William Mutch

I am researching my late father's (William Mutch) wartime history. Here is what I know so far:
Army number 2588387
Served 31.8 1939 to 26.10.46, enlisted with 52nd Lowland Division
25.4.1940 posted No 1 Independent Company
26.4.1940 embarked Norway with No 1 Independent Company - Operation Scissorforce
10.6.1940 evacuated Norway
13.5 1941 posted No 1 Special Service Brigade
This has been gleaned from the official record which is then silent until 23.10.1944 when he embarked for NW Europe.
I have found amongst his papers a photo taken in 1941 at Achnacarry (no official record)
Handwritten notes in a regimental history of 52 Lowland Division recording Combined Ops Training, Mountain warfare training , the Scilly Isles and Norway - again no official record save for Norway 1940.
What is intriguing are notes on an old school atlas of mine which show; landing zone Norway 1942, landing zone Bodo Norway 1943 and drop zone 1943 in Sweden - again no official record.
Like many my father was reticent about WW2 but once whilst in his cups let slip that his activities were subject to 100 year secrececy.
My questions are:
What were the operations in 1942 and 1943?
Could he have possibly have been SOE given to 100 year rule or were these commando raids?
Can anyone provide any information on No 1 Independent Company generally and No 1 Special Service Brigade
Admittedly my research is in its infancy but any help would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
Greg Mutch

Hi Greg,
Welcome to the CVA Website & Forums.

Having done a cursory search for a 'William Mutch,' thus far, I have only come up with one, possibly two, commandos with the name Mutch.
Jimmy Mutch is listed as being No.5 Cdo but no other info on him; but then we have a 3253589 Rifleman R Mutch in 204 British Military Mission in China according to our research, Rfn Mutch was in No.5 Cdo before moving to 204 Military Mission so I believe that they may be one and the same - but not your father...

You talk about 'the official record' - do you mean your father's Service Record which is held by the MoD? If so, may I ask when you received it?

Would it be possible to let us see the photo taken at Achnacarry in 41? Is this a group photo of a course?

Sorry for all the questions but sometimes little snippets of information, which you may have overlooked as being irrelevant, may help us in our research...

The connection with 52 Lowland Div could also be significant as they were the Mountain specialist troops at that time...

Nick

Nick
Thank you so much for your prompt and interesting response.
Neither of the Mutch's you mention are related, my father had four brothers all of whom served in the Scots Guards in WW2, remarkably all five brothers survived.
The records I have are from the MOD. I requested a copy of my father's service records shortly after his death in 2007 along with his campaign medals which he never claimed. Now that I am retired I have time to try and find out what he did in the war. The MOD records confirm he was in No 1 Independent Company then moved to the Special Service Brigade on 1.5.1941.
Thereafter there is nothing in the MOD record until 23.10.1944 when he was posted to NWE.
I have sourced dad's manuscript note re the Scilly Isles as from a dissertation by Captain Howard Steers of the US Army on the origins of British Special Service Forces dated 1980 I learn that No 1 Independent Company were dispatched to the Scilly Isles upon their return from Norway to bolster home defence in anticipation of an invasion. The dissertation also states that no's 1 to 5 Independent Companies along with volunteers from other branches of the army formed the Special Service Brigade in 1941 so this all ties in with what I know.
There was another thread on the forum regarding a gentleman who served in No 2 Independent Company in Norway and was evacuated the same day as my father which all stacks up. That thread also raises an interesting point. The gentleman in question was posted to No 2 Independent Company 24 hours before embarking for Norway as was my father. Question, how did this happen so quickly? Was it a question of them passing their training then being posted?
So, the facts as I understand them are that dad was in No 1 Independent Company and the SS Brigade. Does that make him a commando?
The real intrigue is what did he do between 1941 and 1944. The marked map I have indicates he was in Norway in 1942 (twice) and in 1943 via a drop zone in Sweden. Is it possible he went on to something more secretive post 1941 or was he a walt (which I doubt).
I am going on holiday tomorrow but will post the Achnacarry photo along with a newspaper cutting recording the death of his best mate from No 1 Independent Company in Norway in 1940 when I return. Dad was shot in the hand the following day but the MOD record does not mention this wound. I also have photos of those involved in mountain warfare training where on the reverse dad noted who they were and who was KIA which I will post. I also have his Rolex Mk 2 GS pocket watch which may or may not be of relevance in terms of who they were issued to.
I served in 10(v) Para and when discussing my impending jump course dad mentioned he had been para trained at Ringway, this also does not feature in the MOD records. The mystery deepens as does my resolve to get to the bottom of it.
Again, my thanks for your response if this line of enquiry leads nowhere it encourages me to know that there are like minded souls out there who are seeking the truth about these brave and humble men.
Regards
Greg

Just to add a bit from a previous forum message for your research in respect of the ships:

Public Record Office document PRO FO 83/697:

Independent Companies
On 27 April 1940 No 1 Independent Company embarked at Rosyth on HMS Arethusa, sailing for Mo in Norway (changing ship to RMS Orion and SS Royal Ulsterman in Scapa Flow next day). On 4 May Nos 3, 4 and 5 Independent Companies had embarked at Gourock on SS Ulster Prince, for action in Norway. No2 arrived in theatre on 14 May. These 5 units were being evacuated home by 1 June.

It has not been stated what regiment/corp your father was in.

His serial number falls in the range issued to the Royal Signals, can this be confirmed.

Regards

Graham

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 06/04/2017 10:37:45

How exciting!

Looking forward to seeing the photo and hearing more about your dad.

I see I'm a Captain now - hope my dad can see that. )

Eileen, I hope that now you are a captain you will still speak with us lower mortals who are further down the food chain ?

Attachments rejected as too large. This time sent individually

It failure, I cannot send the map or newspaper article as the files are too large.Let me have a re-think on how to do this

Further to earlier post. As best as I can ascertain the landing zone 42 marked on a map is at Melfjordotn in Norway approximately 30 miles north of Mo. The 43 landing zone marked is Sienes approximately 10 miles south of Bodo. The marked 43 drop area is near Jakkvik in Sweden. Any ideas what these relate to?
The newspaper article relates to a visit to Norway by Iain Hague to visit the grave of his uncle Alexander Howie of the Royal Signals who was killed defending the telephone exchange at Hemnesberget on 10.5 1940 the day the Germans landed there. The article notes that the Royal Navy sunk the enemy transport ship before it could leave. Dad has written in the margin "Alex was my mate in No 1 Independent Company. I was on the other side of the fjord when this happened. I had signalled him 10 minutes before he died. I was lucky, two days later I got shot in the hand"Sorry I can"t upload the originals but interesting stuff.

Thank you for the informative responses. Whoops, the earlier post failed due to the file size so with apologies things are now in reverse order.
In answer to the question
Dad was in the Royal Signals then attested and posted to 52 Lowland Division on 31.8.1939
On 22.4.40 he was posted to HQ 2nd Echelon Number 1 Independent Company and embarked for Mo as noted.
The photo posted was taken in September 1940 and on the reverse it is marked Achnacarry. You will see dad is wearing a Royal Signals forage cap. This probably not helpful.
The record then shows, attached 1 Special Service Brigade 13.5.1941. There follows record of attendance at a number of wireless courses , promotions to sergeant and attendance at the long course Mountain and Snow Warfare Training Centre in I believe March 1943.
on 23.10.44 he embarked for NWE with 52 Lowland Division.
I am now certain that he served with No 1 Independent Company in Norway then deduce that dad returned to the UK and undertook continuation training at Achnacarry save for some time spent in the Scilly Isles with No 1 until posted to the Special Service Brigade. Does this make sense?
This begs more questions:
Was my father an Army Commando or was he possibly an attached signaller to No 1 and the Special Service Brigade?
If he was training at Achnacarry to 1941 what kind of training were they doing and did commando training extend to attached signallers if that is what he was. Presumably yes?
I could not attach the map dad had marked nor the newspaper article but have detailed as best I can where these landings and drop took place and the content of the article from the Greenock Telegraph dated 6.11.1998.
Sorry if my IT ineptitude makes this a bit garbled but hopefully the thread can be followed.
Once again thanks for the responses and any further help in the search would be greatly appreciated.

To try and answer some of your questions.

In 1941 Achnacarry was not yet the Commando Basic Training Centre. Read more about the timeline here: http://www.commandoveterans.org/EarlyCommandoTraining

In 1941 there was only the one Special Service Brigade which did have an HQ section and a Signals Troop. The latter had been raised in 1940 by Captain Leahy and was split into Sections. Our gallery has some photos...have a look through them, the group one on the top row marked 3 section is from 1942 is an early one, the others marked 1, 2, 3 or 4 Special Service Brigade Signals would be likely after July 1943. The reason I mention the Signals Troop is because of the courses your father went on, and the fact they would have come directly under the Special Service Brigade and were known simply as Brigade Signals by many http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/HQ+and+Sigs/Signals+troops/

What rank was your father ? Some selected Officers and NCO's would have gone at that time to STC Lochailort for specialist training and Achnacarry was the Holding Centre as mentioned on the link on early training. Additionally as you mention, the SOE also used STC Lochailort.

Whilst many from the Independent Companies did go into the Commandos, not all did. However if you can scan and email me the documentation you have confirming 1 Independent Company, I can if you wish add your Fathers photo to our Independent Company gallery here: http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/Independent+Companies/

Then if you establish he went into a Commando Unit later we can obviously relocate it.

Pete
Many thanks for the response.
This is all starting to make sense to me now.
Attached are two pages of three from my father's MOD record which show posting to No 1 Independent company and a brief attachment (I think) to No 1 Special Service Brigade, looks like he may have only been there a week if I understand the records correctly - Att 1st SS Brg w.e.f 13.5.41 - CTBA 51 Div 17.5.41.
It does now seem dad returned to 52 Lowland Division Signals on 13.11.40 following service with No 1 Independent Company and may well have remained there for the duration.
In terms of rank he was appointed Lance Corporal on 1.5.42, to corporal 31.10.42, to Lance Sergeant 20.3.43 and finally W Sergeant 2.7.46, demobbed 8.8.46..
I do recall dad mentioning being at Lochailort but have no idea in what capacity nor is there any evidence to support this.
Clearly more work is needed on my part particularly with regard to the mystery of the marked map which indicated further landings in Norway. I cannot for the life of me understand why he would do this if there was no truth behind it. There may or may not be an SOE connection and if I find out I will let you know.
I would be delighted if my father's photo could be added to the Independent Company gallery.
Again my thanks to all who have posted.
Regards
Greg

herewith page 1 of the record - sent separately as file too large