Largs Scotland.

We would be very greatful for any information.

Regards
Grant Farquhar (Grandson)
Auckland New Zealand

Please see attachments

Hi Grant,

Welcome to the CVA Website & Forums and thank you for sharing those two items of your grandfather's memorabilia with us.

I'm pleased to say that we do have your grandfather listed in our No.3 Commando Nominal Roll.

There is not much we can offer in way of information about individuals but we can tell you what your grandfather's unit, No.3 Commando, did whilst he served with them.

What I would recommend, however, is that you apply to the MoD for a scan of his Service Records. For an admin/search fee of £30 you should receive a copy of the handwritten original document detailing his enlistment, training postings, conversion to become a commando, promotions (and demotions), embarkation for overseas, disembarkation in the theatre of operation, wounds, hospitalizations, medal entitlement, and his service up to discharge. Presuming that your grandparents got married whilst he was in the Army, that will also be recorded...

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/210233/request_service_details_NOK_pt1_v6.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/142479/request_for_service_details_army_application_part2_1_.pdf

I should state that the MoD are the only custodians of WWII Veterans' service records!
There are quite a few Websites that claim to have all service records, but pleased don't be suckered in by these claims - they don't! Quite simply you carry out a quick search and they tease you with some blurred results - you then have to register on these sites, pay a fee and then you'll be told that your search has been unsuccessful!

I would also encourage you to browse through our No.3 Commando Album in our Photo Archives to see if you can recognize your grandfather in any of the photos
http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/3/

Maybe you have some contemporary photos of your grandfather in uniform that you'd be willing to share with us?

Regards,

Nick

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 21/07/2016 11:44:40

Hi Grant

I am sorry to hear about your Mum's recent passing. In addition to what Nick has said about your Grandfather, there is a photo of a No 3 Commando with the surname Graham in our gallery. Of course whether it is your Grandfather I do not know. Perhaps you could have a look at it and let us know: No 3 Commando 4 troop June 1942.

The smoke (phosphorous) bomb incident at Vaagso is fairly well documented and is mentioned in this report in our gallery from an entry published in the London Gazettes about Vaagso:

Report on the Vaagso Raid

Sadly one of our members who might have been able to help more, Douggie Roderick, No 3 Cdo., recently passed away. He was also injured in this incident at Vaagso.

If you click on any highlighted links above you will be taken to the relevant page. In the gallery the above photos will enlarge if clicked on.

Regards Pete

Hi Pete and Nick
Thanks for all the great advice
I will send away for his records

He is shown in the No3 commando troop 4 photo
diagonally next to the blurry head .... I even have that original photo!

I only meet my Grandfather a few times when he came to New Zealand many years ago
And he only spoke to my brother and i briefly about his time in the commandos.

Attached is a photo of his wedding day and of the cross country team
PTE Graham is the front right.
We also have some of his running medals

Thanks for all your help
Very interesting information on this website!

Regards
Grant

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 22/07/2016 16:01:42

Hi Grant

I have now created an entry on our site for your grandfather. The photos are currently located in a sub album in his name at the top of page 3 of the No 3 Commando main gallery. Here is a direct link to the sub album I refer to: http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/3/Graham/

You will see there is a link there to some of the additional info from the documents you provided. If you wish to advise me in due course of the date of your Grandfather's birth and death I will add that to the entry.

If you want to discover more about No 3 Commando, I recommend the books Storm from the Sea by Brig Peter Young and 'Commando, Memoirs of a Fighting Commando in WW2' by Brig. John Durnford-Slater. Both excellent books written by authors who served with them, and the books should be easy to source.

Regards

Pete

Hi Pete
Thanks for creating the entry for my Grandfather.
My Mum will be very proud as she wore his commando pin on every ANZAC day here in NZ.
We have visited the Spean Bridge commando memorial a few times now and even took my son there in 2014.

I will look for the books as i am finding there is so much to learn.

There is still a lot of my mums/Granddads documents and photos to go thru so i am sure i will find some interesting things

Thanks again for the great support.

Regards
Grant & Family